Thu 16 May 1878
Mr G H A Beard be Chairman for the coming year.
John Bowman and Alfred William Hooper claimed share no.88, will of William Bevan.
The rent for the coal pen at Bristol Road Wharf occupied by Mr James Williams to be reduced.
Clerk ordered to pay the Tithe Rent charge of 3s.1d. due 25 March 1878 for the Parish of Rodborough.
The Company gives permission for the two gate openings made illegally by Mr William Fawkes from two fields of which he is tenant between Ryeford and Stonehouse Wharf, on payment of an annual sum; such permission may be removed at any time, when Mr Fawkes at his own expense would have to remove the gateways and make good the damage to the satisfaction of the Company’s surveyor.
Mr William Smith, captain of boat Elizabeth, fined 10s, or a summons to be taken out and the full penalty enforced, for being abusive after being asked to remove his boat.
Company’s solicitor instructed to resolve a dispute as to the Company’s liability for poor rate in the Wheatenhurst parish.
Committee Meeting held at Wallbridge on Thursday the 16^th day of May 1878 @ 3,o,clock pm
Present: Mr G H A Beard Chairman, Mr J T Stanton, Mr W W Kearsey, Mr T M Croome, Mr S Phipps, Mr T Marling, Major Fisher.
It was proposed, seconded and carried unanimously that Mr G H A Beard be Chairman for the ensuing year.
[38] Mr N N Kearsey of Stroud in the County of Gloucester Solicitor attended on behalf of and under a written authority from John Bowman of No 8 White Ladies Road Clifton in the City of Bristol Gentleman and Alfred William Hooper of Clevedon in the County of Somerset but now of the Junior Athaneum Club Piccadilly in the County of Middlesex Gentleman the Executors of the Will of the late William Bevan late of No 34 (formerly No 7) Harfield Road Saint Michaels in the City of Bristol Gentleman (who died on the 15^th day of February 1878, and whose Will with two codicils thereto were proved by the said John Bowman and Alfred William Hooper in the District Registry attached to the Probate Division of Her Majestys High Court of Justice at Bristol on the 5^th day of March 1878) and made out the claim of the said John Bowman and Alfred William Hooper to share numbered 88 of the Undertaking of the Stroudwater Navigation lately belonging to and now standing in the name of the said William Bevan deceased by producing the Probate of the Will & Codicils of the said William Bevan and also producing the original Ticket or title to the said Share and the Claim was admitted and a new Ticket ordered to be made out accordingly.
[30] Resolved that the rent for the Coal pen occupied by Mr James Williams at Bristol Road wharf be reduced from 1/- to 6^d per week, Rent to commence from March 25^th 1878.
[41] The Clerk produced an application from the Rev^d Norrish for 3/1 Tithe Rent charges for the parish of Rodborough due on the 25^th day of March 1878.
The same was ordered to be paid.
[33] The agreement between this Company and Messrs Harper Brothers for the erection of a dwelling house at Eastington was produced with the Cos Seal affixed thereto.
[2] An acknowledgement by Mr William Fawkes, Framer of Stonehouse respecting two gateways from two fields between Ryeford and Stonehouse Wharf, was produced and approved. Copy as follows;
Whereas the undersigned William Fawkes of Downton Farm, Farmer, has lately illegally opened and made two gateways from fields of which William Davies Engineers the owner and the said William Fawkes is the occupier leading onto the Towing path of the Canal of the Company of Proprietors of the Stonehouse Navigation between Ryeford and Stonehouse Wharf, the Towing path being the private property of the said Company without any right of way over the same. Now therefore the said William Fawkes has on the signing thereof paid the said Company an acknowledgement of his aforesaid wrongful acts, a sum of Five shillings, and hereby undertakes and agrees to and with the said Company to pay them hereafter as long as the said Company shall permit him to use the said gateways or either of them or the said Towing path or any part thereof at the rate of Five shillings per annum for such permissive use thereof. And that such permission may be withdrawn at any time and that thereupon the said William Fawkes will immediately at his own costs remove the said gateways and replace the said fence where such gateways have been made, to the satisfaction of the Companys Surveyor.
Dated the eleventh day of May 1878
William Fawkes
Witness to the signings by the said William Fawkes:
William James Snape,
Clerk & Surveyor to the said Company.
[18] The Clerk reported William Smith Capt of boat "Elizabeth" for willfully stopping the trade at the top of the five locks on the 30^th April after being requested to remove his boat, he was also very abusive.
Ordered that he pay a fine of 10/- or a summons to be take out and the full penalty enforced.
[41] The Clerk produced an application for a poor rate for the Companys property in the Wheatenhurst parish, and as a dispute has arisen as to the liability of the Company to pay the same, the Company's Solicitor was instructed to resist it.
