Various
Gloucestershire Archives TS/263
Printed reports, including lists of shareholders, and rates and distances
Table of distances between wharfs on the Thames & Severn Canal and the Stroudwater Navigation, together with rates for different cargoes.
Rules, orders, and regulations to be observed by Bargemen, Watermen, Boatmen and Other Persons using the Thames and Severn Canal Navigation, with byelaws added in 1860
Reasons for Preferring the proposed London Canal between Boulters Lock and Isleworth rather than improving the River Thames below Maidenhead, 1794.
Brindley, Whitworth and Mylne of the opinion that a canal would be preferable to any improvement of the river.
Discussion about number of locks needed.
Reduction of distance so towing will be reduced.
All improvements in the past have added to freight costs.
Many disputes about Mylne’s report.
Printed minutes of a General Assembly that agreed to suspend payment of the interest due to the several mortgagees and bond-creditors.
Proprietors are themselves creditors to the amount of two-thirds of the whole debt.
Tolls insufficient to discharge growing debt.
Increase in trade needed so more boats needed.
Proprietors to take half shares.
Net produce of tolls will be paid half-yearly to the trustees.
Several proprietors have built their own boats and let them to the Company.
Trade impacted by the defective state of the upper River Thames.
Boats have also been seized by customs officers on the River Severn on doubtful grounds.
Unusual drought has led to lower water levels.
An annuity paid to the patent of the fire engine.
Printed notice of forthcoming General Meeting
Printed minutes of a General Assembly that agreed to pay some interest to mortgagees and bond-creditors and to dispose of vessels to any persons willing to enter into the carrying trade.
Returns of the carrying trade and net proceeds of tolls have fallen short.
Reasons for lack of trade: imperfect navigation of the Thames.
High tolls from private lock-owners.
Drought.
Irregularity of coal from Monmouthshire Canal.
Increase in men’s wages.
High price of provisions and tackle during suspension of trade with the Baltic.
Stagnation of trade both foreign and domestic continuing after negotiation for peace.
Disadvantage of conducting business between London and the ports on the Severn.
Disposing of some of their boats and trows.
Trade will increase with the return of peace.
The sum of £117,125 to be paid by John Stevenson Salt treasurer No. 80, Lombard Street to each mortgagee and Bond creditor on the 16th August next.
Printed minutes of a General Assembly that agreed to pay more interest to mortgagees and bond-creditors and to continue relinquishing the carrying trade,
Impediments in the navigation of the River Thames only partially removed.
A great part of the carrying trade is now in other hands. The remainder must be transferred.
Net proceeds £3452 19s 7d April 1802 to April 1803
Some outstanding debts have been paid by the access to extra resources. The company will be able to repeat the repayment to the mortgagees and Bond Creditors of £2342:10s being two per cent on their debt of £117,125.
Printed minutes of a General Assembly that agreed to pay more interest to mortgagees and bond-creditors.
Several boats have been disposed of, all the horses.
Company has relinquished occupation of the yard and dock for the building of boats in favour of an individual boat builder who had been an employee.
Coal is imported from Monmouthshire and Staffordshire.
Still inviting individual traders to participate as Company wants to relinquish the whole of the coal trade. Similar advantages are also open to individuals and companies to be their own importers. The committee wish to relinquish every trade rather than monopolise it.
Return of last year April 1803 to April 1804 net proceeds £3780 11s 5d.
Repayment to creditors £2342:10s
Printed minutes of a General Assembly that agreed to circulate the Committee’s proposal that each proprietor should give up three-fourths of his shares so that each mortgagee and bond-holder could be given one share for every £100 of his principal claim.
The company in the last four years has endeavoured to disencumber the concern from anything that might tend to cramp their energies or expose them to unnecessary risk or expense.
The last year of the carrying trade being 1805 found net proceeds of £3086 16s 10d,
Resolved to convert all the company effects in to money because the company has a principle debt of £117,125 and a debt of interest of £76,767. So will be unable to pay off £193,892: 10s ever.
Having property at their disposal amounting upwards of £20,000 and after deducting £1491 (a sum equal to £3 10s each for 426 unsubscribed Half Shares) would leave £18,500. This should be divided amongst the Mortgagees and Bond holders as arrears of interest due upon the sum of £117,125 making a payment of £15 per £100 Mortgage or Bond.
So, each proprietor should give three fourths of his shares producing a fund of 1302 shares, sufficient to give each mortgagee and Bond holder one share for every £100 of his principal claim.
