Tue 8 May 1860
Letter from Mr Ford stating misrepresentation of Messrs. Ford’s position. Proposition to pay full price of 4d per ton on wheat brought from Chalford down T&S Canal and number of tons paid for to be deducted ‘wholely and without further charge’ from excess of flour exported. Unless proposition accepted Messrs. Ford could not extend business at Ryeford but would put up mill in another locality. Messrs. Ford agreed to ask for no reduction if account did not reach £500 a year, a considerable increase on the amount of their account. Resolved that they be allowed to bring wheat throughout whole length of canal at 4d per ton, none to be brought there at first by railway, and allowed in account against excess of flour exported, provided account amounts to £500 a year.
Letter from Ezra Wheeler, a trader on the canal for many years, soliciting help in consequence of losses sustained. £3 allowed him.
At a Special and General Meeting of the Committee of the Stroudwater Navigation held at the Committee Room at Wallbridge on Tuesday the 8^th day of May 1860
Present: M^r C Hawker, M^r C Hooper Chairman, F Eycott, G H A Beard, T M Croome, H Harris.
A letter was read from Mess^rs Ford in reply to one from M^r Partridge inclosing them a Copy of the Minute of the last Committee Meeting. The following is a Copy of the Reply:
"Ryeford Mills Stonehouse April 27^th 1860
To the Committee of the Stroudwater Canal
Gentlemen
In answer to yours of this morning we are sorry to find that you have misinterpreted our proposition.
Our proposition was to pay 4^d per Ton the full rate on your Canal for Wheat brought from above Chalford down the Thames and Severn Canal and the number of Tons thus paid for to be deducted wholely and without further charge from excess of Flour exported.
For example, Supposing our excess of Flour exported to be 500 Tons on the Quarter and we have paid 4^d per Ton on your canal for 100 Tons of Wheat, our excess of Flour to be charged would e 400 Tons.
Unless our proposition is accepted we cannot extend our business at Ryeford but shall put up a Mill at another locality.
If you have any idea that your accepting our proposition will lessen our account we beg to say that if our account does not reach £500 a year commencing January next we have no objection to pay the full excess on Flour exported.
Signed Ford Brothers"
The subject was again taken into consideration and as Mess^rs Ford have agreed to ask for no reduction if their account does not reach £500 a year which is a considerable increase on the amount of their account up to the present time,
Resolved that they be allowed to bring Wheat throughout the whole length of the Canal downwards from any place above Chalford to Framilode at the rate of four pence per Ton, with the distinct understanding that none shall be first brought there by Railway to be so carried and that they shall be allowed in account against the Excess of Flour exported, the number of Tons of Wheat so brought down and paid for, providing their account under all heads amounts to £500 yearly, but not otherwise and that this arrangement do take effect from the 1^st day of July next.
A letter was read from Ezra Wheeler a Trader on the Canal for many years soliciting held from the Company in consequence of losses he had sustained.
Resolved that £3 be allowed him.
The following Bill was ordered to be paid:
M^r W^m Hobbs Blacksmith: 0^£..9^s..0^d
