1936-1946
Gloucestershire Archives D1180/1/10
Minutes from 22 January 1936 to 20 March 1946
of the Committee of Proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation
Hoffman Gloucester Ltd started taking water from canal 17 May.
Mrs White to be allowed to remain in Eastington lock house until 2 July.
Canal next to Bond’s Mill Stonehouse leaking into River Frome through let-off culvert next the swing bridge.
Admiralty at Stanley Mills to take over a portion of Stonehouse Wharf.
Mr Maslin to have pleasure boat on Ebley pound for 10s p.a.
Clerk to ascertain if tenants at Framilode want water supplied from water main.
Ministry to be pressed for payment for war damage to Blunder Lock.
Mrs White vacated Eastington Lock House 11 July.
General Half Yearly Meeting. Income from 1 January £330 10s 11d. After wages, etc, balance £63 3s 3d. No dividend declared.
Continuation of page 202. https://stroudwaterhistory.org.uk/document/8167/
Culvert at Bonds Mill Stonehouse had been blocked. Leak was not serious.
Admiralty (at Bath) to be asked if they would provide a wider roadway for use of other tenants at Stonehouse Wharf.
Mr Maslin told that he would be charged 5s p.a. for taking buckets of water from canal.
Tenants at Framilode have asked to be connected to water mains.
Strachan & Co allowed to install ventilating opening in mill wall for 1s p.a.
Henry Robert Hooper and Charles Alexander Hooper claimed share nos.45,48,49,53,58,65,66,71,97,111,117,138,139,157,162,177,180, will of Arthur Beard Hooper.
Lockkeeper Smith asked for repairs to Eastington Lock House.
Admiralty offer of £60 p.a. for requisition of Stonehouse Wharf accepted.
Original Brewery Co to be sent letter calling condition of the wall separating the house and garden adjoining the Anchor Inn on Bath Road from property belonging to the Navigation.
Lockkeeper F Bassett has left Dudbridge Lock House and Company. H. S. Wiggall has been appointed to position for free occupation of Lock House. Some repairs to be made to house.
Gloucester Rural District Council’s inspector complained about smell arising from weeds in canal at Newton. Suggested that County Analyst be contacted to suggest chemical suitable for removing weeds.
Lockkeeper Smith given up post at Eastington. W C Miles of Bonds Mills has applied for position.
Quartering Commandant for South Gloucestershire wanted to requisition Lock House at Eastington. Committee decided premises must be occupied by a lockkeeper.
Weeds at Newtown to be treated with Adco after dredging from the canal.
Beryl Frances Fisher and Francis Colborne Fisher claimed share nos.84.91, will of Rev Frederic Colborne Fisher.
W C Miles appointed lockkeeper at Eastington.
Mowlem & Co to be charged £15 6s 5d for repairs to Gashouse Bridge and canal bank at Downfield.
Bradley & Son to connect property at Framilode to water supply for £16 16s.
Company to pay £20 towards repairs made to inside of Lock House at Dudbridge by Lockkeeper Wiggall.
Insurance company wanted to increase fire insurance cost by 33⅓%.
Water Authority will not allow three houses for a single connection at Framilode. Must have two connections. Cost increased by £3.
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General Half Yearly Meeting. Income from 1 July 1942 £401 7s 5d. After wages, etc, balance £86 3s 1d. No dividend declared.
Shallow Lock, Saul and Ocean Swing Bridges in need of attention.
Nil tonnage for 6 weeks.
Agreed that four larch planks be ordered for stock and that Shallow Lock Bridge be repaired before Saul Bridge.
Further two larch planks ordered.
Tree had fallen across swing bridge at Whitminster and had not been cleared. 25 others were standing on the wing wall of the bridge on the off bank of the canal. Company’s solicitor to communicate with the solicitor of the adjoin landowner, Mr J Teasdale.
Flight Lt. Fox of the RAF to be informed that the usual charge for mooring on the canal between Walk Bridge and the Junction will be 1s per week for each boat. The Company had been receiving 11s. per week mooring fees for the boats previously moored along that stretch before it was taken over by the RAF.
