Wed 21 Jan 1920
Considerable obstruction on Minett’s part. Police called in. He had at last gone out of lock house at Dudbridge and removed furniture and effects.
Slip at Eastington discussed. Water from waste weir at the Dock Pound runs in a cutting in the bank of the garden of the dock house to a ditch along side road. Retaining wall of weir course on the upper/Stroud side is built of stone, slightly curves and ends just outside the garden fence where it finishes with a straight joint. From this point a 14 inch brick wall commences with a straight joint and continues to the archways of the culvert which conducts the water from off the land on the other side of main road to ditch. Pitch pine baulks on top of wall. Wall has slipped.
At one time land water from other side of road flowed over road into the ditch. A culvert was constructed, road raised and brick retaining wall built to maintain raised position of road. Culvert, one arch only, put under road about 50 feet from Stroud end of ditch to form a course for the water in the land on opposite side to gravitate into culvert and thence into ditch.
Culvert not sufficient to take water. Enlarged to two arches, road again raised, pitch pine baulks put on top of 14 inch brick wall to bring side of ditch up to raised surface of road.
At times culvert does not take all the water. Water backs up, runs over road, over side of ditch. Some years ago County Council put in 12 inch pipe to relieve culvert.
Place always subject to flood. Further raising of road necessary. Culvert and water course should be kept clear of silt.
Note. Foundation of 14” inch wall appears alright but top 3 or 4 courses will have to be rebuilt and pitch pine baulks put back in place.
Chairman to bring up subject at next meeting of Highways Committee at Gloucester.
Letter from Mr Armitage, agent for Captain Bengough. Complaint of an encroachment at Eastington, clay being taken there by Company’s servants. Always used as spoil bank for depositing soil. When clay taken by Navigation surface made good. No harm to property. Mr Bloxam asked to draft letter for Mr Snape to send in reply to Mr Armitage.
Circular letter from National Transport Workers Federation. Long programme of their requirements. Mr Preston, Chairman of Canal Control Committee, invited Navigation to attend conference in London or to send him views of Board on same subject. Not possible to attend London meeting but generally proposals should be rejected.
Chairman asked Mr Preston for further grant to enable thorough dredging of canal. Replies received asking for information as to pre-war dredging and its cost.
Clerk produced statement of account and balance sheet of Thames & Severn Canal, year ended 30 September 1919. Amount of tolls received by Company re through traffic over Stroudwater Navigation to and from Thames & Severn Canal year ended 30 September 1919 to be ascertained.
Canal Control Committee had remitted necessary funds under Agreement with Board of Trade.
[1920 Jany] Committee Meeting held at Wallbridge on Wednesday the 21^st day of January 1920 @ 3.20 o'clock pm
Present: Philip Jas Evans, W^m Davies, Edward P Little.
{Minett re Lock-house at Dudbridge] Mr Snape reported that after considerable obstruction on Minetts part during which it has been deemed necessary to call in the police, he had at last gone out of the Lock-house at Dudbridge and removed his furniture and effects.
[Slip at Eastington] The matter in question between the County Highways Committee and this Navigation respecting a slip at Eastington was discussed and the following report put in and read:
[County Council Slip at Eastington Memo] Stroudwater Navigation Company
Memo re Slip at Eastington Jany 1920.
The water from the waste weir at the Dock pound runs in a cutting un the bank of the garden of the Dock House to a ditch alongside the road.
The retaining wall of the weir course on the upper side (ie Stroud side) is built of stone slightly curves and ends just outside the garden fence where it finishes with a straight joint.
From this point a 14" brick wall commences with a straight joint and continues to the Archways of the Culvert which conduct the water from off the land on the other side of the main road to the ditch.
This wall has pitch pin baulks placed on the top.
This wall has slipped.
It is quite possible that at one time the land water from the other side of the road flowed over the road into the ditch, to do away with this a Culvert was constructed, the road raised and a brick retaining wall built to maintain the raised position of the road.
This Culvert (one arch only) was put under the road at a point about 50' 0" from the Stroud end of the ditch, so as to form a course for the water in the land on the opposite side to gravitate to the Culvert and thence into the ditch.
It was found that the Culvert was not sufficient to take the water and it was enlarged to two arches and the road was again raised and pitch pine baulks put on the top of the brick wall to bring the side of the ditch up to the raised surface of the road.
At times the culvert does not take all the water and the water backs up and runs over the road and over the side of the ditch, some years ago the County Council put in a 13" pipe to relieve the Culvert.
This place has always been subject to flood. A larger culvert and a further raising of the road is necessary and particular attention given to the Culvert and water course to see that they are kept clear of silt.
Note: The foundation of the 14" wall appears to be alright but the top 3 or 4 courses will have to be rebuilt and the pitch pine baulks put back in place.
The Chairman said he would bring up the subject at the next meeting of the Highways Committee at Gloucester when he intended to be present.
[Spoil Banks] Mr Armitage as Agent for Captain Bengough had written complaining of an encroachment at Eastington clay being taken there by the Companys servants. It appeared however that it had always been used as a spoil bank for depositing soil and when clay was taken by this Navigation the surface was made good and no harm to the property resulted. Mr Bloxam would be asked to draft a letter for Mr Snape to sent in reply to Mr Armitage.
{Workmens Wages] A circular letter had been received from the National Transport Workers Federation setting forth a long programme of their requirements.
On the same subject Mr Preston, Chairman of the Canal Control Committee had written inviting this Navigation to attend a conference in London or failing that to send him the views of this Board on the subject. The Chairman had replied that it would not be possible to attend the London meeting but that speaking generally it was considered that the proposals should be rejected.
The Chairman had also written to Mr Preston asking him if a further grant could be made to enable a thorough dredging of the Canal to be effected and replies had been received asking for information as to pre-war dredging and its cost which the Clerk was instructed to furnish.
[T&S A/cs 1919] The Clerk produced Statement of account and Balance Sheet of the Thames & Severn Canal for the year ended September 1919.
The amount of Tolls received by this Company in respect of through traffic over the Stroudwater Navigation to and from the Thames and Severn Canal for the year ended September 30^th 1919 will now be ascertained in compliance with Sec 43 of the Thames & Severn Canal Trust Act 1895.
[Canal Control] The Clerk reported that the Canal Control Committee had remitted the necessary funds under the Agreement with the Board of Trade.
[Bank] Credit Balance at Bank stood at £323..17..7 as against £191..18..6 this time last year and £449..9..10 in 1914.
[Traffic] Tonnage to date £251..15..6 to same date last year £224..11..3 and £330..9..7 in 1914.
