1803-1830
Gloucestershire Archives D1180/1/3
Minutes from 11 October 1803 to 15 December 1830
of the Committee of Proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation
Mr Greening to be paid 2 Guineas for his attendance and giving an estimation and evaluation for the house for the clerk at Framilode.
S Adams, Wharfinger at Wallbridge, be paid in future 6d per ton for selling Forest Coal.
Mr Payne proposed part of land adjoining the wharf at Dudbridge be enclosed with a wall and secure gates for the purpose of depositing Coal, Goods, Wares and Merchandise. This was acceded with Mr Payne doing this at his own expense and not allowing him to underlet. Mr Payne agreed to pay £1 per annum for 14 years.
The Canal to be cleaned. Steam Engine to be purchased for this. Mr Upton of Gloucester to undertake this under contract.
Mr Blackwell paid an extra sum of £5 8s 1d for Weir enlargement.
Lancelot Chambers claimed shares nos.160,161,164,165,133, will of Sophia Chambers.
William Beard to examine the roof of the house in which Purcell lives and report.
William Purcell to rent the parcel of ground on the left bank of the canal at Framilode for 30s per annum with the condition that the company, if necessary, can use the land.
Clerk to write to Commissioners of Southgate District that unless Turnpike Gate at entrance of Bristol Road Wharf is removed, full tonnage will be charged on all stone landed there instead of the present charge of 8d per ton.
General Half Yearly Meeting, Tonnage £3315 1s. Balance after wages, etc, £2675 5s 4d. Dividend of £12 declared.
£200 to be added to capital employed in the Coal Trade, bringing total to £1700.
10 guineas be given to George Hawker for completing an index to the Company’s proceedings.
Tonnage of sand to be lowered to 2s 4d to Wallbridge, and proportionally elsewhere.
Committee for next year: Messrs Eycott, Stanton, Morgan, Tyers, N Jones, J Jones, Carruthers, Scudamore, P H Fisher, Thomas Holbrow, John Holbrow, Snowden, Miller
Frances Ann Shawclaimed shares nos.95,5,6,93,127,68, will of William Battersby.
Annual inspection on board the Company’s Barge.
House for the Lock Keeper at Framilode to be begun.
The Warehouse at the Bristol Road Wharf to be enlarged.
John Scandret Harford, Abraham Gray Harford Battersby and Charles Gray Harford claimed shares nos.23,24,25,95,200,27,28,29,30,90,104, will of John Harford.
The shed at Wallbridge Wharf to be let to William Oakey at the rent of 40s per annum.
Mere stones to be fixed to mark the boundary of the land belonging to the company.
Meeting not quorate
The Wharf at Dudbridge to be enlarged, the carriage road to be moved for ease of access.
Claim by Thomas Grazebrook re fencing of this area deferred to next General Meeting.
Committee inspected the mudding machine sent by Mr Upton. Mr Price to be requested to inspect it and report.
Mr Price had not inspected dredging machine, asked to do so before next General Meeting.
William Beard quit his place as Lock Keeper. Interim Lock Keeper to be Ambrose Beard.
Half Yearly General Meeting. Tonnage £2223 8s 11d. Balance after wages, etc, £1639 4s 10d. Dividend of £5 declared.
Mudding machine to be purchased from John Upton for £546. Modifications to its throw and the boat used may be required under the contract.
Thomas Grazebrook to be paid £8 11s for expense of mounding land near Dudbridge Wharf.
Mr John Upton to be paid balance of £146 after promising to furnish a Windlass and Stays for the Gutters.
Mr John Brown discharged, with 3 month’s notice, from his role as seller of coals at Bristol Road Wharf. William White appointed to replace him.
A tarpaulin to be provided to cover the Steam Engine during the winter.
Charles Newman’s bill to be paid for business done.
An advert to be placed in Gloster Journal for a Head Carpenter in the place of William Beard.
Thomas Lewis to quit ground between bridge and mill at Ryeford.
Walter Longney having paid £3 of £5 fine balance is remitted.
Special Meeting. William Seville’s claim to shares owned by father not approved due to lack of Letters of Administration.
Land at Ryeford presently let to Thomas Lewis to be let to Paul Beard at 30s per annum from Lady Day, and afterward as a tenant from year to year.
The price of coal at Wallbridge and Dudbridge Wharf to be altered as listed in minutes. Public to be notified as soon as possible.
William Seville claimed shares nos,135,136,137,138,139, will of his father William Seville.
