1880-1884
Gloucestershire Archives D1180/9/6
Letters written by William James Snape between April 1880 and February 1884
In list supplied (boat owners), for 'Stroud', read 'Upper Wharf', above the two locks on T&S Canal.
Cheque enclosed for £5 4s 6d in payment of tithes. Receipt requested.
Cannot meet you until after our Parliamentary sub-committee meets on Monday.
Regret cannot supply traffic return as promised, owing to advice from Parliamentary sub-committee.
Regret cannot supply traffic return as promised, owing to advice from Parliamentary sub-committee.
Will supply answer to your query after meeting of our Parliamentary sub-committee on Monday next.
Advice on how to trace the volume of coal traffic, and wharves visited from Midlands via Stroud by examining names of boats on list formerly supplied.
Regards use of casual boats in addition to regular traders as response to increased demand for coal.
Now allows us to supply requested traffic returns. Advises that said committee will strongly oppose conversion of T&S Canal to Railway. Seeks co-operation. More on coal traffic and carriage.
Regarding transfer of shares on death of Mr Charles Edwards.
Seeks co-operation and support of coal traders and their proprietors in opposition to T&S Canal Bill.
States current sale price of shares for Stroudwater Navigation as £80.
Strategies of Thames Navigation and Wilts & Berks towards the Bill unknown. Will try to arrange inspection of the T&S Canal.
Instruction on payment of income and land tax. Asks him to try and gain permission for survey of T&S Canal.
More on share transfer requirements. Form to be completed to permit payment of dividend.
Encloses information relating to Staffordshire traffic along T&S Canal for year 1881.
Statement of Staffordshire traffic to and from T&S Canal for 1881 sent by last post. Arrangements given for inspection of Canal next week.
Steam boat now booked for T&S inspection (above). Instructions on further preparations needed.
Relates to letter received from Jones on 30th inst. Information on ownership of North Wilts Canal and Wilts & Berks and regarding inspection of T&S Canal next week and ordering of boat for the purpose.
Further instructions on proposed inspection of T&S Canal. Need to settle on chosen day for this.
Copy of Resolution of Committee of Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal Co given to solicitor who is to represent us at meeting of Thames Conservancy Board on Monday. Date settled for Canal inspection.
Boat ordered to be at Stroud for Canal inspection trip, Tuesday next, 9.00am. More on proposed representation at Thames Conservancy Board meeting.
Shall not need boat next Tuesday as Canal inspection postponed. Will write again when new date found.
Proposed inspection for next Tuesday postponed. New date to be confirmed soon.
Remove tiles and larch poles stored on Dudbridge Wharf. Wharfage charge to follow on removal.
Current value of shares might be £70-£80. Can sell your 70 shares for you, if you so instruct me.
Hereby confirm the last selling price of shares as £83 per share.
Enclosing copies of papers from Committees of Stroudwater Navigation Company and Thames and Isis Navigation against a Parliamentary Bill, rejected 1866.
Arrangement to go tomorrow to Messrs Webb & Springs to examine Stonehouse sewerage.
Your fine reduced from £1 to 10s. Pay to Mr Fallows when next passing Eastington Canal Yard.
Your barge Esther alongside Ebley wharf has had a death on board from smallpox. Body and two more patients now removed. Sanitary Inspector has inspected vessel and ordered thorough disinfection.
Your enquiry on T&S Canal Bill to be answered at next meeting, unless you require an earlier referral.
Enclosing statement of T&S Canal traffic entering Framilode Lock, as requested.
Enclosing only available plan of Thames & Severn Canal Company's wharves. Please trace and return original.
Correspondence concerning agreement for house and stable at Dudbridge Wharf. Copy to be sent.
It has been unanimously agreed to accept arrangement for working of T&S Canal, provided same accepted by your Company. Please respond.
Cheque enclosed in settlement of account. Receipt requested.
Water from Canal to engine boiler: Charge will be £1 per annum. Rent to commence 25 March 1881.
Quarter salary cheque enclosed. Receipt requested.
Quarter salary cheque enclosed. Receipt requested.
Regret, cannot make any reduction in current charge of £I per ton on Staffordshire goods.
