Tue 20 May 1902
Nailsworth Brewery paid 5s fine for pollution of canal at Ebley.
Swing bridge at Stonehouse painted. Bond’s Mill Bridge repaired.
Mr Kimmins’ closet vault at Ryeford. Nothing done.
Chairman, Mr Hooper, again filled post of representative of Company on Gloucester Harbour Board.
Application from Postmistress of Stonehouse that the postman be allowed to cycle over the towing path between Junction and Framilode post office. Letter box on Company’s property at Framilode. Traffic now so trifling that Committee felt it might be an exception. Postman to wear some distinguishing dress or mark of his being a public servant.
Reports on inspection of canal by Mr W J Stanton and Mr Mills on 12/13 May. Repairs needed basin wall at Wallbridge, at entrance of upper canal, rainwater at wharfinger’s house at Wallbridge, and wall at Lodgemore Mills. Mr E P Little to see Mr Hall as to nuisance at Ebley and Ryeford. At Bristol Road Wharf, silt pits for washings from the road required.
Investment of £520 1s from Reserve Fund on purchase of £500 Cape of Good Hope 3½% Inscribed Stock.
Agreement with Mr Joseph Summers for tenancy of dwelling house at Dudbridge Wharf.
No market for osiers grown on Company’s grounds. They might be planted at Stonehouse mud tip or elsewhere.
Thomas James Graham claimed share no.185, will of Joseph Graham.
Detailed survey reports inserted into minutes.
Ship containing 360 tons of stone from North Wales was being unloaded into barges at Junction, destined for canal.
[1902 May] Committee Meeting held at Wallbridge on Tuesday the 20^th day of May 1902 @ 3 o'clock pm
Present: Mr C H Hooper Chairman, Mr H Hamilton Mills, Mr F A Little, Sir W H Marling Bart, Mr E P Little, Mr W J Stanton.
[-Fine of - Sonehouse Bridge - Bonds Mill Bridge - Kimmins Vault] The Clerk reported the payment by the Nailsworth Brewery C^o of the fine of 5^s/- for pollution of the Canal at Ebley, that the Swing Bridge at Stonehouse had been painted, and that the Repair of Bonds Mill Bridge had been completed, but that nothing had been done to the closet vault belonging to Mr Kimmins at Ryeford.
[G Harb Board (Mr Hooper)] At the wish of the Committee, the Chairman (Mr Hooper) agreed to fill again for the present, the post of representative of the Company on the Gloucester Harbour Board.
[Towing Path Framilode PO] An application from the Postmistress of Stonehouse that the postman be allowed to cycle over the towing path between 'The Junction' and Framilode Post Office was considered. Mr Snape stated that the letter box was on the Company's property at Framilode, and the traffic in that length of the Canal being now so trifling the Committee felt it might be treated as exception to the decision page 324 Oct 22.01, and the desired permission granted, subject to withdrawal at any time, and conditional upon proper care on the part of the postman, while he should wear some distinguishing dress or mark of his being a postman.
[Annual Survey Report] Mr F A Little read the Report of the inspection of the upper section of the Canal, carried out by himself and Mr W J Stanton on the 12^th inst and Mr Mills that of the lower part to Framilode, which he surveyed with Mr Ball on the 13^th. Both Reports were ordered to be entered in the Minutes. The Clerk was directed to see to repairs of which note had been taken, especially the Bason wall at Wallbridge at the entrance of the upper Canal, the rainwater at Wharfinger House at Wallbridge and the wall at Lodgemore Mills. Mr E P Little undertook to see Mr Hall as to the nuisance at Ebley and Ryeford (Mr T Mortimer's & Mr Kimmins). At Bristol Road Wharf silt-pits for the washings from the road were required, as to which the Clerk was instructed to communicate with the County Surveyor.
[Reserve Fund Investment] Mr Mills reported the investment of £520..1..0 from the Reserve Fund in the purchase of £500 "Cape of Good Hope 3½% per cent Inscribed Stock", leaving at the present time £24..4..7 of the Fund as a balance in hand.
[House Dudbge Wharf] The Agreement with Mr Joseph Summers for the Tenancy of the Dwelling House at Dudbridge Wharf was duly sealed.
[Osiers] The Clerk reported that he could find no marked for the Osiers grown on the Companys grounds, and it was suggested they might be planted at the Stonehouse mud-tip or elsewhere.
[Share (late J Graham)] Frederick Samford Whittingham of Stroud in the County of Gloucester, Solicitor, attended under the written authority of Thomas James Graham of 55 Heathland Road Stoke Newington in the County of London sole executor of the Will of Joseph Graham, late of 37 Bradpol Road Bridport in the County of Dorset, retired accountant, formerly of West Bay Road, Bridport, aforesaid (who died on the 14^th day of March 1902) and who at the time of his death held one share in the Company numbered 185, and now standing in the name of the said Joseph Graham deceased in the books of the Company and made out his claim by producing the ticket or title of the said one share and the Probate of the Will of the said Joseph Graham, bearing date the 23^rd day of June 1899, and proved by the said executor in the Principal Probate Registry of His Majesty's High Court of Justice on the 8^th day of April 1903. And the claim was admitted accordingly and a new ticket ordered to be made out on the ticket or title of the said share being delivered up.