The concern thus relieved from Debt and producing £2763 per annum would pay the new proprietors £1 10s per share. Cheapest and best form of foreclosure.
This gives two objectives: first giving the mortgagee an interest in the concern and secondly the proprietor may preserve some small interest in the undertaking.
Printed notice of and printed minutes of a meeting of Proprietors and Mortgagees on 21 Jun 1808 that agreed the Committee’s plan to reorganise the Company’s capital be carried into effect, and printed list of the financial position of each individual.
The report was considered to be highly beneficial to all parties.
A committee set up to carry the plan through forthwith.
List of the Proprietors Mortgagees and Bond-Creditors of the Thames and Severn Canal Navigation 21 June 1808 showing names; No. of shares; Half shares; On Mortgage; On bond; Non subscribers and showing shares not paid for. With penned ticks against many names.
Note in pencil -‘signature of persons to Stafford Deed 16th October 1809 Marked (with a tick).
Printed letter explaining that a deed had been prepared to implement the terms for reorganising the Company’s capital agreed in June 1808 and that a Bill had already passed the House of Commons.
Unavoidable delay in execution of the plan. Plan to be modified in some details.
A mortgage or Bond Creditor shall have a money payment of £20 per cent upon the capital of his debt, and one share in the concern, for every £100 of that capital, bearing an interest of £1 10s; which interest is secured to him by a prior lien, upon the tolls of the canal; with a participation in the future profits as in the former scheme.
The half shares to be annihilated and each proprietor to give up half the number of his whole shares and thereby destroying two-thirds of his interest in the concern. No subscription has been made for half shares (now called Non-subscriptions) are provided for. The revenues of the company will be applied first to pay creditor shares £1 10s each; the surplus will be applied in equal dividends amongst other shares; the dividends in respect of Non-subscribing shares will be retained by the company until they reach £12 10s each, after which the dividends will be paid to the shareholders; when the revenues of the company amount to sufficient to pay all persons £1 10s per cent they will be divided equally amongst all.
Printed report of a special General Assembly which gave the Committee authority to implement the reorganisation of the Company’s capital according to the Act of Parliament.
Printed report by James Black about a proposed canal linking the Wilts & Berks Canal with the Thames & Severn Canal, and about attempts to increase the supply of water to the summit level of the Thames & Severn Canal.
A. Proceedings at Abingdon - agreement between the Wilts and Berks Canal company and the Thames and Severn for a junction 1798. Opposed by Lord Peterborough of the Wilts and Berks. It had ben pointed out between their proposed wharf (since made at Hackhambridge) and Englisham Wharf. Lord Peterborough asked whether Lord Radnor and Mr. Warnford could bring objections on account of their extensive property in watered meadows.
Improvements could be brought about by a junction
1. The future making of a canal from Hampton Gay, above Oxford , to join the Thames at Isleworth on the Thames in tides way; an application which should have been supported by the Thames and Severn but was not. It was opposed by the Grand Junction Company.
2. A canal from Abingdon to Marsworth on the Grand Junction Canal whereby navigation from the River Severn to London would have got rid of all the impediments in the lower part of the Thames, which still remain despite the Corporation of London up to Staines. Impediments still remain as a bar to navigation between Severn and Thames.
Improvements to the westward navigation.
Acts of Parliament passed dated 33, 37, and 45 of Geo III:
A canal from Berkeley to Gloucester seventy feet wide and eighteen feet deep to admit vessels from sea of 300 tons burthen .
Opposed by James Black C. I.
Scale and practicality of towing vessels 300 tons along a level of 18 ½ miles when made and a great expenditure on a canal parallel with a free river as the Severn.
James Black argued for a scale of 60 tons burthen to relieve the trade of the Severn from the risks and delays of the open river.
James Black had clauses inserted into Berkeley and Gloucester Act, to hold harmless the Stroud and Thames and Severn, while this improper plan should be carried through the Stroud Canal.
Three bills applied to parliament
1. A canal from Abingdon to Marsworth on the Grand Junction Canal.
2. A canal from Bristol to Berkeley and Gloucester.
3. A canal to join Wilts and Berks Canal to the Thames and Severn canal at or near Cricklade.
The Thames and Severn canal company to support the three bills.
1. Because by the Abingdon Canal the Thames and Severn will obtain a double way of navigating to London; viz by the R. Thames improved by commissioners and by the junction with the Wilts and Berks to Abingdon and Grand Junction to London.
