Tue 19 Jan 1904
Through traffic in 1903 £444 2s 11d. £448 4s 9d average for 3 years. 1903 saw decrease of 19s 6d. No payment due. £150 to be paid to County Council next month, plus 3s 4d due from tolls taken in 1902.
Mr Lambourn’s question as to rental of Wallbridge Warehouse resolved by provision of addition of a WC, a gas jet in the office and on the top floor.
Renewal of seven angling tickets of a Bristol Angling Association.
Next stoppage of towpaths postponed till 1906. Sharpness Docks Co. liable for repair of Whitminster Lock gates.
Response from Sharpness New Docks Co re maintaining level of Bristol Road pound recorded in minutes.
Letter from Swindon Corporation to cut off supply of water from reservoir supplying Wilts & Berks Canal. Company deprecated closure as it affects water supply.
Clerk to explore eelative cost of water borne ‘Rowley Regis’ road stone and rail borne ‘Clee Hill’ stone adding to rates for Irish, Arklow, stone.
Mr E P Little to bring advatages of water borne stone before Stroud Rural District Council.
Ellen Harford, William Alfred Harford and Hugh Wyndham Luttrell Harford, claimed shares nos.23,24,25,27,28,29,30,95, will of Henry Harford.
[1904 January] Committee Meeting held at Wallbridge on Tuesday the 19^th day of January 1904 @ 3 o'clock pm
Present: Mr C H Hooper Chairman, Mr A B Hooper, Mr E P Little, Mr P J Evans, Sir W H Marling Bart, Mr H Hamilton Mills, Mr W J Stanton, Mr S S Marling
Mr Whittingham, Solicitor in attendance.
[Contribution Thames & Severn Canal, Traffic return] The Clerk reported the result of the Statement he had been instructed to prepare, in response to the requirement of the County Council (under sec 43 of the T&S Canal Trust Act 1895) as to the through traffic for the year ended Sept 30 1903. It appears that £444..2..11 was the amount of such traffic for _that year_ and £448..4..9 the average of the _three years_ last past.
The latter figure compared with the average of the 3 years ended Sept 1894 (£449..4..1) showed a decrease of 19/4 and therefore _no payment due_ under the Section 46 T&S Act 1895.
[£150 paid to T&S Canal] In response to an application for the payment of the £150 due to the County Council, under Sec 44 of the Act, such was ordered to be paid next month, as well as the 3^s/4^d due under Sec^s 45 & 46, upon the through traffic to Sept 30^th 1902.
[Application from Mr Lambourn] In reference to Mr Lambourn's question as to the rental of the Wallbridge Warehouse, Mr Snape reported a conversation with him, resulting in his being satisfied on the Company undertaking to provide the convenience of a WC and a gas jet in the Office, and on the top floor. This was agreed to.
[Bristol Angling Association] A letter was read from Mr Long, Secretary to a Bristol Angling Association, claiming promised consideration for their disappointment last year when the water was out for repairs of Double Locks, and it was agreed to renew for 1904 the seven 'Angling Tickets' then purchased by them, without further charge.
{Stoppage of Towing path] The Clerk having reminded the Committee that in accordance with recent practice, it would, in February, be due to close the Towing paths to the public for a day, after 3 years since the last stoppage, the Chairman took the opinion of the Committee as to the necessity for such protection of the 'right of way' at so short an interval, and it appearing from the opinion of the Solicitors of the Company that a somewhat longer one would in no way prejudice such rights, it was unanimously decided to postpone the next 'stoppage' till 1906.
[Level of water Bristol Road Reach] The Chairman stated that, as a result of the conference held at Gloucester since the last Meeting of the Committee at the suggestion of Sir W H Marling Bart (Chairman of the Sharpness Docks Company) on the subject of safeguarding the level of the 'Bristol Road Reach'. the following satisfactory letter had been received by the Clerk.