Boat will be prepared for you for next Tuesday; shall be ready to start at any time you name.
Sketch map of T&S Canal enclosed; please bring with you. Imperial Hotel, Stroud recommended. Survey of whole canal will take 3 days.
Your letter and papers to hand. Please return further papers currently on loan from us.
Your credit account will cease on Monday next. After then, tonnage payments to be made to wharfingers at Wallbridge and Dudbridge.
Credit arrangement with Thames & Severn Canal Company to finish today. In future, cash fees to be paid at time of boat's entry or leaving the Stroudwater Canal.
Cannot get you more than £70 for share sale owing to T&S Canal Bill now before Parliament.
Cheque (£7 10s) enclosed in payment of quarter year's salary as solicitor.
Have sold your share for £72 10s 0d. Transfer and share certificate in hand.
Enclose transfer and power of attorney for your share. Shall send cheque once signed transfer received.
Sale shares can be done privately or by public auction; last price was £72 10s. Value is weakened by current threat to turn T&S Canal into a Railway and threat of Midland Railway reaching Wallbridge.
Cheque enclosed and receipt acknowledged.
Enclose cheque for share 159 and balance of dividend. Receipt required.
You have overcharged in your bill for carriage of timber. Shall deduct amount from next week's coal bill.
Enclosing sketch of span of proposed new bridge, middle and upper wharves at Stroud; also a sketch to show all Canal property at Wallbridge. Concern about Midland Railway coming closer to said wharves.
Please dredge your stretch of T&S Canal below first lock as it is making navigation of short length connecting Stroudwater Canal to T&S Canal very troublesome and slow.
Please inform Ford Bros to avoid obstructing passage along the Canal by careless mooring of barges.
Encloses tracings of further maps, as promised in yesterday's letter.
Form of transfer of shares enclosed. Please return necessary papers and will send you cheque for sale.
Can find no evidence to confirm rumour that Potter's Canal shares have been bought by Railway Co.
Business relating to loss of share certificates.
Enclose cheque to value, £725 being purchase money for 10 shares. Please send receipt.
Must decline request for reduction of tonnage on bricks in fairness to other traders. Charge is standard.
At your discretion, you may reduce Mr Rowles' tonnage on a specified load of bricks from Bristol Rd.
Reduced tonnage to be allowed on the single load of bricks from Bristol Road - 3d per 1000 allowance.
Please to use some rammed sand or gravel to secure road stone in place near the Ocean swing-bridge.
Please to let me have a copy of Mr Pearce's ticket from last Dec. I mislaid original.
Confirm that special allowance on tonnage of bricks will apply only to that specific load or parts thereof.
Your letter with list of objections to clauses in Canal Boats Bill to hand. Issue is vital to all Canal interests. I have copy of Canal Boats Bill for May 1877, but please could you direct me to one for Oct 1877.
Quarter year's salary enclosed. Receipt requested.
Cheque enclosed to value £3 3s - this Company's annual subs for the Canal Association to 1 July 1883. Receipt please.
Quarter year's salary cheque. Receipt please.
I stopped the Thames & Severn Canal Co. account with us, owing to repeated deductions made by them on our bills. Future payments to be paid in cash only. Should account be revived, suggest full repayment of outstanding debts and closer regulation of bills. Continued on next page ...
… continues above letter….
Condition report needed from you on Nutshell Bridge near Davis' Lower Mill; reported in dilapidation.
Suspicion that trow, 'Effort' is carrying more than declared and entitled. Please check on this and report.
I find that you are exceeding your weight of cargoes passing through Stroud; let me have precise nature and weights of cargoes that passed through the other day.
Monthly account may be re-installed with T&S, on condition that any queries on monthly bills be made and settled direct, but unlicensed deductions from bills will not be allowed.
Seeking to find an agreed special rate from Stroudwater, G&B and T&S Canals for carriage of 10,000 tons of rails for Swindon & Cheltenham Extension Railway. Small concession by each would ensure rails being brought by water, not by Railway.
Thames & Severn Canal Company has agreed to reduced rate on Railway materials as discussed earlier.
Thames & Severn Canal Company has agreed to reduced rate on Railway materials as discussed earlier.
