1885-1889
Gloucestershire Archives D1180/9/8
Letters written by WIlliam James Snape between October 1885 and May 1889
Request to meet to agree a boundary and erect a stone
Offering meeting Monday next
Request to remove old barge from short pound at Eastington or it will be sold to defray costs.
Requirement for written declaration from Webb & Spring of timber delivered there in order to clear out the boats. Recent cargo on Annie 4 tons of logwood entered short at 1s/ton
No reduction in rate of toll charged fixed by agreement between Stroudwater & Thames & Severn Canal Cos. Midland Railway is robbing GWR. We are going on as before.
Continued: You send too much block coal. We keep a man to weigh all Staffordshire coal free.
Statement that Sir W H Marling does not take any water from the canal.
Certified statement that latest selling price of Stroudwater Navigation shares was £80 each.
Information required for Egelstaff & Sons Bristol re tolls & vessel sizes on T&S Canal
Details of Stroudwater vessel sizes & tolls quoted. Similar T&S Canal information requested
No payment or compensation received from Sir W H Marling in respect of water alluded to.
Info requested from T&S Canal enclosed. Your barge Sabrina will not pass far beyond Stroud.
Request to reduce rate on stone to encourage traffic to Cirencester & Thames and compete with railway from Swindon. Meeting requested.
Concern over condition of canal below Whitminster Lock. Request to clear the mud, weeds etc.
Concern over non payment of tonnage account. Thames & Severn Canal Co also pressing for their money.
Received barometer & thermometer and will start to take readings from 7 Jan.
As Committee do not meet until 19 Jan cannot draw cheque for settlement of tithe rent until then.
Cheque enclosed for £19 10s for last 1/4 salary. Receipt required.
Request for hand dredger to clear Whitminster Pound to a draught of 5ft. Continued next page.
From last page: prior to usual Spring dredging.
Enclosing cheque for quarter year's salary of ₤10 8s.
Enclosing cheque for ₤2 2s being one year's subscription to 25th inst.
Instruction to charge G Clark 1s.8d for taking boiler from Ebley to Webb & Springs. In case of refusal, he will be summonsed; read him clause whereby he is liable for a fine of ₤2 per ton.
Hope that rate given by Thames & Severn Canal Co will enable you to compete with railway trade in the area.
Refusal to decrease rate for coal; suggest contacting Thames & Severn whose rate per mile is higher. Re sale of Mr Butt's two boats, one now used by Mr Critchley. Mr Lambert the only merchant trading coal very occasionally by railway in very specific circumstances. Continued next page.
From last page: Mr Price's trade has been taken up by other merchants and not lost to canal. Unfair charging more to Stroud. General agreement with Thames & Severn Canal Co not likely to be broken at present.
Receipt of Application for 2s 4d Tithe Rent charge; should be sent to Mr C Critchley, occupier of house and premises at Stonehouse Wharf. See correspondence January 1884.
12s 3d owing to Company for repairs to Bridge. Meeting to be held Tuesday next.
Cheque enclosed for £4 11s 6d for Tithe Rent charges.
Request for meeting re slip in embankment near Bridge between Ryeford and Stonehouse.
Meeting at Ryeford Bridge arranged for Thursday morning next at 11 o'clock.
Request for meeting re boundary of land at Ryeford.
Competition with railway over Staffordshire coal, looking for a closer supply.
I understand Joseph Lane made an arrangement with Webb & Spring for removal of the boiler, The captain still needs to pay the toll.
Meeting at Ryeford on Wednesday at about 10 o'clock.
Meeting at Ryeford Canal Bridge on Wednesday at about 10 o'clock.
Meeting at Ryeford on Wednesday at about 10 o'clock.
Technical details requested of coal, cobbles, tonnage over specific distances
Can your supplying of coal by Machine Weight be changed to combat railway competition.
Bill for ₤1 19s 0d for supply of canal water for engine boiler
Complaint that delays in loading your stone is injuring your trade.
Bill for ₤1 19s 0d for supply of canal water for engine boiler
Report required of the fall of Mrs Cook and child into the canal near Framilode Bridge.
Details of wrongly charged amounts of income tax and request for refunds.
The Company not responsible for the fall of Mrs Cook and child into the canal.
Further explanations of income tax details, and agreement with other details.
Cheque enclosed for ₤9 17s 2d.
Decrease in tonnage rate paid on staves from Chalford and Griffins Mill.
Enclosed cheque for ₤10 8s as 1/4 year's salary due this day.
Letter re accident to Mrs Cook and child will be placed before Committee Meeting of 20 April.
Enclosed cheque for ₤19 10s 0d as 1/4 year's salary to 25 March 1886.
Request Mr Jefferies of Ebley to clean out his vault. Report wanted from Daniels re Ebley culvert.
Request to deliver on first boat 2000 paving bricks as per pattern book to be put out at Wallbridge
Enclosing invoice for repair of damage to Dock Lock for Captain to pay to avoid summons.
Note Midland Co rate on iron pipes from West Bromwich is 15s per ton. Great Western 14s 2d per ton. If necessary, our tonnage can reduce to 8d per ton instead of 1s.
Re damage to paddle gearing at Dock Lock. Hopkins boat "Perseverance"" was without a steerer. Ordered to pay costs or be summonsed."
Informed 1000 tons of stone to be sent to Cirencester. If vessels will not go up T&S Canal, land at Junction and send on in narrow boats. Wharfage will be free.