[Letter from Mr Waddy re Whitminster Lock] Sharpness New Docks & C^o
Gloucester 11^th Jany 1904
Dear Sir,
Bristol Road Pound
I reported to my Board at their last Meeting the conversation some of my Directors and others had had with you with reference to this matter.
I have since take our Solicitors' opinion as to my Company's liability to keep the Whitminster Lock Gates in repair, and they are of the opinion that this Company are liable. The Board therefore directed Mr Jones to prepare an estimate of the cost of putting them in order. When he had done this I will communicate further with you.
Yours truely
Hubert Waddy
General Manager & Secretary,
[Whitminster Lock] The Chairman said it therefore only remained for the Engineers to arrange details and carry out the work, but he wished to acknowledge on behalf of the Committee, the service rendered by their colleague, Sir W H Marling, in thus bringing to a just conclusion, this question which has long been an open one between the two Canal Companies.
[Swindon Corporation Bill] Mr Snape having mentioned that he had an appointment next day, to meet the Chairman of County Council and others, at Swindon, in reference to a proposal of the Swindon Corporation, which would cut off the supply of water from the reservoir that now supplies the Wilts & Berks Canal, he was instructed to take with him the following resolution which was unanimously agreed to, and signed by the Chairman.
[Resolution re Swindon Corporation Bill to be handed to the County Chairman] "That this Committee strongly deprecates the proposal of the Swindon Corporation, which would prejudice the Canal System of this part of the Country, and especially the section of which Swindon is the centre."
[Water-borne Stone, cost of same] The Clerk presented the results of his enquiries respecting the relative cost of the 'water-borne' Rowley Regis Road stone, and the 'rail-borne' Clee Hill Stone, adding also the rates for Irish (Arklow) Stone.
[Mr E P Little to bring prices of Stone under notice of SRD Council] He was directed to supply a copy of these details to Mr E P Little, who undertook to bring the advantages of the 'water-borne' stone before the Stroud R D Council at an early opportunity.
[Claim of Share] Ferdinand Samford Whittingham of Stroud in the County of Gloucester Solicitor attended under the written authority of Ellen Harford of Oldown Tockington in the County of Gloucester Widow and William Alfred Harford of Petty France Badminton in the County of Gloucester Esquire and Hugh Wyndham Luttrell Harford of Oldown Tockington in the County of Gloucester Esquire executors of the Will of William Henry Harford late of Oldown Olveston in the County of Gloucester Esquire deceased (who died on the 2^nd day of November 1903 at 16 Belvedere Weymouth in the County of Dorset) and who at the time of his death held 8 shares in the Company Numbered respectively 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 95 and now standing in the name of the said William Henry Harford deceased in the Books of the Company formerly standing in the joint name of the said William Henry Harford and William Miles, the Certificate of the Burial of the said William Miles was produced to the Company on the 30^th January 1895 and made out their claim by producing the tickets or titles of the said 8 shares and the probate of the Will of the said William Henry Harford deceased bearing date the first day of June 1901 with Codicil bearing date the 4^th day of August 1903 and proved by the said executors in the Principal Probate Registry of His Majestys High Court of Justice on the 11^th day of December 1903, and the claim was admitted accordingly and new tickets or titles ordered to be made out on the tickets or titles of the said shares being delivered up.
Cheques drawn:
Committee fees: 1..12..6
Stroud New: 3..-
Stroud Journal: 3..-
Thomas Boulton: 1..16..8
P R Townsend: 3..-..9
A Ashmead: 16..9
T Butt & Son: 1..2..-
G Chandler: 1..15..9
J H Wilson: 4..3..1
Jno Price: 1..2..3
C W Holland: 16..6
F Shepherd: 14..3
W B Cannon: 3..4..5
W Miles: 5..7..7
J K Long: 5..12..4
H Jefferies: 2..3..2
Davis & Davis: 3..11
G O Elliott: 15..4
[Total] 34..13..3
