Wed 28 Jan 1925
Total cost of dredging at Lodgemore £137 6s 8d. Last dredged March-May 1922. £119 15s for wages. Soundings of canal on 6 October showed not sufficient depth of water in pound to pass traffic. More water required on overflow at top lock at Dudbridge. Mr Bloxam to claim £120 from Messrs Cook & Co.
Thames & Severn Canal. Letter from Clerk of County Council. Company’s objections to Council’s Memorial. Letter to Navigations to obtain promise to continue contributions. Mr Milnes report re canal, Chalford to Stroud recorded in full.
Minutes (and report) continued on page 183.
[1925 Jany] Committee Meeting held at Wallbridge on Wednesday the 28^th day of January 1925 @ 3 o'clock pm
Present: Jack Margetson, F A Little, Henry R Hooper, W R Bloxam, R J C Little, Gd Evans, Edward P Little.
State of the Canal at Lodgemore
Mr Bloxam stated that he had not heard from Messrs Cook & C^o.
The total cost of dredging was stated to be £137..6..8 for wages.
The Canal was last previously dredged - March to May 1922 - at a cost of £119..15..0 for wages.
It appears from sounding of the Canal taken on the 6^th October last that there was not sufficient depth of water in the pound to pass traffic, and in order to do so more water was required on the overflow at the top lock at Dudbridge that there ought to be.
After discussion Mr Bloxam was instructed to communicate with Messrs Cook & C^o and to claim the sum of £120..-.
Thames & Severn Canal
The Chairman read a letter he had received from the Clerk of the County Council asking for particulars of the Companys Objections to the Council's Memorial, and it was left to the Chairman and Mr Bloxam to settle a reply thereto.
It was also decided that the Chairman and Mr Bloxam should settle the form of letter to be written to the Navigations contributing under the Thames & Severn Canal Trust Act 1895 with a view to obtaining a promise to continue their contributions.
The Chairman read a report made by Mr Milnes re Canal from Chalford to Stroud as follows:
1 King Street Parade
Stroud, Glos
Jan 26 1925
Jack Margetson Esq
Chairman
Stroudwater Navigation C^o
re Thames & Severn Canal.
Dear Sir,
In accordance with instructions, and accompanied by Mr Snape I yesterday made an Inspection of the Canal from Bell Lock, Chalford, down to Wallbridge Lock at the junction with the Stroud Canal.
Although, as I understand, it is only proposed to maintain the Canal for traffic between these two Locks I am of opinion that the waterway above Bell Lock should be retained up to and as well as Baker'sMill Reservoir, which I was not able to visit, to serve as Reservoirs for regulating the flow of water in the Canal in addition to the sources available lower down.
A good deal of silting up of Canal is due to scouring of water from the surface of main and local roads.
Thos Dowdeswell and Harry Stephens, Lock-keepers, accompanied us over their respective lengths of the Canal.
Dowdeswell remembers 60 ton loads taken to Clark's Mill (now Stroud Water C^os pumping station) 45 years ago. 50 tons about 20 years ago and now about 33 tons can be taken there.
Stephens remembers 50 ton loads taken to Brimscombe Mills 20 years ago and 45 to 50 tons taken to Chalford 40 years ago and 40 tons during the last 20 years and 30 tons in long boats.
I understand that only 30 tons of coal can be loaded at Staffordshire pits whilst 50 to 60 tons can be loaded at Sharpness.
There are fourteen locks on the Canal as follows:
Bell Lock Chalford
Chapel Lock Chalford near Bliss Mills
Ballingers Lock Chalford
To page 183
Minute continued on page 183 https://stroudwaterhistory.org.uk/document/9911/..