2. By the canal from Bristol to Gloucester, passing through the Stroud Canal, the Thames and Severn canal can compete with advantage by a shorter line of navigation, for its trade to Bristol with the Wilts and Berks who are about to join from Wootton Bassett summit to Bristol by a canal. The Thames and Severn will compete equally for the London trade, by the improved Thames or the Abingdon and Grand Junction at or near Cricklade as agreed on the 14th July at Abingdon.
The committee has agreed to admit the junction of the Wilts and Berks Canals at or near Cricklade, on paying the tolls due at such a place at a rate of for 20 tons as a minimum, on boats of 26 or 27 tons and that Wilts and Berks shall supply their whole lockage water.
Four distinct supplies of water must be drawn, Viz;
To Semington, where it joins the Kennet and Avon Canal, by twenty pound -locks and a fall of 199 feet.
From Marston near Swindown to Abingdon a fall of 165 feet.
From Wootton Bassett to Bristol, by a greater fall.
From Swindon to Cricklade by a fall 70 feet.
The Wilts and Berks Company claim to pump back into their summit this last lockage water to Cricklade level.
The junction between the Wilts and Berks and the Thames and Severn to be made by a lock of fall of one foot rather than a stop gate to aid the servants of both companies to have a peaceable understanding of the limits of each company.
Some danger of flooding damaging both canals by crossing the Thames or Isis river below Latton Lock near Cricklade. So proposes to alter the point of junction near Redfurlong bridge about six furlongs above Latton Lock gaining a rise of nine feet four inches.
B. On improving the Water Supply to the summit level.
1791- levels and produce of the Isis springs and grounded thereon the success of the fire engine, at Thames Head.
The engine and works were found in proper repair to the credit of Thomas Toward who works twelve hours out of twenty-four.
To facilitate the work a gallery across the valley into the pit wrought the engine at seventeen strokes per minute, instead of the present regular work of ten strokes. The engine supplies one lock per hour.
By placing a steam engine at or near Ewenbridge, about 2000 yards to the east of the present one, an equal additional supply of water may be gained, raised from Ewen spring, which lie at 1,222 yards from the summit and 54 to 60 feet below it.
One half of communication with the engine pit may be made by open work and the other half by a barrel drain of about five feet by three and a half.
Correspondence with Bolton and Watt to ascertain the most economical means of executing this to be explored but estimates a the additional supply may be obtained at or near the rate of five shillings per lock full.
Printed letter advertising that the promoters of the North Wilts Canal had opened a subscription and appointed a Committee.
A subscription set up by the promoters of the North Wilts Canal to build a junction with the Thames and Severn Canal having removed several causes of objection, the sanction of Parliament to be sought.
Oxford Canal Company continue to oppose because their monopoly in coal is important to them.
Subscribers to the Thames and Severn canal are asked to add their name to the list of subscribers to the Junction with the North Wilts Canal.
Printed report of a meeting of the Committee at which they agreed to oppose a projected railway from the River Severn to Brimscombe Port.
Proceedings of a meeting of the land owners on the line of the projected railway from the River Severn to Brimscombe Port were read and entered into the minutes of this committee.
The resolutions of the meeting held on the 27th December last noticing a reduction already made by the Stroudwater Canal Company of one shilling out of three shillings and sixpence in their tonnage rate and a recommendation to them to reduce those rates sixpence per ton more on the whole line of their canal and so in proportion to distance ; and also a recommendation to the Tram road Projectors (on that reduction being acceded to) to abandon their projected schemes.
The reply of the Stroudwater Canal Company from which it appears that the recommendation of the landowners was acceded to, by an order to reduce the tonnage rates on the canal sixpence per ton in case the railway be abandoned.
The reply of the committee of subscribers to the railway; from which it appears that such committee thought they had not the power to negotiate; and that, if they had, they did not consider the suggested reduction of tonnage on the canal to be a sufficient inducement to them to enter into any negotiation for abandoning the railway.
The following resolutions were then unanimously adopted;
To collectively and individually oppose the railway by every means to protect our property
That in order to strengthen our resistance we will join the Stroudwater Canal Company and other parties disposed to unite with us in such measures.
Reasons for determination are-
First because the projected railway (parallel to and near the canal) is unnecessary and will seriously injure the estates through which it will pass and destroy the personal comfort of many owners and inhabitants.
Secondly, Because the Stroud Canal company have evinced a readiness to accede to such a reduction of tonnage as would in our opinion avoid the necessity for the tram road as far as the public are interested in its execution.
Thirdly, because it now appears to us that the projected tram road is persevered in for the purpose of individual advantage, or from motives not avowed and not for public utility.
Printed Bye Laws relating to carrying explosives, authorised by the Board of Trade
