Tue 12 Apr 1796
General Half Yearly Meeting. Tonnage £2041 3s 10½d. Balance £1573 8s 6d. Dividend of £7 declared.
Two wings to be added to house at Wallbridge.
Committee for next year: Rev William Ellis, Sam Wathen, Rowles Scudamore, John Allaway, Edward Harford, William Battersby, Josiah Harford, Richard Bigland, Benjamin Grazebrook, Joseph Grazebrook, Samuel Smith, Josiah Wathen, Nathaniel Wathen.
Thanks to Josiah Isles Wathen for his attention to interest of Company, attending Committee of House of Commons during time new Thames & Severn Bill was passing.
Mr Samuel Baylis to be suspended from his office. Committee empowered to reinstate him.
At a General Half Yearly Meeting of the Proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation held at the George Inn in Stroud on Tuesday the 12^th of April 1796
Will^m Battersby Esq^r in the Chair.
The Minutes of the last General Meeting were Read and Confirmed.
The several Books and Accounts were produced respecting the Affairs of the Company as directed by the Act of Parliament and Examined and Confirm'd.
It appears by the Accounts that the Sum of £2041..3^s..10½^d has been received for Tonnage, etc, from the 13^th of October last to this day, a part of which had been applied towards the payment of Debts, Wages, Disburstments, etc, there remains with a former Ballance in the Treasurers Hands the sum of 1573^£..8^s..6^d.
Ordered that a Dividend of Seven Pounds be made on each Share to be paid by the Treasurers on the first day of May next, and that our Clerk do transmit Circular Letters to all the Proprietors to inform them they may draw upon the Treasurer or apply to him for Payment of the same.
Ordered that two Wings be added to the House now building at Walbridge according to the Plan already laid down by M^r Franklin.
The following Gentlemen are appointed a Committee for the ensuing Year, Viz:
Rev^d W^m Ellis, Rich^d Bigland, Sam^l Wathen, Benj^n Grazebrook, Rowles Scudamore, Jos^h Grazebrook, Jn^o Allaway, Sam^l Smith, Edw^d Harford, Jas^h I Wathen, W^m Battersby, Nath^l Wathen, Jos^h Harford.
Resolved that the Thanks of this Meeting be given to Josiah Isles Wathen for his very polite attention to the Interest of this Company in attending the Committee of the House of Commons, during the time that the new Thames and Severn Bill was passing.
Resolved that M^r Sam^l Baylis be suspended from his Office.
The Committee are empowered to reinstate him in his employ if they think proper.
