A STALWART supporter of the Basingstoke Canal will be forever remembered – after a lock was named in his honour.

Lifelong St Johns resident Peter Redway MBE lived beside the waterway he so dearly loved, and became dedicated to its restoration after repair work began in the 1970s.

Sadly, Peter, who had been chairman of the Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society for 16 years died, aged 79, in 2011.

But his family – including his widow, Marguerite, and two sons – friends and fellow canal devotees braved a snowy Sunday morning to gather as a stone plaque was unveiled in his memory at Lock 11, now forever known as the Redway Lock.

Surrey county councillor and chairman of the Basingstoke Canal Joint Management Committee, Linda Kemeny, said: “Peter’s total commitment delivered the important St Johns back-pumping scheme to ensure a stable water supply for year-round navigation.

“He was honoured in the 2007 Queen’s birthday honours with a well-deserved award of the MBE.”

Guests at the ceremony included Robin Higgs OBE, vice president and former chairman of the now-renamed Basingstoke Canal Society, the current chairman Philip Riley, members Chai Ken and Denise Hall and John Kingsbury, leader of Woking Borough Council.

The party later retired to The Rowbarge pub to thaw out with some liquid refreshments and a buffet provided by the canal events organiser Verna Smith.