Maria Jinks was born in Marple, Cheshire of a boat buiding family and she had a narrow boat named after her. It was built in 1853 by Jinks Boatyard, Marple. From 1854 to 1897 it was used for transporting railway ballast in Derbyshire by MS&L Railway Co. From 1897 to 1922 it was a canal maintenance boat for Great Central Railway. From 1923 to 1948 it was a maintenance boat for London and North Eastern Railways. From 1948 to 1961 it was a maintenance boat for British Waterways but was abandoned at Ashton under Lyne, sunk and derelict between 1961 and 1972.

In 1972 it was recovered and used by Peak Forest Canal Society. It was later rebuilt and converted to a horse drawn passenger trip boat.

It is still in use on the Ashton & Peak Forest canals and is moored at Portland Basin, Ashton. It is a horse drawn narrow boat and it was the first boat to make the complete passage along the restored Huddersfield Narrow Canal between Ashton and Huddersfield and back, including being the first boat legged through Standedge Tunnel for 59 years.

MARIA is the oldest wooden narrowboat in existence in good condition and as the only remaining boat which was built on the Peak Forest Canal.