Quick to be planted around the garden of the Clerk’s house at Framilode and it be fenced.
Samuel Hanman to be engaged as Carpenter for a 3 month trial period.
Plates of iron to be used instead of wood planking for the new Upper Lock gates to be erected at Whitminster, and at the five locks on the canal.
As wood already prepared for locks, use of iron plates not necessary at this time. Iron Plates to be used in future.
Mr Fisher to be employed to proceed against Messrs Underwood, the suretees of John Brown, for balance due to Company.
General Half Yearly Meeting. Tonnage £2370 0s 6d. Balance after wages, etc, £1699 12s 4d. Dividend of £8 declared.
Mr Lewis having proposed to land his coals at his premises without taking them to Brimscombe if allowed same tonnage rate at through to Brimscombe, the Clerk to inform Mr Lewis that the Company was not willing to accede to the request.
Committee for next year: Messrs Eycott, Stanton, Morgan, Tyers, N Jones, Snowden, Carruthers, Scudamore, P H Fisher, Thomas Holbrow, John Holbrow, Joseph Jones, Miller.
Mr Purcell to attend every Committee meeting with his check book which has been irregularly kept to the dissatisfaction of the committee and that unless a regular entry is made of all vessels coming onto the canal is made he will be dismissed.
William Purcell to pay Clerk rent received for a tenement occupied by Samuel Lawrence.
Wages of Thomas Lewis to be reduced to 5s a week (house rent not to be allowed) and he be only employed in looking after the Double Locks and taking care of the water in the Ebley Level and the Level below, and if he does not discharge his duty with the greatest care he will be dismissed.
Wages of Ambrose Beard to be reduced to 15s per week and he pays 1s per week rent for the Company house he now occupies. He is employed to look after the five locks and to work as a carpenter.
The wages of Mr Ayres and Isaac Pinn to be reduced to 14s per week in the summer half year and 12s per week in the winter.
Annual inspection on the Company Barge.
The bridge at Stonehouse Cross to be repaired.
New pair of gates to be put in at Whitminster as soon as possible.
Towpath at Framilode to be repaired.
William Purcell to quit the house he now lives in at Midsummer, and that the tiles be removed for the inspection of the roof. Messrs Eycott, Holbrow and Stanton to inspect building and order necessary repairs and alterations.
Thomas Grazebrook to attend next meeting re new road to his house at Wallbridge Wharf.
Damage Mr Hogg has sustained by mud deposited on his meadow be considered at the next meeting.
Mr Burgh to meet with Mr Butcher to determine amount of damage caused to land belonging to Mr Hogg following deposit of mud on his land.
John Snowden claimed shares nos.103,79,80,171,198, will of James Tyers.
Thomas Grazebrook to alter his present right of way across the wharf at Dudbridge to and from his house to the southward side of the wharf. George Hawker to negotiate this with Mr Grazebrook.
The house at Framilode lately occupied by Mr Purcell to be repaired and the materials of the offices to be taken care of until they are disposed of by the Committee.
Adjourned meeting after reading minutes. To meet on 17 September at the upper end of the Five Locks to ascertain whether the Stonehouse and Dudbridge levels had been properly cleared of mud.
The Committee had inspected the canal between five locks and double lock to ascertain it had been properly cleansed from mud.
John Critchley proposed himself, and was selected, to sell coal at the Bristol Road Wharf and to act as the Company’s Warehouseman and Lockkeeper with a surety of £500.
Mr Miller to oversee the repair of the Company’s pleasure boat.
The house at Framilode to be let to Samuel Lawrence £8 per annum from Michaelmas last. The building adjoining the house to be repaired immediately.
Upon enquiries it appears the character of John Critchley is not satisfactory so his appointment to the Bristol Road Wharf has been rescinded.
As William Hains is superintending the Mudding Machine his wages to be increased to 16s per week.
Half Yearly General Meeting. Tonnage £1975 10s 7d. Balance after wages, etc, £1065 19s 8d. Dividend of £5 declared.
Company seal applied to grant of a right to road on southern side of wharf for Mr Thomas Grazebrook.
Peter Smith made request to alter the Turnpike Road from the Anchor at Stroud through part of the Wharf at Wallbridge. The plan is to give to Mr Smith part of the Wharf at Wallbridge to enable him to make a road, the Company to receive Garden ground about ½ acre on the other side of the brook apart from the upper 12ft. The Proprietor to put up a fence and repair the corner of the Brewhouse. This needs the approval of the Commissioners of the Cirencester Road.
