1884-1885
Gloucestershire Archives D1180/9/7
Letters written by WIlliam James Snape between February 1884 and October 1885
If you cannot let us have the stone for 1s 6d per cubic foot, as you have since 1876, the order must go to Mr Payne.
Mr Savage, road surveyor, wants to put some Bristol gravel at Ryeford Wharf but it is blocked up with poles. See Mr Lewis and ask him to make room for a cargo.
Mr Fallows will see Mr Lewis to move some of the timber at Ryeford Wharf to make room for your gravel.
Please get the Dividend Pass Book for the half year (?) for my meeting next Monday.
When can you load the quarries at Wood and Ivery's? I have a cottage floor up and a tenant waiting to go in.
When can you send me the quarries? I have a floor up and cannot put a tenant in until the work is done.
Please deliver at Lydney Canal Basin two stones as I instructed. A Bargeman loading for this Canal will bring them up.
Do you know why a Dividend Warrant for £10 sent to you on 18 March has not been presented for payment?
Do you know why a Dividend Warrant for £2-10-0 for half year ending September 1883 sent to you on 31 October 1883 has not been presented for payment? Please also give me your full address.
Return to me the Dividend Warrant for £2-10-0 sent on 30 April 1884 as it should have been presented within three months and I shall make out another one.
Having received the transfer and Power of Attorney for shares 109 and 110, I enclose the cheque for £155 in payment.
The dividend warrant has been cashed by Rev C E Leighton. I could not understand how it had been cashed by a person not in the Share Book. The share is in your name and that of Mr Hall. Fill in this form instructing me to pay the dividend to Rev Leighton, the fee being 2s 6d.
Please get the old certificates for 109 and 110 as the Treasurer will not sign the new ones until they are produced or our indemnity given.
Acknowledging receipt of share certificates 109 and 110 and enclosing our bill for costs of £2-3-6.
Enclosing receipt for cheque for transfer of shares 109 and 110.
To whom should I send the Dividend on share 56 of £2-10-0 due tomorrow? Please confirm your address. I note that the warrant for half year ending March has not been presented to the Bank.
You state that a Dividend Warrant was received for Miss C Harris. Another made out to Miss S Harris was sent to Cardigan Villa, Weston super Mare. Have you had this? Can I have the correct address of Miss C Harris and yourself?
Enclosing Dividend Warrant for half year ending last September. I have altered the address in the Shares Book, the fee being 2s 6d for you and for Miss Clutterbuck. I shall look into the matter of Gloucester & Berkeley Canal Co scrips and let you know.
The Dividend Warrant was posted on Friday night in the usual way with the others and addressed to Davies snr Esq.
We have not yet decided about the tenancy of the Framilode cottage but will put your application on the list.
The Dividend Warrant due on 1 May still has not been presented at the Bank and I have not sent you my letter about the one due on 1 November until I hear from you. Please reply so that I can make up the Dividend account and send you the warrant for the last half year. Also send back the one for March as another must be made out.
Nothing is yet decided about the tenancy of the Framilode cottage.
Continue with the bricklayer despite the expense. See Mr Gainer about the shed and see what can be done for Thomas when he has done the coping at Ryeford. See Messrs Eycott, Gardiner and the Landlord of the Bell Inn at Ebley and let me know the result so I can report to the next meeting.
Fallows and Peyton say that one of your men took stone from the Shallow Lock to Eastington Workhouse without declaring it at the time. As you know, you are liable for a fine of £2 per ton but in view of the explanation you gave Peyton this will be overlooked if your captain pays a 10s fine, Otherwise proceedings will be taken. PS Your captain told Fallows that he has taken lots of stone to Eastington without declaring it which I hope is not true.
My foreman will call to explain the issue with the top paddle starts at the Shallow Lock. Arrange for your foreman to meet him on site to inspect the work and fix a time for it to be done.
You can angle in the Canal at the proposed Contest for 10s for the day.
Acknowledging receipt of Postal Order for 10s and enclosing four angling tickets for the Contest at Stonehouse on the 22nd. Tickets will be 2s 6d each for 1885. Trusting you will have good sport.
Thank you for reply regarding the paddles. I have told my foreman to meet yours on site.
I thought you held a share but I now find the owner to be Mrs S Harris of Weston super Mare to whom I have sent the Dividend Warrant. The other warrant was sent to Miss C Harris of Bath which you have acknowledged but which appears not to have been paid through the Bank.
A Dividend Warrant was sent out to you in the usual way but has not been presented at the Bank. Please do so as I want to make up the Dividend account.
