One of the original titles of images in this collection was “The Gamblers” and it is very likely that this is the photograph of that title. The truth is, we don’t know exactly what these men are doing in this picture, but gambling is a strong probability. It is probably the only surviving photograph of this use of the canal for leisure activities! They appear to be rather smartly dressed, so they are not planning to do a repair job on the canal but looking closely at something on the ground. This may well be a newspaper announcing sporting results. Gambling was illegal at this time although the law was widely flouted. It may be that the towpath was a safe place for gamblers to meet, where the attention of the police was unlikely, and it may also be the case that the law was not be enforced on private property such as the canal. The exact location is not known.