Tonnage of Corn from Gloucester to be lowered to 2s 6d per ton to Wallbridge and Dudbridge, and all other places in proportion as long as the Carriers continue to bring it to Wallbridge at 6d per bag.
Samuel Lawrence, Master of the trow Disney, to be summoned before magistrates for the offence of drawing down and flushing the water in the lower lock of the canal on 3 November.
John Carefield chosen for the Bristol Road Wharf, if he accepts, to sell coal for the company and take care of the Lock and Warehouse.
Messrs Heane & Newman fined £11 2s for false account of their tonnage on vessel Galley on 26 November. Defraud was for 5 tons 11 cwt of goods; fine was £2 a ton.
Thomas Grazebrook having applied through George Wathen for a right of road across Dudbridge Wharf to and from his late warehouse, no such right of road to be granted.
The Company expect an application from the Parish of Stonehouse to repair the bridge over the stream near Ryeford so requested a case to be prepared and stated to Counsel for an opinion as to the liability of the Company to repair the bridge.
John New, Henry Freeman Coleman, John Sherrard Coleman, Thomas Coleman and Thomas Jarman claimed shares nos.190,130,131,129,1,128,185, will of Rev John Bull.
The land opposite the house of John Ravenell be let to him for 20s per annum from Midsummer last.
Mud to be removed from the land of Mr Croome and compensation paid to him. The mud thrown on Mrs Hogg's land to be levelled and planted with grass seeds by the labourers of the Company, and compensation paid for damage.
The Commissioners of the Turnpike Road leading from Cainscross to Dudbridge will be allowed to make a drain through the Company’s Wharf to carry water off the road (this is as a matter of favour and can be revoked at any time).
Half Yearly General Meeting. Tonnage £2734 2s 10d. Balance after wages, etc, £2234 8s 9d. Dividend of £10 declared.
Committee for next year: Mr Carruthers, Mr Eycott, Mr P H Fisher, Thomas Holbrow, John Holbrow, Nathaniel Jones, Rev Jones, Mr Morgan, Mr Scudamore, Mr Snowden, Mr Stanton, Mr Miller, Mr G Wathen.
The salary of George Hawker to be increased to £160 per annum.
Special Meeting. After one Counsel's opinion re liability for repairs of bridge at Ryeford, Solicitor to make further inquiries and seek a second Counsel's opinion.
A letter from Mr Clissold requesting compensation for mud on his land to be put on file but not responded to.
Mr Clissold to be requested to repair towpath near his mill.
Mr Snowden and Mr Eycott to meet with Mr Clissold to ascertain the boundary between the Company land and Mr Clissold’s millpond at Ebley.
A Committee meeting to be held with Mr Miller to discuss the contract for cleaning the canal and particularly the machine and boat used for this purpose.
Annual inspection on board the Company Barge.
Mr Eycott having had the expense of putting a drain in near the roving bridge, matter to be considered at next committee meeting.
The arch bridge at Ebley to be repaired immediately.
The recently repaired house at Framilode to be let for £5 5s per annum.
Lower gates at Blunder Lock to be repaired.
Gallows Bridge to be tarred.
A stone wall to be built against the canal bank by John Base to repair towpath at Framilode at a cost of £30.
Mr Stanton and Mr Eycott to survey the old cottages at Framilode and direct repairs to be done as required.
Mr Miller to buy a replacement mudding boat and place the engine therein for the sum of £25, and to continue the work of mudding the entire canal.
The clerk to discuss with Mr Thomas Grazebrook to rent his warehouse at Dudbridge for as low a price as possible.
Thanks to be sent to Mr Loveden for letter about the sale of coal on the Thames & Severn Canal. Enquiries to be made about the statements it contained.
Mr Miller omitted to paint the name of the steersman on the trow Disney after repairs. Fine remitted.
William Brooks and William Kimber claimed share no.117, will of William Tombs.
Special Meeting.
William Blackwell to prepare stones for the repair of the bridge over the river at Ryeford.
Special Meeting. The bridge over the brook at Ryeford to be repaired, by under building and repairing rail to make it safe for pedestrians, by William Blackwell overseen by our Clerks. Mr Eycott thanked for the trouble he had taken sorting this problem.
Examine half yearly accounts.
Half Yearly General Meeting. Tonnage £2131 11s 11d. Balance after wages, etc, £1649 7s 3d. Dividend of £8 declared.