A coal barge should be bringing two stones for me from Lydney. Tell the captain to put them out at Eastington and not the Double Locks as instructed.
Acknowledging receipt of three dividend warrants. I shall ask my Committee about your signing the warrants for your sister Mary.
Nothing has yet been done about the Framilode cottage. Your application will be considered with the others.
Meet Fallows at Whitminster Lock at 10am on Monday to consider the repair of the top paddles and starts.
Please attend the Committee meeting tomorrow as we may not have a quorum.
Please attend the Committee meeting tomorrow as we may not have a quorum.
Enclosing cheque for £4-15-11 for one year's Tithe Rent for Eastington Parish.
The Committee cannot accept Joseph Mabbett as tenant for the Framilode cottage.
The Committee wish for the coping stones at Stonehouse Wharf house to be put sloping towards the field as before the wall was pulled down. Also tell Mr Mabbett that the Committee cannot accept him as a tenant for the Framilode cottage.
The committee say that if Miss Salt puts her x on the stamp and you sign as witness the warrant will be cashed.
I have forwarded the Dividend Warrant to Messrs Croome of Cainscross as they instructed.
Fallows reports that the Diana and Betsy are lying in the Back Brook at Eastington and are very much in the way so that a boat cannot get up to the Canal Yard or to the stone breaking pens of the Workhouse. Have them removed.
Let me know all reliable information of any accidents to vessels at the Severn Bridge.
The new building adjoining the Bell Inn, Ebley is partly erected on Company's land. The Committee ask you to remove it from their premises within seven days.
I have left with Messrs Croome a form to be filled in to instruct me to send the warrants to you rather than to them as now.
Let me know the exact dead weight of 600 sacks of wheat and what weight the G&B Canal charge on for 600 sacks. All grain entering Framilode Lock for Gloucester is to be charged half rates only on the G&B Canal and 1d per ton for our Framilode length to the Junction.
I cannot go to Framilode tomorrow but hopefully on Thursday morning. Charge Mr Ford 2s 6d per week for wharfage.
Be more punctual in the payment of your monthly account.
You will only be charged half rates by the Sharpness Dock Co on all goods entering our Framilode Lock and passing on the G&B Canal to Gloucester. The Committee cannot reduce the current 6d per ton on grain to and from Eastington. We were not aware that you paid any more than the half rate on goods entering at Sharpness and going up the Stroudwater Canal; if you do then let me know. PS There will be a 2s 6d per week wharfage charge for the gates, etc on the wharf at Eastington.
Enclosing cheque for £19-10-0 for 1/4 year's salary due on 25th. The tiles which came down by Mr Cam's boat weighed about 10cwt so ask him what per ton he charges. Have the pear tree in Mr Whiting's garden cut down and a few piles put in the Bank; any old slabbing will do for this.
Enclosing cheque for £10-8-0 for 1/4 year's salary due on the 25th. Let me have all the tickets you have to hand and Mr Field's at the end of the month.
Give me the weight and tonnage paid for the paving bricks on James Smart's Sisters and the 'paving and building bricks' on his Charity.
What was the weight of the 'broken stone' which came in the small vessel to the Junction and sent up this Canal to Wallbridge? What tonnage was paid on the paving bricks per the 'Sisters' on the G&B Canal?
Your wharfage charge for the use of the pen at Bristol Road will be 2s 6d per week from the 25th, that is £1-12-6 per quarter.
From next March the charge for the use of the portion of the Ryeford Wharf will be 5s per quarter year.
Those bricks were loaded at Wood & Ivery's works at Oldbury, the first on the 15th and the second on the 18th December; James Smart owner of the boats, Webb and Whiting steerers.
I made a mistake: the name of the boat was 'Brothers' not 'Sisters'.
Enclosing postal order for £2-4-0 for stone. Note my foreman's comments on the bill.
Mr Henry Lewis's boat 'Fairy' took some timber from Stonehouse to Ryeford on Saturday without giving any account. Charge him 1s 8d and if he refuses to pay tell him he is liable for a fine of 40s for every ton.
Your postal order and stamps for 2s 3d is half the wharfage on one truck of coal carted through Stonehouse Canal Wharf. The 6d per ton on coal is the Canal toll we charge on all goods through the wharf if it could be carried by water. It applies to everyone: Mr Critchley pays that on salt and would on coal if he carried any on the wharf. Please pay the balance of 2s 3d.
Not Sent. Remove the 'Diana'. Fallows said that you only sent one man to pump and raise her which was impossible; she presents a danger. The Act empowers us to get her up and charge you but we will not if you remove her within seven days. You are also liable to a fine of 5 to 10s for causing an obstruction and 1 to 2s for every hour of that obstruction after such a request is made.
