Tue 26 Apr 1864
General Half Yearly Meeting.
Tonnage since 1 October 1863 £2567 9s. After wages, etc, £1859 1s 3d profit. Dividend of £9 5s declared.
Proposal by Mr Taunton of immediate reduction of tonnage by both companies. 1s per ton rate on all coal landed at Wallbridge, or passing into the T&S Canal to any point short of Brimscombe, equally divided between both companies. Also reduction of 3d per ton by Stroudwater of all coal carried beyond Brimscombe Port. Proposal adopted.
At a General Half Yearly Meeting of the Company of Proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation held at the Committee Room at Wallbridge on Tuesday the 26^th day of April 1864
G H A Beard in the chair.
The Minutes of the Committee since the last General Assembly were read approved and confirmed.
The several Books and Accounts were produced as directed by the Act of Parliament and were examined and passed. It appears that the sum of £2567..9..0 has been received for Tonnage from the 1^st day of October 1863 to the 1^st day of April 1864 part of which has been applied towards the payment of Wages Disbursements, etc, there remains in the hands of the Treasurer after paying the last Dividend the sum of £1859..1..3.
Ordered that a Dividend of 9^£..5..0 on each Share be declared payable on the 1^st day of May next.
A Letter was read from M^r Taunton bearing date March 31^St stating, that owing to the increased competition caused by the Conveyance of Coal by Rail he considered it of the highest importance that a reduction of Tonnage should be immediately made by both Companies and that from this date 1^s/ per Ton should be the Rate on all coal landed at Wallbridge or passing into the Thames & Severn Canal to any point short of Brimscombe, such Tonnage to be equally divided between both Companies, and also that a reduction to 3^d per Ton should be made by this Company on all Coal carried beyond Brimscombe Port.
Resolved that M^r Taunton's proposal be accepted provided the same be confirmed by the Thames & Severn Company.
Present: M^r G H A Beard, M^r F Eycott, J H Warman, J T Fisher Jr, C Hawker, G C Harris.
Resolved that the following Gentlemen shall form the Committee for the ensuing year Mess^rs Hooper, Beard, Warman, Wilton, J T Fisher Jr, C H Fisher, W W Kearsey, Eycott, Croome and M^r C Hawker.