Clerk of Gloucester County Council to be contacted regarding the flow of water from the Thames and Severn into the Navigation. A further letter to be sent to Secretary of the Ministry of Transport regarding stop gate at Framilode.
Reported that Mr Hopson had obtained the necessary certificate to purchase timber from Ryeford Saw Mills for repair to swing bridges.
Letter to clerk of Stoud Urban District Council re rental for requisitioned Dudbridge Wharf.
Letter and plan received from Captain Teesdale re trees at Whitminster. Trees not standing on canal property.
Scantling for the repair of Shallow Lock now on site.
Flight Lt Fox had suggested that rather than pay a boat mooring fee per boat, instead an annual fee be paid, half yearly or quarterly. He suggested £50 per annum for the quarter of a mile from the Junction to Walk Bridge. The Company to respond that £22 pa being lost in mooring fees and a further loss of £10 for Angling rights. The Committee welcomed the putting up of notices to prevent the risk of interference with the boats.
It was reported that Shallow Lock Bridge had been repaired, Saul Swing Bridge to be repaired next month.
RAF to receive an account for boats moored amounting to £12 10s for the quarter. Noted that a second quarter mile of waterway had been entered on 1 July.
General Half Yearly Meeting. Income from 1 January £379 10s 6d. After wages, etc, balance £142 19s 2d. No dividend declared.
Continuation from page 234 https://stroudwaterhistory.org.uk/document/8182/.
The waterway from the intake at Lodgemore to the Gashouse Bridge is very badly silted and overgrown and obstructing the supply of water to the lower reaches of the canal. The Company’s man, with assistance from a man from the Gas Co, had cut a channel through the weeds 5-6 feet wide.
Clerk authorized to order planking for Lodgemore and Walk Bridges.
Mr Hopson to repair roof and wall at Dudbridge Lock House.
Stock of London & North Eastern Railway 4% Preference Stock sold and used to buy 3% Nation Defence Loan 1954/58.
Swing Bridge at Saul and Ocean Bridge at Stonehouse repaired and open to traffic.
Clerk reported that he had sent a special form to the RAF for moorings for April through to August 1943 to a total of £29 3s 4d.
Fire Force Association of Swindon to be charged a nominal 10s for water taken from canal at Downfield.
Air Ministry of Works Department has made order prohibiting exercise of rights of way over a section of towpath at Whitminster for period of emergency.
New paddles fixed to bottom gates at Westfield and Newtown Locks, and planking repaired. A new flood gate fixed at Westfield Pound.
Herber Haryer Scott and Arthur William King claimed share no.12, will of John Neptune Bloos.
Strachan & Co request for repairs to Lodgemore Swing Bridge acceded to.
The sale of withy top, to be advertised in the Citizen.
Ashes put on towpath at Framilode by Mrs Aldridge were unsuitable.
Committee decided against advertising sale of withy in Citizen.
RAF had paid mooring fees April-December 1943, £62.10s.
Letter to Sharpness Docks Company regarding proposed removal of the Junction Bridge, the Company’s only access to Framilode Pound, Company requested that the bridge be restored as soon as possible.
General Half Yearly Meeting. Income from 1 July 1943 £472 0s 2d. After wages, etc, balance £141 2s 11d. No dividend declared.
Continuation from page 247 https://stroudwaterhistory.org.uk/document/8189/.
Mr Lisle of Sharpness Docks Co replied that both materials and labour were extremely scarce and only work absolutely essential in the national effort could be sanctioned.
Sharpness Dock Co to clear rubbish from culvert at Whitminster Aqueduct.
Gales has damaged Stonehouse and Dudbridge Wharfhouses.
Cable at Downfield sanctioned by the Committee, wayleave of £2 proposed but considered by Stroud Electric Supply Co to be excessive; they proposed £1. Company responded to the Electric Company telling them that the Gas Company pay £2 for gas pipes across canal. Matter held over until Chairman was available to deal with the matter.
RAF Andover proposed that Junction Lock be changed into a dry dock.
Eastington Wharf gates damaged by car driven by a Mr Beresford. Repair costs estimated at £17 10s.
Ministry of War Transport did not object to use of Junction Lock as dry dock. Letters sent to Mainteance Command of RAF and Sharpness Docks Co.