Remove the 'Diana'. Fallows said that you only sent one man to pump and raise her which was impossible; she presents a danger. The Act empowers us to get her up and charge you but we will not if you remove her within seven days. You are also liable to a fine of 5 to 10s for causing an obstruction and 1 to 2s for every hour of that obstruction after such a request is made.
Due to the frost vessels may pass up and down the Canal at any time and not lock up at night to avoid being frozen up. Allow any vessel arriving at the Junction in reasonable time to pass on or off the Canal.
When you are next in Stonehouse call on Mr Longford for the balance of his account and tell him that he will not be allowed to cart any more through the Wharf until it is paid.
Enclosing a bill for costs, wages, etc for drawing water out of the pound at Eastington to enable you to raise your barge 'Diana'. Include it in your tonnage payment for last quarter. Have the 'Diana' removed as she will soon be down again and be constantly breaking away from her moorings if she floats as the current is swift where she is.
Give me details of specified tonnage and other charges (details specified) for wheat and flour made by Sharpness Dock Co for the next Committee meeting. Continued ...
Continued from 154: Also the agreement between the Sharpness Dock Co and traders such as Smart and Pearce.
Due to your explanation to Mr Fallows your rent for the pen at Bristol Road will be 1s per week from 25th March.
The Sharpness Dock Co will refund you where they charged full rates to Gloucester when passing off the Stroudwater Canal having entered Framilode Lock if you tell me the names of vessels and relevant dates.
What would be the cost per cu ft for two pieces of English oak?
I hope to put in two pairs of bottom gates in the Eastington Locks in the early Summer. Could you lend me a set of legs so that I can save time by avoiding another stoppage?
If you call at the office tomorrow at 4pm the Company's Chairman and solicitor will discuss putting a sewage pipe under the Canal at Stonehouse.
Could you examine the old mud boat in the dock at Eastington Yard? Tell Fallows when you could meet me there.
I cannot come tomorrow as the auditor is coming. I am sending notices for the stoppage for the contractors for Stonehouse Sewage to put the pipes under the Canal near the Bridge. Let me know when Mr Hooper could meet me about the old mud boat.
The tonnage to Ryeford on timber is 6d per ton as the Double Locks must be used. If the boat passes on down after unloading there will be no further charge unless the tonnage is less than 1s 8d. If the boat came back empty a further charge of 1s 8d plus tonnage will be made. I know of no more effective way of driving trade off the Canal than sending stones and home coal from Ryeford by Railway. Your tonnage on timber for the last year was 15s.
A workman reports that last Saturday one of your carters drove carelessly across the Canal Swing Bridge near Stroud Gas Works scraping the stanchion. Caution him to be more careful or he will have to pay for any repairs.
Acknowledging cheque for £7-18-0 for tonnage but the 10s 9d for drawing water to raise the 'Diana' must be paid in full. You also promised to pay the 10s fine imposed on 'Diana's Captain for not explaining the stone taken to Eastington.
How much do you pay Mr Marten of Uley for oak suitable for lock gate works?
We could supply you with some good clay for laying your sewage pipe. How much would you give per ton delivered?
Start at once to break up the old mud boat lying in Eastington Dock.
My Chairman will decide if we are to charge the Stonehouse Sanitary Authority for the stoppage to lay their sewage pipes.
Mr Field's account is for £10-12-0. I have ordered the oak timber on the terms agreed.
Please pay £1-0-9 for raising the Diana and the fine. Note again that she has broken loose at one end and is lying across the Brook. You are responsible for any damage she may cause.
Enclosing an order for oak at 5s per cubic foot for two large pieces and 1s 9d per cubic foot for the tops delivered at Eastington Canal Yard (details given).
Enclosing post office order for £1-7-0 to pay for stone.
You can take water from the Canal at Ebley by pipe not exceeding 1 1/2 inches for 10s per annum.
Mr Fallows paid your daughter 6d as tithe rent which should have gone to Rev Hall at Saul. Please put the matter right with Mr Fallows when he calls.
You paid the 6d tithe rent to the wrong person, to Rev Dombrain rather than Rev Hall. Please call to put this right and send me Rev Hall's printed receipt.
Enclosing stamps.
Enclosing letter received from Mr Taunton re this Company's charge for drawing water to enable the Stonehouse Sanitary Company to lay sewage pipes under the Canal.
Mr Ambrose, the contractor for Stonehouse Sewage Works, has signed the agreement to make necessary arrangements for drawing water on Sunday night.