A small house (12ft square) to be erected at Stonehouse Cross Wharf for a person to sell coals for the Company and to look after the tonnage and wharfage. Mr Eycott to oversee this.
Land next to Double Locks, owned by Susannah Hogg, to be leased for 12 years at 3 guineas per acre, as Mrs Hogg says the land has been contaminated by mud and cannot be cultivated for this period of time.
Clerk to write to Harris, Stevens Co. re damage which may have been caused by mud on their land to be put to arbitration.
Materials to be provided for a larger culvert to be made near Whitminster Bridge when the canal be stopped by the G&B Canal Co work.
Discussed the Bill before Parliament for the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal and the effect upon the Stroudwaater Canal. Mr Fisher to go to Town today to meet the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal Company solicitors and to insist on reinstating the terms of the previous Act that protected the interests of the Stroudwater Navigation, or the Bill will be opposed.
Mr Fisher and Mr Walker to evaluate the progress of the Bill and employ Counsel and do what is necessary for enforcing the introduction of the previous clause.
Special Meeting.
Letter to be written to Committee for Gloucester & Berkeley Canal requesting them to communicate their proposal for alterations at lower level of Stroudwater Navigation.
Surveyor to inspect land owned by Harris Stevens & Co and Mrs Hogg to ascertain damage from mud.
Road across Dudbridge Wharf proposed by Mr Grazebrook approved.
Note explaining why a page had been cut out of the volume.
Valuations received from the surveyor re damage from mudding to the land belonging to Mrs Hogg (£20 4s) and Messrs Harris Stephens & Co. (£6 14s 6d). The Clerk to pay Mrs Hogg £25 and Messrs Harris Stephens and Co. £7 7s
Mr Hawkins of Cainscross offered to let the warehouse he intends to build at Dudbridge Wharf (37ft long, 11ft 6in wide with 2 floors); this is to be referred to the General Meeting.
Mrs Hogg asked for arbitration of the offer to her; this was declined.
Half Yearly General Meeting Tonnage £3087 13s 1d. Balance after wages, etc, £2450 11s 4d. Dividend of £12 declared.
Committee for next year: Henry Eycott, Thomas Holbrow, Nathaniel Jones, Rowles Scudamore, Richard Miller, John Snowden, George Wathen, P H Fisher, Rev Jones, John Holbrow, John Morgan, William Stanton.
Tonnage on bricks to be lowered to 1s per ton.
Committee to have the power to employ an engineer to inspect the works of the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal, and to take any steps needed to secure the interests of the Company.
A sufficient warehouse is to be built at Dudbridge Wharf.
A crane to be purchased from Mr Thomas Grazebrook for £5.
The Committee to survey the canal on board the Company barge on 17 June.
Annual inspection on board the Company Barge.
Wall of lock at Eastington Bridge to be repaired.
Lock gates at the White Bridge to be repaired.
The old cottages at Framilode to be demolished and 3 new tenements to be erected instead.
Mr Cambridge raised his concerns re the adequacy of the culvert at Kings Bridge due to work being carried out by the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal. The Clerk to write to the company referring to their obligation under the Act for the building of the canal to provide a sufficient culvert.
Thomas Clark chosen as a servant to the Company for the sale of coal at the Wharf at Stonehouse and to live in the house recently built.
A warehouse to be built at Dudbridge Wharf to be built 32 ft long, 16ft wide and 10ft high. The estimate received from William Blackwell approved.
Clerk to obtain estimate for building of wall at Wallbridge Wharf against the new road.
Letter to be written to Mr Clissold about his obstruction affecting water being fed into the canal.
As no response received from Gloucester & Berkeley Canal Company, Mr Fisher to contact Mr Phillpots from the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal Committee re their work on the Stroud Navigation Canal
Thomas Grazebrook has been sufficiently compensated for injury sustained by alteration of the warehouse.
A letter from solicitors received on behalf of the Mill owners on the rivers about electing new Commissioners to replace those who have died; this was declined.
Half Yearly General Meeting. Tonnage £2574 15s 7d. Balance after wages, etc, £2026 1a 11d. Dividend of £10 declared.
Gloucester & Berkeley Canal to stop work connected with Stroud Water Navigation until an agent has been appointed and they have been informed of his name according to the Act of Parliament.
Mr Smith to be allowed a small part of the Warehouse at Wallbridge in exchange for land at the back of the warehouse.
Tonnage on corn to be reduced to 2s 6d per ton.