Shall place matter of your letter of 29 July before next Board meeting.
Tonnage rate on cast iron pipes from Junction of the G&B Canal to Cirencester is 6d per ton.
Canal to be closed for repair 25-28 August from Stroud to Top Lock at Dudbridge, owing to breakout at Lodgemore feeder. Did you receive the four ticket books sent the other day?
Meeting arranged for Bristol Road Lock on Monday morning at noon.
Quarter year's salary cheque enclosed. Receipt needed.
Quarter year's salary cheque enclosed. Receipt needed. Please to send Price & Sons bill for timber .
As instructed by my Committee, am forwarding copy of Minute from 18 July last.
My Company's Committee instruct me to say that it cannot permit any drains other than surface or pure water into their Canal, as it seems may be intended by your Sanitary Authority.
Transfer of shares. Please sign and return to me Transfers and Power of Attorney.
Forgot to mention in my previous letter, I shall need old share certificates before issuing new ones.
Acknowledges receipt of cheque, old share certificates, forms of Transfer and Power of Attorney forms.
Notice of cancellation of meeting proposed for Friday 20th inst.
Please check on coal on Stonehouse Wharf with a view to charges. Have you completed work on footpath by Gas Works? Check the WC outlet from Mr Jefferies' to avoid discharge into Canal.
Last selling price of shares was £82 10s. Will seek a purchaser and write again.
Provides information respecting rents.
Enclosing Share transfer certificate for signature and return. Power of Attorney is on its way.
Please supply Company with 60 tons broken stone. Trow 'Avon' to collect in week or ten days.
Send one of your big boats at price previously arranged.
Giving notice of intention to attend Police Court at Whitminster to appeal tax assessment no.46 and 47.
Calls attention to your neglect in raising flood gates at your mill as is required whenever stream needs it, causing flooding of our towpath at Ryeford. You are liable for any damage caused by such neglect.
Gives the charge for carriage of acid from Gloucester to Wallbridge Lower Wharf, Stroud.
Acknowledges receipt of Minute of Vestry meeting at Saul on 13th, respecting state of culvert under canal. To be raised at next Company Board Meeting
The bricks will arrive tomorrow. I have Transfer and 4 Share certificates to hand and hope you can attend meeting tomorrow and give your signature. Partly illegible.
Encloses letter from Marling respecting bricks. Need your instructions for boatmen who is to be in Canal tomorrow. Can get you a cargo at any time you need bricks.
There is a discrepancy on size of bricks ordered and those loaded. Let me know the difference in weight as it alters cost. There is time for your letter to arrive before the boat, so I can deliver it to captain.
Please meet me at Swing Bridge, Saul on Thursday next, 11.30am to discuss culvert under Canal.
Requesting you to join self and Mr Pearce to take train on Saturday to meet W B Clegram re T&S Canal. Bring with you a statement of various named details of operation of T&S Canal in relation to ours.
Gives requested information on Tonnage charge on gas tar on named stretches of T&S, Stroudwater Canal and G&B Canal.
Have arranged with Pearce and Smart to meet at your Gloucester office, Saturday next.
Please to let me know for my meeting on 19th inst. if culvert repair at Saul complete, satisfactory and what charge?
Please send details of state of the Canal - thickness of ice, how trade is working, number of barge in and to come in to the Canal.
Am currently much engaged with work on a culvert at Framilode. I need a tube of 5ft diameter to take away water from stream; please to send name of good supplier.
Write to inform you that culvert below Canal at Saul now thoroughly cleaned out. Calls attention to poor condition of watercourse below and above for which this Company not responsible.
Have heard Critchley has put some coal out on Stonehouse Wharf. Need date of landing, start and finish dates of removal process.
Gives information required for Bridge to be erected over T&S Wharves at Stroud. Details of headway needed for barge masts to pass under, and clearance on approach either side. Refers to supplied plan.
Needs details of any 'bar' or obstruction in river below Framilode Lock, and of any other related problem.
Needs to know how contract for carriage of bricks for new Railway works at Stroud is going and related matters.
Your wharfage charges for the carriage of Railway bricks is higher than ours and also of the Worcs & Birm section. Any allowance you can make may help to secure this contract.
