Fri 1 Jun 1855
Estimate from Mr Henry Harrison for work at Ryeford. £36 on south side, £49 north side. Not enough room to make lieby as proposed by Mr Ford near mill at Ryeford. Wall should be built on south side and cutting from Mr Ford’s land made on north side. Mr Ford to pay half cost on north side, providing work is executed to satisfaction of Company’s surveyor and he erects warehouse as proposed.
Letter from Mr Ford: Mr Partridge applied for tonnage on excess of flour to be taken down over wheat. Messrs. Ford proposed reduction to induce Company to retain their trade. Otherwise they intended to erect a steam engine at Bristol instead of at mill at Ryeford. Company could not reduce tonnage to Ryeford Mill. Expected excess of tonnage referred to in Mr Partridge’s letter to be made good.
Mr Richard Cole of Cirencester proposed to carry 200 tons of larch sleepers to Newport if tonnage could be reduced. Tonnage on sleepers to be 6d a ton.
Mr Partridge reported that Mr Taunton applied on behalf of Thames & Severn Canal Co to join them in reduction of tonnage on coals to enable traders at or near Brimscombe to compete with railway. Company did not comply.
Mr Geo. Nurse applied for reduction of tonnage on stone. Allowed drawback of 4d per ton from present rates at Dudbridge and Wallbridge for not less than 500 tons in year from present.
Company not willing to join Canal Companies Association at present.
At a Meeting of the Committee of the Stroudwater Navigation held at the Committee Room at Wallbridge on Wednesday the 1^st day of June 1855
Present: M^r Cha^s Hawker, M^r Rich^d Martin Chairman, F Eycott, H Harris, J H Warman, W^m Fryer, G H A Beard.
An estimate was read from M^r Henry Harrison of Stonehouse tod the work at the Ryeford referred to in the Minutes of the last Meeting at the following sums namely the work on the South side of the Navigation at Thirty six pounds & the work on the North side at Forty nine pounds. Resolved that Mess^rs Ford be informed that inasmuch as there is not sufficient room to make a lie bye as proposed by them near their Mill at Ryeford on the South side of the Navigation & the Company found that building a wall on the South side at the spot to carry the height of the bank & deepen the water near the Towing path and a cutting from M^r Ford's land on the North side would do what is required the Company is willing to do the work on the South side & allow Mess^rs Ford one half of the cost of the work on the North side provided it is executed to the satisfaction of the Company's Surveyor & provided Mess^rs Ford erect the Warehouse as proposed by them at the last half yearly Meeting, the wall on each side being understood to be the property of the Company.
A letter from Mess^rs Ford of the 15^th May was read in reply to the application by M^r Partridge to them for the Tonnage on the excess of flour taken down for some time past over Wheat brought up and in which they had made a proposition for a reduction of Tonnage to induce the Company to retain their Trade as they otherwise intended to erect a Steam Engine at Bristol instead of at their Mill at Ryeford. Resolved that Mess^rs Ford be informed that the Company cannot agree to compound for their Tonnage at a fixed sum by the year as proposed be them, or to reduce the Tonnage to the Ryeford Mill as proposed by their letter & that they expect the excess of Tonnage referred to in M^r Partridge;s former letter to them to be made good.
A letter from M^r Rich^D Cole of Cirencester was read proposing to carry 200 Tons of larch Sleepers to Newport if the Tonnage on them could be reduced. Resolved that he be informed that the C^o is willing to charge the Sleepers at the rate of sixpence per Ton.
M^r Partridge reported that M^r Taunton had applied to him on behalf of the Thames & Severn Canal C^o to join them in a reduction of Tonnage on Coals to enable the Traders at or near Brimscombe to compete with the Railway. Resolved that he be informed that this Company considering the last arrangement on that head to be final do not see their way to comply with this proposal.
M^r Partridge also reported that M^r Geo Nurse had applied for a reduction of Tonnage on Stone. Resolved that referring to a similar concession made to M^r James Nurse by the Minute of 10^th January last M^r G Nurse be informed that he will be allowed a drawback of 4^d per Tone from the present rate charged at Dudbridge & Wallbridge provided he brings up to these places not less than 500 Tons within the year reckoning from the present time.
Resolved that M^r Partridge inform M^r Wilson in reply to his Circular of the 16^th May last that this Company do not feel disposed to join the Canal Companies Association at present.
Resolved that the following Accounts be paid:
M^r N A Partidge Quarters Salary due 26^th Inst: 25^£..-^s..-^d
N Driver Quarters Salary due 26^th Inst: 20..-..-
J Burbidge 2 months do due 20 May: 10..-..-
Resolved that the usual yearly stoppage of the Canal commence on Wednesday 18th July & terminate on Saturday 28 July both days inclusive.