Annual Inspection 13 May 1902
Wallbridge to Eastington.
[SURVEY Report] Wallbridge: The Masonry Wharf Wall, retaining the North Bank of the basin requires repair.
The Wharfingers house - a butt or tank should be provided for the rain water from the roof of the house, and the windows require painting.
By Lodgemore the Wharf wall badly needs some attention.
There is a large heap of Manure (said to belong to Mr Townsend) on the bank or wharf at the termination of the Painswick Brook. Measures should be taken to have it removed or it may be washed into the Canal. To all appearances the heap has been there for some months.
Gas Works: The new retaining wall to the bank opposite the Gas Cos' gates looks substantial and is a great improvemen.
Dudbridge: The fence to the Lock keepers garden is old and in very bad order and will have to be renewed before long.
The new Iron Gate across the tow-path between the Wharf and the Bridge appears satisfactory.
The new pair of bottom Gates put in at the Wharf Lock at Dudbridge in August 1901 was inspected.
The windows of the Wharf House might be painted with advantage.
We were pleased to notice the busy appearance of the Wharf - Six barges were alongside, all in use.
Ebley: A drain pipe close to the Engine house of Mr Mortimers Saw Mills was discharging some filthy water into the Canal. We suggest that steps be at once taken to remedy this. The line mapped out for the drainage pipes of the Rural District Council is only some 50 yards distant, and the expense of abating the nuisance may be minimised if the matter has attention before the new drainage pipes are put in. The water below Ebley was appreciably dirtier than on the Stroud side of it.
Ryeford:- The privy of Mr Kimmins is still unprovided with a tank. A few piles have recently been driven in to shore up the bank at this spot.
At the bathing place of Mr Sibly's students we observed that eight large piles had been driven in the Cana about a foot away from the shore on the North bank, and staging erected upon them for bathing purposes.
Stonehouse: The Bridge near M^r Davies Mill has been painted white as ordered by the Committee. The repairs to Bonds Mill Bridge are completed, excepting the painting.
Eastington: Davis the oil Merchant wants the brick wall of his Yard repaired and pointed. Half of the Yard is said to belong to the Canal Coy for which a shilling a year is paid. Who is responsible for the upkeep of the wall is not clear. We suggest that the documents relating to the property be looked up and the matter be then dealt with.
The butt of one of the balance poles to Blunder lock is in a very decayed state and needs repair.
One of the corner posts of the roof of the saw pit in the stores yard should be repaired or the structure may fall.
The Canal generally is, in our opinion in a satisfactory state, and the many heaps of County Council stone on the banks evidence returning trade.
Walter J Stanton
F A Little
Members of Committee.
[SURVEY Report] The portion of the Canal from Framilode to Eastington was inspected by Mr Morton Ball and Mr H H Mills (who were accompanied by Mr Snape) on Wednesday the 14^th May.
Entrance at Severn: The walls and gates at the junction with the Severn were found to be in good order. Some repairs executed during the past year were pointed out by Mr Snape.
Warehouse at Framilode: The Warehouse at Framilode, which has been unused for some years, requires some slight repairs to the roof in order to make it watertight, and an old pear tree which appeared to be causing damage to the roof requires lopping, and Mr Snape stated he would have these matters attended to.
Pocketts Cottage: The box containing the life-buoy and drags fixed to the wall of Pocketts Cottage requires painting and directions were given to Pockett to test the cords attached to the life-buoy and drags, as it was evident that the life-buoy had not been taken out of its box for a very long time. The front door of the Cottage also requires painting.
Taylors Cottage: The Cottage at Framilode in the occupation of Taylor was inspected. He asks that the furnace now in the kitchen should be removed and place in a small lean-to shed to be built against the outside wall. It was considered that this might be done as the cost would be small.
Matthews Cottage: Mrs Matthews, the wife of the tenant of the adjoining Cottage, asks for a new stair-case, but it was thought that repairs to the hand-rail and treads would be sufficient.
Whitminster Bridge: Some slight repairs are required to this bridge.
Bristol Road Wharf: Catchpits are required in the main road to prevent silt from being washed into the Canal.
Generally speaking the buildings banks and towing path from Framilode to Eastington are in good order.
It was noticed with satisfaction that a ship containing 360 tons of stone from North Wales was being unloaded into barges at the Junction, the whole being destined for this Canal.
H Hamilton Mills
14^th May 1902.