Mr Bennett of Whiteshill granted permission to put a small canoe on the canal on payment of 25s p.a. license fee, not to include the use of locks and no swing bridges to be opened.
Leicester Lovell & Co to be allowed to lay water service pipe across canal near Ebley Mills; wayleave £2 p.a.
Stroud Sanitary Laundry Co complained of state of canal. Stroud and District Joint Planning Committee also complained.
Water supply to Ebley Pound had been reduced due to the removal of the boards from the weir in the Mill Pond. Marling and Evans, owners, no longer use the water from the Mill Pond and raised no objection to the company adjusting the height of their weir.
Telephone installed in Dudbridge Lock House.
General Half Yearly Meeting. Income from 1 January £402 13s 10d. After wages, etc, balance £134 16s 5d. No dividend declared.
Continuation from page 265 https://stroudwaterhistory.org.uk/document/8197/.
RAF to be charged nominal £1 p.a. for use of Junction Lock at Saul, subject to condition that on abandonment reinstatement should be at the option of the Navigation.
Mr Beresford to be taken to court for damages to Eastington Wharf gates.
RAF not to use Junction Lock.
Eastington Lock House Wall damaged by a United States Army lorry.
Clerk reported that the United States Army denied responsibility for the damage to the wall at Eastington. An estimate of £9 5s from Mr Hopson had been sent, marked ‘without prejudice’.
Outbuildings at Wallbridge in very bad condition. Mr Hopson suggestion of removing roof and chimney, raising back wall and fixing purloins to carry roof of asbestos sheeting approved.
United States Army written to say file was with higher authority for consideration.
Mr Blick of Stonehouse to repair Stonehouse Wharf House roof.
United States Army paid company's claim in full.
Cheltenham Original Brewery Co to employ Mr Hopson to repair garden wall at Wharfhouse, Bath Road, Stroud.
RAF site at Saul Junction closed 1 December 1944. Reported that since1 April 1943 £154 3s 4d earned from tenancy.
Letter from Mr Horsfell read.
General Half Yearly Meeting. Income from 1 July 1944 £408 16s 4d. After wages, etc, balance £189 17s 7d. No dividend declared.
Roof of Eastington Dock House needs attention.
Sudden death of Mr H R Hooper, member of the Committee since June 1910. Members stood in silent tribute. Mrs Hooper to be sent condolences.
Water service pipe for Ebley Mills put across canal 18 March.
Following drawing of Lodgemore Mill sluices on the Painswick Stream, leakage has occurred from the canal culvert. Mill sluices have been put down to maintain level to Lodgemore Pound, which supplies water to Gas Co and Messrs Redler. Mr Ball to inspect and report how Company could repair culvert.
Leakage to culvert has stopped.
Clerk to prepare list of property.
Second leak of Lodgemore culvert stopped.
Proposed that the permission of the Ministry of Transport be sought to close the canal from the Junction to Framilode.
Ministry of Transport will do nothing further on damage to Blunder Lock.
Steps to be taken to clear the bed of the canal below the Lodgemore culvert.
Stroud Joint Sewage Scheme to ensure canal bank maintained during operations, and that flow at crossing and Painswick Stream maintained. Wallbridge to be connected to sewer in lieu of wayleave.
Clerk authorized to repair Saul and Framilode bridge decks
Noted that the Navigation did not appear on the Ministry of War’s Transport map.
General Half Yearly Meeting. Income from 1 January £376 9s 6d. After wages, etc, balance £239 1s 11d. No dividend declared.
Closing of Framilode Pound, Sharpness Docks relieved of all responsibility to maintain or repair the Lock, suggested that they fill Junction Lock with dredgings from Sharpness Dock.
Channel cleared through weeds from Lodgemore Mills Bridge to Gashouse Bridge. Silt can be removed from below the culvert at Lodgemore to a point below Lodgemore Bridge.
Committee would not allow Mr Lee to sublet Wallbridge Wharf House, but would accept a surrender of the property.
Ministry of Transport Block Houses should be retained as they were of use to the Company.
Miss Gwendoline Hooper claimed share no.145, will of Henry Robert Hooper.
