Fri 14 Aug 1840
Mary Ann Beale claimed shares nos.193,194,158,159, will of William Beale.
Messrs Marling suggest taking charge of feeder near mills at Ebley for 12 months. Messrs Marling to be offered key of paddles of weir but only at the pleasure of committee.
Messrs Marling having taken down the Ebley Mill referred to in the Act and enlarged the new mill erected by Mr Clissold 24 years ago, and taken more water into their new large reservoir than the old mill used, it is deemed desirable to guard rights of Navigation. Vigilance is necessary in respect of altered state of property at Ebley. Attention of proprietors to be called to this subject.
Mr Mason, the new clerk, to enter into the post of 29 September.
Four pieces of baulk timber to be bought for pair of lock gates.
At a Special Meeting of the Committee held at the Committee Room at Walbridge on Friday the 14^th day of August 1840
Present: Jos F Fisher, Sam^l Fisher, P H Fisher, Robert Hughes, G H A Beard, Rich^d Martin, W^m Cosham, Henry Wyatt, John Stanton, T C Croome.
M^r George Hawker attended on the part of Mary Anne Beale Widow, the Relict and Administratix of William Beale, formerly of Hyde Court in the parish of Minchinhampton in the county of Gloucester, but late of Bath in the county of Somerst Esquire deceased,- and made out his claim for four shared, numbered 193, 194,158 and 159, of the Undertaking of the Stroudwater Navigation, the property of the said William Beale, by producing Letters of Administration (with the Will and Codicil of the said William Beale beard Date respectively the 24^th day of December 1839 annexed) granted to her the said Mary Ann Beale our of and under the Seal of the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury dated the 18^th day of June 1840 to administer the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said William Beale (the Testator not having in his said Will named any Executor or Residuary Legatee) and her Claim to the said four shares is hereby admitted.
Mess^rs Tho^s & S Stephens Marling having witted a letter to the Committee dated August 12^th 1849 wherein they suggest that for feeding the Canal at the Feeder near their Mills at Ebley, they should "take charge of the Feeder" stating that Water sometimes comes down so suddenly or their wheels are stopped so unexpectedly that it would best be done by a person connected with the Mill; & they expressed their willingness to undertake it for a twelve months by way of experiment, adding that "in making the Experiment it would of course be understood that the rights of neither party would be altered or concedded".-
The same was taken into consideration & it was
Resolved that Mess^rs Marling be offered a Key of the paddles of the Weir by which the Navigation is fed near that place & that they be permitted, during the pleasure of the Committee, to assist in supplying the Navigation with water when (as they suggested) the water would otherwise run to waste, or when the superfluous water would not otherwise pass into the Navigation.
Resolved that it is the opinion of this Committee that the permission to be granted to them ought not to be extended to any defined period; and that is cannot be granted in the exact terms of their request.
Mess^rs Marling having lately taken down & destroyed the Buildings called "Ebley Mill" in the Act of Incorporation, it having much enlarged the New Mill erected by M^r Stephen Clissold about 24 years ago, on the Southward side of the Navigation, and the thorough and water course thereof:-
And a large Reservoir having been made to supply the said new mill with water, - and there being now no "Ebley Mill", but the present new mill & the thoroughs thereof thereby requiring a much larger supply of water than "Ebley Mill" required, in order to work the same:
Resolved that it is desirable to guard the rights of the Navigation and the power of supplying the same with water, with the utmost care & vigilance in respect to the altered state of the property at Ebley, in relation to the Navigation: And that the attention of the next General Meeting of the proprietors be called to this subject.
Resolved that Mess^rs Marling be informed, in reply to their letter how far the suggestions of their letter can be complied with, in conformity with the Terms of the foregoing Resolution (N^o 1).
Resolded that the Salary of M^r Mason, the new Clerk, do commence on the 29^th Sept. next, when he proposes to enter on the duties of his office.
Resolved That Timber be purchased for a Pair of Lock Gates & that four Pieces of Baulk Timber be bought for the use of the Navigation.