Tonnage on stone for burning into lime to be lowered to the same price stone for roads.
Mudding machine to be loaned to Thames & Severn Canal for a sum and them returning it in the same condition as it is now.
William Blackwell to inspect the building of the lock immediately below the G&B Canal and report if it is being done in a proper manner with particular reference to the mortar.
Susan Harvey and Mary Nourse claimed share no.155, will of Thomas Harvey.
The shuts and flood gates at Mr Clissolds Mill in a state of disrepair and Sunday water is being completely wasted. A letter to be sent to Mr Clissold asking him to remedy this.
William Hain to inspect the feeding of the canal and report his findings.
Thomas Wells and others have complained about the inadequacy of the aqueduct near Lockham Bridge through which the River Stroudwater passes under the canal toward Whitminster Mill. An estimate to be obtained for a new aqueduct to be built with sufficient capacity for free flow of the river or the cost of a stone conduit. The work to be done when navigation of the canal is suspended due to work on the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal.
The removal of the corner of the warehouses at Wallbridge to be carried out provided the Commissioners of the transport road will exonerate the Company from any expense in repairing the arch on which the ground stands which the Company will take in lieu of the corner of the warehouse.
As estimates of the cost of providing an aqueduct of iron or stone near Lockham Bridge being very considerable, such plan be suspended and that in lieu thereof the trunks of the present aqueduct be repaired and one or more wooden trunks added to the same for the purpose of carrying off the water of the stream with greater rapidity.
Special Meeting. The opinion of Mr Ludlow to be taken on whether the Company will be compelled to appoint Commissioners.
Application has been made from the North Wilts Canal respecting lowering tonnage on coal going to certain places. Question to be referred to the next general assembly.
Mr Ludlow having given his opinion about appointing new Commissioners, our solicitor Mr Fisher was asked to take every necessary step in this matter.
Clerk received notice from 13 of the existing Commissioners stating their terms of reference and the need to empower more Commissioners. A meeting to this effect has been called for 20 April.
Mr Ludlow’s opinion was sought and he was of the opinion that the Company solicitor Mr Fisher proceed with opposing the Rule for a Mandamus.
Mr Ludlow advised the Company should not attend the meeting of Commissioners to appoint new Commissioners. Agreed.
Half Yearly General Meeting. Tonnage £3550 0s 3d, Balance after wages, etc, £2897 13s 11d. Dividend of £14 declared.
Committee for next year: Dr W W Darke, Henry Eycott, Thomas Hobrow, Nathaniel Jones, John Morgan, Rowles Scudamore, John Snowden, William Stanton, George Wathen, William Webb, P H Fisher, Rev William James, Richard Miller.
Application of the Wilts & Berks and the North Wilts Canal Companies for the drawback on coals passing below Radcot Bridge that was granted in 1814 be rescinded from 1 June.
Ordered that a mortgage be taken of Mr George Knowles for £58 17s 7d due to the Company. He had stood security for John Carefield. George Knowles to pay the mortgage in instalments to the Company.
John Carefield was given 14 days to quit the house he was living in which belonged to the Company.
Annual inspection on the Company Barge.
The costs of the mortgage from George Knowles for securing the debt due from John Carefield to the Company be paid by the Company and the amount added to the debt and included in the security and that the mortgage be made in the name of Henry Eycott, as Trustee of the Company.
Culvert to be made at the White Bridge for the purpose of feeding the level below at the place where the former culvert was put in.
William Critchley be admitted a weekly tenant of the house, garden and warehouse at Bristol Road wharf at 8s per week and employed as lockkeeper there at wages of 5s per week on his entering into a Bond with good securities at his own costs.
No business transacted, only four present.
No business transacted, only three present.
Books examined.
Half Yearly General Meeting. Tonnage £2275 7s 1d, Balance after wages, etc, £1332 2s 2d. Dividend of £6 declared.
Arrears for tonnage on coal be paid up immediately and that in future no credit be given for tonnage on coal except to the Thames & Severn Canal Co.
Special Meeting. The Committee having met to consider the notice given by the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal Company for forming a junction with the Stroudwater Navigation on the present level and without putting up the stop gates directed by Act of Parliament, and having read letters from the clerk and engineer to the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal, it was decided that the proposed junction would be injurious to the Stroudwater Navigation, particularly as no security is provided against the water being taken therefrom for the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal. A letter is to be written to refuse permission, until the gates and other works are made which the Act of Parliament directs.
