Wed 16 Sep 1925
Chairman’s reply, in full, to Mr Gardom’s letter 11 July 1925. Appreciation of Council’s decision to continue to maintain canal for further 2 years. No great difficulty in collecting £770 promised. Includes £75 conditionally promised by Gloucester City Council. To continue traffic same amount of water from upper part absolutely necessary. No difficulty likely in procuring withdrawal of various objections lodged with Ministry of Transport. Navigation to write to other bodies concerned.
Mr Smart had not yet supplied Committee with weights of his boats.
Mr Whiting had not vacated premises on canal wharf at Eastington. Mr Beard using wharf for canal trade.
Company to remain member of Canal Association, £1 1s a year.
Owners on other side of River Frome carrying out orders of Commissioners. Piling of canal bank next Frome at weir and slip if necessary.
New pair of bottom gates for Westfield Lock in hand. Statutory note of intended stoppage of canal sent to Ministry of Transport. Copy to traders.
Moiety of contribution, £150, payable by Navigation towards deficit in Thames & Severn accounts year ended 30 September 1924 still unpaid. Cheque for £75 to County Council.
Already a private supply of water at only property belonging to Canal Company in Whitminster. Additional supply not required from Wheatenhurst Parish Council.
Mr Harris’s offer of £10 for roof timbers, etc, of dry dock at Eastington not accepted.
Estimates for scantling required for bottom gates of Dock lock at Eastington.
Stonehouse Swing Bridge. Clerk’s letter, 10 September, to Messrs Vowles & Son stated that Stonehouse swing bridge was not safe for any wheeled traffic. Notice at bridge to say “Bridge Unsafe”.
£50 paid for dredging at Lodgemore, Messrs Strachan & Co. £25, Messrs Cook & Co. £25.
Messrs Dudbridge & Sons had obtained repayment of tax, £52 19s 8d.
Clerk to obtain planking for repair of deck of swing bridge at Shallow Lock.
[1925 Sept] Committee Meeting held at Wallbridge on Wednesday the 16^th day of September 1925 @ 3 o'clock pm
Present: Jack Margetson, W R Bloxam, Henry H Hooper.
Thames and Severn Canal
The Chairman's letter to M^r Gardom of the 23^rd July was read and approved. A formal reply had been received from Mr Gardom..
Stroudwater Navigation C^o
July 23^rd 1925
Dear Sir,
Thames and Severn Canal
[M^r Gardoms letter of the 11 July 1925 on page 205] Your letter dated July 11^th in reference to above Canal was placed before my Committee at yesterdays Meeting. I am to say that it much appreciates your Councils decision to continue to maintains the Canal for a further period of two years, and it has no hesitation in adding that this appreciation is shared by the District generally. My Navigation readily agrees to collect the monies promised, and it does not anticipate any great difficulty in getting the amount in question viz £770, though in this amount is included the £75 conditionally promised by the Gloucester City Council. You have already been informed of the condition under which this promise was made, and I enclose a copy of a letter I have written it. Should the amount of £75 no materialize the £770 will of course be short of that sum. In you letter of the 11^th inst, you write that the lower portion will be continued for traffic, as at present, for two years, etc, etc. My Committee is of opinion that to do this the same amount of water from the upper part will be absolutely necessary, & no doubt your Committee has not lost sight of this fact. No difficulty is anticipated in procuring the withdrawal of the various Objections lodged with the Ministry of Transport, such withdrawal of course, as far as this Navigation is concerned would be without prejudice to any action it might take at the end of the two year period. You will probably look to this Navigation to write the other bodies concerned in the Objections, as to the advisability of withdrawal, and on receipt of the instructions you hint at in the third paragraph of your letter, my Committee will promptly deal with this.
Yours faithfully
Chairman
E T Gardom Esq
Clerk of the Gloucestershire County Council
Warehouse at Wallbridge: M^r Hopson
Mr Hopson had signed the tenancy agreement.
