Wed 22 Apr 1840
Half Yearly General Meeting. Tonnage £3561 3s 3d. Balance after wages, etc, £2965 17s 11d. Dividend of £14 10s declared.
Committee for next year: Mr Henry Beard, Mr William Cosham, Mr Fred Eycott, Mr Joseph I Fisher, Mr P H Fisher,Mr Sam Fisher,Mr John Holbrow, Mr Rob Hughes, Mr John Stanton, Mr George Wathen, Mr Henry Wyatt, Mr Richard Martin.
Messrs Marling permitted to remove bridge at Ebley Mill to point opposite intended gates into new mill yard about 300 feet west of present bridge at own expense. Same width of waterway to be left at intended bridge, banks at site of old bridge to be restored. Permission to continue wall across southern end of lower culvert under canal at Ebley. Use of towing path between site of bridge and upper gates of new mill as a road. Costs to Messrs Marling.
Very infirm state of Mr Hawker’s health. Retirement from more active duties, but to continue with accounts. Committee to obtain tenders for other services at salary of £120 per annum with house.
Superintendent John Burbidge to move to Framilode and dispense with services of William Purcell.
At a General half Yearly Meeting of the Proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation held at the George Inn Stroud on Wednesday the 22^nd of April 1840
W^m Wood Esq^r in the Chair.
The minutes of the last General Meeting were read & confirmed. The several Books & accounts of the Company were produced (as directed by Act of Parliament) and were examined and confirmed. It appears by the accounts that the Sum of £3561..3..3 has ben received for Tonnage, etc, from the 12^th Day of October last to the 13^th day of April Instant, a part of which has been applied towards the payment of Wages, disbursments, etc, and that there remains in the Treasurers Hands (after paying the last Dividend) the sum of £2965..17..1.
Ordered that a Dividend of Fourteen pounds and Ten shillings be paid on each share by the Treasurer on the first day of May next; and that our Clerk Do transmit circular Letters to all the Proprietors to inform them that they may draw upon the Treasurer or apply to him for payment of the same.
The following Gentlemen are appointed a Committee for the ensuing Year, Viz:
Mess^rs Henry Beard, William Cosham, T C Croome, Fred Eycott, Joseph F Fisher, P H Fisher, Sam^l Fisher, John Holbrow, Rob Hughes, John Stanton, George Wathen, Henry Wyatt, Richard Martin.
The Sub Committee appointed at the last Committee meeting report that they had an interview with M^R Marling on the Subject on Monday last when he asked Permission to remove the Bridge at Ebley Mill from its present Position on the Canal to a Point opposite the intended Gates into their new Mill yard about 300 feet to the Westward of the present Bridge. Also to build a wall across the Southern end of the lower Culvert under the Canal at Ebley in continuation of their present Boundary Wall and also to have permission to use the towing path between the site of their intended Bridge and the present of upper Gates leading into the old Yard of the new Mill for a Road.
Ordered that Permission be given to Mess^rs Marling to remove the said Bridge at their own Expence and also the Wing Wall and other materials thereof at the usual period of stopping the canal at Whitsuntide if the same be done during the Stoppage and provided the same Width of Water may be left as at present in the intended Bridge and that the Banks at the Site of the old Bridge be restored of the General Width of the Canal.
Ordered that Mess^rs Marling have permission to continue their Boundary Wall across the Southern End of the said Culvert provided the same several Works be done to the Satisfaction of the Committee and on such Terms as to the Repairs of the said Culvert as may be agreed to by the Committee, and also to use the said towing Path between the Points aforesaid on such Terms as may be agreed to by the Committee and on their creating such a Deed as shall be prepared to regulate the Permissions aforesaid by the Solicitors of the Company and at the costs of Mess^rs Marling, and all such Works being effected under the Direction and to the Satisfaction of the Committee.
Ordered That in future the general Half Yearly Meeting of the Company be called at 2 o'Clock instead of One o'Clock as heretofore.
In consequence of the very infirm state of M^r Hawker's Health it is deemed expedient by this Meeting to make some alteration in the Head Clerkship of the Navigation.
Resolved that the Committee do confer with M^r Hawker with regard to his retirement form the more active Duties of his office and restricting them to the Receipt of money and the accounts of the Navigation and such other Duties as may be agreed upon. And that the Committee be requested to take measures to obtain Tenders of Services from Persons competent for the general Superintendence of the Navigation at a Salary not exceeding £120 per Annum with a House for Residence.
This Meeting is also of Opinion that the above Arrangement being made it will be expedient to remove their present Superintendent Joh Burbage to Framilode and to dispense with the Services of William Purcel.
Resolved that when the Committee have obtained Tenders for the Clerkship as above suggested and made all requisite arrangements they do call a general Meeting of the Shareholders to make choice of the most fit Person and to decide on such other Measures as may be deemed expedient.
