Thu 9 Mar 1775
Benjamin Grazebrook reported that the soil at Kemmett’s Orchard appeared to be appropriate for bricks. 6 labourers digging in Kemmett’s Orchard for brick making have contracted to dig, make and burn at 6s per 1000 saleable bricks.
Mr Hall reported that stone from Gun Mills quarry (Littledean) is too hard and therefore too expensive to work. So used for facing the inside of the lock but not for quoins.
Mr Priddey to send pattern tools to Droitwich.
Next full moon for Aberthaw stone for lime.
Thomas Barnwood to be asked if he can supply up to 50,000 wether bricks
At an Adjourned Meeting of the Directors of the Stroudwater Navigation held this Ninth Day of March 1775 at the George in Stroud
Present: Timothy Lewis in the Chair, John Hollings, George Hawker, Thomas White, Joseph Wathen, Richard Aldridge, Robert Elliss, James Winchcombe, Thomas Baylis.
[1^st Report] M^r Hall Reports that the Stone dug at the Quarry near Guns Mills has been dug out to the Quantity of 60 Tons in Measure and that he shall have carried that Quantity to broad Oak in a few days but that the nature of the above Stone is to hard a texture to Work but at a very great Expence, its fitt for the facing the inside of the Lock but not for Quoins. ~~
[2^d] M^r Hall Reports that there are 180 Deales in Tale bought at Bristol by M^r Priddey of M^r W'm Evans & Co to the Value of £39 0s 6d and the said Deals are Landed at Kemmetts Orchard. ~~ And that the Barrows are making, and that M^r Priddey is Imediately to Send Pattern Tools from Droitwich. ~~~
(3^dly) M^r Grazebrook reports that the Soil at Kemmetts Orchard appears to be proper and fitt for Bricks, and that there are 6 Laborers now Digging for the Purpose of Brick making who have Contracted to Digg make and burn at the Rate of Six Shillings per Thousand Saleable Bricks.
(4^ly) M^r Hall Reports that he expects the Aberthaw Stone the Next full Moonin order to Burn for Lime. ~~~
[5^ly] M^r Hall reports that M^r Walbank has Sold his Land to M^r Saunders who asks 20^£ per Acre for his Land in Pool field also for M^rs Morse and M^r Watkins.~~~
M^r hall agrees to take for his land at the same Rate as the above Persons.
[M^r Hll to Contract for Lands] (1^st) Ordered That M^r Hall be empowered to Contract for Lands with the different Proprietors with all expedition possible in a discretionary manner. ~~~~
[to Write to M^r Parry] Ordered that M^r Hollings be desired to Write to M^r Parry in Respect to M^r Yates Land, the Land now wanting is 2 Rood 32 Perches. ~~~
[to Contract w^th M^r Clutterbuck] M^r Grazebrook to Contract with M^r Clutterbuck of the Thrup for his land in Pool Field. ~~~
[to Apply to M^r Davis] M^r Hall to Apply to M^r Davis on Account of the Land belonging to the Ladys of the Manor of Frampton. ~~~
[to Apply to M^r Coulson] M^r Lewis to Apply to M^r Coulson .~~~
[Contracts to be made] That all Contracts to be made Imediately by the Several Persons above named in Writeing and Sign'd by each party. ~~~
[Price of Land in pool field] That the Land in Pool field be bought (if it cannot be had under) at 20^£ per Acre but in Drawing the Contract it be expressed by Years Purchase according to the Value per Acre per Annum- so as to bring it as near 33 Years Purchase as Possible. ~~~
[Cutters sent for] Ordered that John Gleave and Robert Perry be Sent for to attend the next Meeting in order to enter into a final Contract with them in Regard to Cutting Banking, etc, under the Advice and Judgment of M^r Priddey our Chief Surveyor. ~~~
[to Contract for Brick] Ordered that M^r Hall Contract with M^r Tho^s Barnard for a Quantity of Stock Brick not exceeding 50 Thousand to be Delivered and Landed at late Kemmetts Orchard at a price not exceeding 19^s per Thousand the whole to be Wether Bricks. ~~~
[M^r Kemmett to Attend the next Meeting] Ordered that M^r Kemmett be desired to Attend the next Meeting in order to the final finsihing the Buisness of the Contract between him and the Directors. ~~~
[Bartlett to Attend the Next Meeting] Ordered that Tho's Bartlett Attends the next Meeting and
in the mean time that he Suspends Diggingany more Stone but finish the Scabbling and otherwise prepare the Stone for the designed uses for hollow Quoins etc. ~~~
Ordered that this Meeting be Adjourned to Thursday the 23^rd of this Instant March at 5 o Clock in the Afternoon at the George in Stroud. ~~~
