Wed 22 Sep 1915
Chairman’s meeting with Mr Gardom, Clerk to County Council re salary to be paid to Mr Snape by Stroud Water Co and Thames & Severn Canal Committee of County Council. Provisional agreement. Thames & Severn Canal Committee to pay £2 2s 6d per week, Stroud Water Co £1 7s 6d, with use of Canal House free of rates and taxes. County Council to contribute 12s 6d per week towards wage of an assistant.
Notice to Albert Bassett to leave and give up house. Inability to find house. Further time refused.
Mr Herbert Edwards of Electric Supply Co desired to bring wires over canal bridge at Ryeford. Metalling too thin to allow this. Plans requested. Wires over bridge at Dudbridge refused.
Mr F W Lee to rent house at Wallbridge Wharf occupied by Albert Bassett. £14 p.a. Mr Lee to take stable adjoining Ship Inn and loft over wash house. Long lease. 30s per annum. Power to sublet and option of further 8 or 10 feet of frontage on wharf.
Letter from Canal Association about appeal against judgement in Thorne County Court re placing notices, Section VI Locomotive Act 1861, on structure of bridge. Necessary to see to it that notices are placed. Whitminster Swing Bridge to have needful notice.
Mr Bush’s responsibility of damage of fallen trees at Eastington.
Bottom gates of Pike Lock unsafe so repaired. Three new bars fixed.
Decking of Gas House Bridge repaired.
Planks put in swing bridge at Lodgemore. Very weak. Needs renewing early next year.
Canal weeded and trimmed. Men again at work between Ocean and Stonehouse Wharf. Painting of bridges next.
Dredging badly needed: Lodgemore Bridge to Gas Works Bridge, Dudbridge Wharf, Ebley Mill to Double Locks, Stonehouse Wharf to Nutshell Bridge, near Bristol Road Wharf. To be done after painting.
Tonnage from 1 April £421 18s 6d, 1914 £449 2s 10d, 1913 £494 6s 10d.
[1915 Sept] Committee Meeting held at Wallbridge on Wednesday the 22^nd day of September 1915 @ 3.30 o'clock pm
Present: Philip Jas Evans, Jack Margetson, Edward P Little, F S Whittingham, F A Little.
The Chairman reported that he had med M^r Gardom the Clerk of the County Council and discussed the question of the salary to be paid to M^r Snape by the Stroud Water C^o and the Thames and Severn Canal Committee of the County Council respectively and it had been provisionally agreed that the Thames & Severn Canal should pay him £2..2..6 per week. The Stroudwater C^o paying £1..7..6er week and allowing him use of the Canal House free of Rent Rates and Taxes - and further that the County Council should contribute 12/6 per week towards the wage of an assistant in the Office.
The Clerk reported that it had been found possible to dispense with the services of Albert Basset and he had notice to leave and give up his house. Bassett had protested his inability to find a house to go into and asked for further time but the Committee considered that this need not be granted as houses are known to be vacant in the near neighbourhood.
Correspondence with M^r J Herbert Edwards re the Electric Supply C^o was produced in which it appeared that they now desired to bring their wires over the Canal bridge at Dudbridge.
The Committee considered that the metalling was too thin to allow of this and M^r Whittingham was asked to write the Electric C^o wishing them to supply plans showing exactly what they proposed and informing them that the Committee was disinclined to agree to their bringing the wires over their Bridge at Dudbridge.
The Clerk reported that M^r F W Lee had agreed to rent the house on Wallbridge Wharf now occupied by Albert Bassett at £14 p a as from 29^th inst, and the agreement was duly sealed.
Mr Lee had offered to take the stable adjoining the Ship Inn and the loft over the wash-house on a long lease at 30/- per annum with power to sublet and option to take a further 8' ir 10 feet of frontage on the Wharf.
It was left to M^r E P Little and M^r Whittingham to deal with the matter.
A letter from the Canal Association was read in which the views of the Committee were asked as to supporting an appeal against the Judgement in the Thame County Court respecting placing the Notices under sec VI of the Locomotive Act 1861 on the actual structure of the Bridge but the Committee considered that all that was needed was to see to it that then notices are so placed and that Whitminster Swing Bridge should be furnished with the needful notice.
M^r Whittingham put in a letter he had received from M^r Bush's Solicitors as to Trees at Eastington and read the copy of his reply again pointing out M^r Bush's responsibility for damage if the Trees should fall and do mischief.
The Clerk reported that:-
1 The bottom gates of the Pike Lock being unsafe, had been repaired and three new bars fixed.
2 The Decking of the Gas House Bridge had been repaired, and some planks put in the Swing Bridge at Lodgemore, but this Bridge will be required to be renewed early next year as it is getting very weak.
3 The whole of the Canal had been weeded and trimmed, but the weeds had grown so fast in the reach between the Ocean and the Stonehouse Wharf that the men were now again at work on this length, after this had been done the painting of the Bridges would be commenced.
4 The Canal badly needed dredging at the following places:-
Lodgemore Bridge to Gas Works Bridge
Dudbridge Wharf
Ebley Mills to Double Locks
Stonehouse Wharf to Nutshell Bridge
Near Bristol Road Wharf.
5 After the painting is finished the men would at once start on the dredging.
Mr Snape produced the draft of a proposed Circular letter to be sent to those whom it might concern announcing his appointment calling attention to some of the advantages offered by the Thames & Severn Canal and the Stroudwater Canal and the Committee approved the same.
The Credit balance a Bank was given as 343^£,,5^s,,7^d as compared with 432..11..7 a year ago and 402..16..8 in 1913 at the same period.
Tonnage to date from April 1^st last was 421..18..6 comparing with 449..2..10 last year and494..6..10 in 1913.
It was ordered that the next Committee Meeting be held on Wednesday Oct 20 @ 3.30pm and the General Half Yearly Meeting on the same day at 4 o'clock.