Enclosing bill of charges for drawing water, stoppage of Canal, etc to enable you to put sewage pipes under the Canal at Stonehouse as agreed (details given)
Get Mr Hooper's bill for the 2000 bricks for the wall and Mr Taylor's bill for cement. How many bricks and how much mortar are left? Tell me the cost of lead, cramps and our own men. When I have all the charges I can make out the Bill of Costs. When all is cleared up arrange for some Cainscross gravel to be put on Mr Stanton's road.
The erection of the Midland Railway's bridge will much interfere with the traffic at Stroud Upper Wharf as much of the wharf is taken up by the approach to the Bridge.
I have not refused to pay the Income Tax demand. Please send the 'unsigned' receipt for the £22-14-10 and I shall get Mr Little to sign a cheque today. The rent on the upper floor of the Wallbridge Warehouse is £10, not £15. Please alter the amount.
Enclosing cheque for £22-14-10 for Income Tax.
Alter No 4538 to £1-5-4 and No 4570 to £3-4-0. I enclose No 4374. I cannot find anything about No 4458 so please send a copy. No 4553 I also enclose. No 4580 - note Brimscombe should be Dudbridge.
One piece of your oak is very good but the other is flawed and is unsuitable. Could you let me have another sound piece? We could come to some arrangement over the flawed piece. I shall send Mr Fallows over.
Enclosing a bill for 4s 8d tonnage on bricks to Wallbridge and Stroud. As your account is so small please send the tonnage by the boatman as we cannot afford the postage.
Let me have a cheque for £32-15-8 so that I can make up my books before the Committee Meeting on the 17th.
The Committee will not reduce your account as the compensation claimed for loss of trade and expenses is considerably less than it should be. [Interesting details] Continued …
Continued from 182: If we had claimed the true cost the bill would have been more than double. Please send your cheque by return.
Enclosing cheque for £19-10-0 for 1/4 year's salary.
Enclosing cheque for £10-8-0 for 1/4 year's salary.
Enclosing receipt for cheque received through Little and Mills, Solicitors, Stroud.
Enclosing receipt for £32-15-8 for drawing water out of the Canal and other expenses as per agreement.
Could you let me have two or three carpenters for the week of 4th to 9th May as I am going to put in a pair of bottom gates at Pike Lock? Could you spare Perry and Fredericks as it is rather particular work?
Mr Barnard has promised to be at Dudbridge Wharf at 10am next Tuesday.
Could you meet my Chairman, Mr Little and two other Committee members at Dudbridge Wharf at 10.30 rather than 10.00 on Tuesday?
Could you arrange for Perry and Fredericks to be at Eastington yard at 6am next Monday? PS You can have any carpenters during your stoppage.
The Executors, or someone on their behalf, must claim before the Committee the share in the name of the late Miss Mary Salt. Our solicitor could do this for you.. I need the Probate of the will and share certificate 56. The next meeting is on the 19th. Stroudwater Canal shares are selling at about £80. A £2-10-0 dividend for this half year is due today but will be held over until the transfer.
Framilode Lock can take any boat or barge working on the River or Canal. The locks are 72 ft long and 17 ft 6 in wide with 5 ft 6 in of water, 6 ft of water on the top sills at Framilode and the depth on the bottom sills varies with the tides. Barges regularly come in and pass up to Stroud with loads of 70 to 75 tons. All the Bullo trade enters at Framilode and barges from Bristol and other ports down the Channel. Let me know if you want further information on the other locks.
Sorry that the mistake in the name on the Dividend Warrant caused you so much trouble. I have altered yours and put in Mrs Wood's.
I will inspect the defective culvert near Whitminster that you mention and report to the Committee on the 19th.
I now find that Framilode Lock is not large enough to take the larger Droitwich barges which can now carry 100 tons. It has been possible but on a high tide. During the stoppage the tides will help anything coming down the River which can come in the Canal. Apparently there will be no serious loss of trade as they are putting in stocks to cover the stoppage.
Could you remove the timber, etc from against the hedge as we are to put fence round the garden at Framilode?
Give the enclosed letter to Mr Broucher and ask him to move the timber, etc. Let me know when he has done so.
You may erect the wooden office on Dudbridge Wharf for 6d per week payable quarterly in advance.
Traffic can be worked in and out of Framilode Lock from Monday 28th until Wednesday 3rd June.
I found your man working on the garden wall at Downfield today that your conveyance knocked down. As the cap stone and another were broken we need to come to an arrangement for their replacement. Please call on me at home tomorrow before 3pm.
The trunk (not culvert) under the watercourse at Whitminster is in good repair but needs a little puddling which will be done.