Ship Inn Premises: re Ship Inn
Mr Bloxam had not received any reply to his last letter to Messrs Lee Bros' Solicitors
The Committee instructed the Companys Solicitors to write them again.
Tonnage A/c outstanding: Mr Smart
A letter was put in by M^r Smart.
The Clerk was directed to write to M^R Smart and to point out to him that he had not yet supplied the Committee with the weights of his boats.
Canal Wharf at Eastington
It was reported that M^r Whiting had not vacated the premises.
Mr Beard had been using the Wharf for Canal Trade.
Canal Association
The Association had agreed to allow the Company to remain a Member of the Association on payment of a subscription of £1..1..0 a year.
River Frome Lower Level
It was reported that the Owners on the other side of the Frome were carrying out the Orders of the Commissioners.
The Clerk was instructed to do the piling of the Canal bank next the River Frome at the Weir, and at the slip is necessary.
Westfield Lock
The work of fixing a new pair of bottom gates at this Lock was in hand and would be completed within the notice given.
The Statutory Notice of the intended Stoppage of the Canal had been sent to the Ministry of Transport, and a copy of the same had been sent round to the Traders.
Lock-house at Eastington
It was reported that the roof of the Lock-house had been repaired as per Estimate amounting to £3..10..0.
Thames & Severn Canal: Contribution
It was reported that a moiety of the Contribution (£150) payable by the Navigation towards the deficit shown in the Thames & Severn Canal Accounts for the year ended 30^th September 1924 was still unpaid.
The Committee authorized a Cheque to be drawn for £75..- to be made payable to the Order of the Gloucestershire County Council.
Wheatenhurst Parish Council: Water supply
The Clerk was instructed to write to the Parish Council that, at the only property belonging to the Canal Company in Whitminster there is already a private supply of water, and therefore the property will not require any additional supply.
Dock at Eastington
M^r Harris' offer of £10..- for the roof timbers, etc, of the Dry Dock at Eastington was not accepted.
Dock Lock at Eastington: Bottom Gates
The Clerk was directed to obtain estimates for scantling required for the renewal of the gates.
Mrs Penn had not paid the quarters rent ending 14 June 1924 amounting to £8..2..6.
Stonehouse Swing Bridge
It was reported that the Clerk had written 10^th Sept last, Messrs Vowles & Son of the Upper Mills Stonehouse that the bridge was not safe for any wheeled traffic and if they used it they would do so at their own risk. No reply to this letter had been received.
The Committee after discussion directed the Clerk to put up a Notice at the bridge "Bridge Unsafe" Closed.
Dredging at Lodgemore
It was reported that the agreed amount of £50..- had been paid (Messrs Strachan & C^o £25..- Messrs Cook & C^o £25..-)
A receipt for the full discharge of the Companys claim against Messrs Cook & C^o had been given.
Tax
Messrs Dudbridge & Sons had obtained repayment of Tax which after deductions amounted to £52..19..8 Cash.
Swing Bridge at Shallow Lock
The Clerk was authorized to obtain planking for the repair of the deck of this bridge, cost about £5..10..0.
Next Meeting
The next Meeting was fixed for Wednesday the 21^st October @ 3 o'clock pm.
Tonnage
The Tonnage for the period 1^st July to 15^th Sept 1925 was £192..0..3 comparing with £225..3..0 last year and £208..14..1 in 1914.
The Tonnage for the Month of August 1925 was £32..4..8 comparing with £65..14..7 last year and £70..6..3 in 1914.
Bank
The Balance at Lloyds Bank Ltd, Stroud was £316..3..7 against £238..10..7 last year and £455..6..8 in 1914.
Cheques drawn:
Committee fees: 1..12..6
Canal Association Incidentals a/c: 1..1..0
W Whitfield Canal Maintenance a/c: 1..15..0
S J Vinson Canal Maintenance a/c: 2..9..6
Price Walker & C^o Canal Maintenance a/c: 6..19..0
Ryeford Saw Mills Canal Maintenance a/c: 9..18..0
Gloucestershire County Council re Thames & Severn Canal: 75..0..0
