Walking the canals in Birmingham (more there than in Venice, don’t you know) with friends from Sydney, I was asked by one of them who had invented the vitally important system of locks.
I had no idea. “Don’t think it was the Romans,” was all I could offer.
So I decided to approach the skipper of a passing narrow-boat. He and his crew at that moment had just negotiated their way through another lock (more than in Venice, we can be sure). He looked to me very much the expert, cap set at jaunty angle.
Not fazed at all by my approach, he gave us a rather comprehensive answer. The Chinese were involved, of course. The Babylonians. The Dutch (very flat, Holland). And something about Robert Barron in England, who had invented the “double-acting tumbler lock” in 1778.
I was impressed and said so to our helpful informant, adding: “At least, it all sounded very plausible to me – and plausibility is very important, you know.”
My little jest did not result in any smiles from Mr Jaunty Cap. In fact he gave me a rather odd look.
As we walked away, my wife Sophie said to me: “You do know who that was?”
“No idea,” I responded. “Who?”
“That was David Suchet." Only one of our finest (and most plausible) actors. And a passionate supporter of our canals.
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