Asked whether accommodation is required for landing stone at the Junction. Instructions can be given where to put it. No wharfage charge.
Understanding that the tonnage rate on coal above Brimscombe to be increased 3d per ton to 1/-. Hope that this is not the case.
Disappointed not to receive tonnage for last Thursday. Request for cheque immediately.
Request to come by train to settle account so books can be closed. Causing much inconvenience.
Sorry not to be able to pay tonnage as Pearce has not paid his account. Please contact him direct
Have rates for coal have been increased to 1s per ton to places beyond Brimscombe.
Please reply to letter of 6th re damage to paddle gearing at Dock Lock. When will 10s 6d be paid.
Accident to Mrs Cook and child. Application of 22 March not entertained by Committee.
Toll of less than 6d per ton has never been charged on road stone to Bristol Road Wharf. No reduction to 4d can be made. The rate of 4d in the list is a printer's error.
Do not understand yours re Sewerage connection of cottage at Stonehouse. There are two drains from Wash House and Privy. Request for a proper estimate of what is to be done.
Rate on all iron 1s per ton to Wallbridge Lower Wharf, including use of crane and wharf. If taken up to Thames & Severn Canal Co wharf, further charge of 3d per ton plus charge for crane and wharfage.
Fine of 10s charged for drawing the top paddle at Dudbridge Lock before closing the Bottom gates on 24 April. A notice of summons will be served if fine is not paid within 7 days penalty £5.00.
Pay fine of 10s for tying up vessel so as to stop another vessel from using the Top Lock at Eastington or summons will be taken out for full sum and costs.
Advice required on possibility of sending timber from Stroud to Sheffield by canal and river.
Tonnage will be charged at 21s 8d for 65 tons as the actual weight not yet known. Caroline still at Wallbridge as Captain waiting for his money.
The tonnage charged will be £1 4s 4p for the actual weight of 73 tons. The barge still at Wallbridge.
Balance sheets and other papers enclosed. The rents are the same.
Second request for hand dredger to dredge Shallow Lock.
Share Certificates Nos. 10 and 108 enclosed; also receipt for £160 being the purchase price.
Rent receipts enclosed - please collect. Remind Mr Sibly that more trains will run after Thursday next so he can choose a suitable time for bathing. Also see Mastin about his work not being what he gave me.
Enclosed bill for £5 expenses incurred in raising "Lydia"" which sank at Stonehouse on the 11 June."
Cheque for £15 8s 6d enclosed for timber. Request for further specified supply.
Bill enclosed for 2s 6d for damage to Severn Bridge in the Stroudwater Canal.
Confirmation that Canal Share Certificates Nos 10 and 108 were sent by post on 18 June.
Request for payment of the tonnage due on Caroline.
Return of form because of confusion as to what it is about.
Notification that paint and brush for Pockett's house have been sent by boat; both to be returned.
Instructions on repairs to culvert at Bond's Mill. Also obtain water charges from two people.
Free angling not possible; charge is 2s 6d per person, bill enclosed.
A summons will be taken out if fines of 10s and £1 not paid within 7 days.
From 20 August 1886 tonnage will be charged on all stone landed on Wallbridge Wharf.
In case of non payment of tonnage as specified, the Co's solicitors will be instructed. Continued …
From last page: In future all tonnage to be paid before barge allowed to leave Canal.
Asked to pay for water extracted from Canal for nursery, or to desist from taking water.
Cheque for 3s 3d enclosed for 1 years subs to Canal Association. Receipt required.
Please submit your dividend payment of £7 2s 6d to your bank.
Please submit your dividend payment of £7 2s 6d to your bank.
Captain Carter must pay the full penalty if he won't pay the fines, he will be summonsed.
Gate post at Stonehouse has been put back to original width.
Water in T&S Canal and at summit very low; affecting trade. Rumour that Engine House has been broken into. Difficult to read.
Toll charge on bricks per ton between Junction and Wallbridge.
Receipt enclosed for tonnage due on Caroline. Explanation re tonnages charged.
Instruction to move Caroline from Eastington, or Company will move her and charge.
Toll on bricks cannot be reduced. They always come by water as railway cartage charges from Dudbridge Station very heavy.
Complaints re rough boys congregating at Hilly Orchard Bridge on Sundays. Instruct Stonehouse Police to send a man on one or two Sundays. Any further news re extraction of water at Ryeford?
Account enclosed. Only charge actual expenditure. Concern about payments for wet days. See Mr Cam about cost of wall and Mr Price about water from canal to gardens at Ryeford.
24 1d stamps enclosed. Can you let the land at Saul, or plough it this fall to clear and prepare for a crop of mangel-wurzels Thanks for letter re police presence at Hilly Orchard Bridge on Sundays.
Informed that 1 ton of coal for use in office for forthcoming year allowed instead of £1. Deduct from March account.
List of shareholders enclosed. Last shares sold for £80 each. Has not heard of any for sale. Missing dividend belonged to Mrs C Stanton Upfield Lodge Stroud.
Caroline was cleared out on 2nd. Pass sent to Mr Fallows. 2s 6d to pay for removing and taking care of her as Captain left her in the short pound in the way of the traffic.
Enclosed ticket for Caroline for free passage down canal. Please inform them that 2s 6d to pay for removing her to safe place. If they refuse to pay read Bye Law 21 to them and inform them that the penalty will be enforced.
Acknowledgement of notice to have house occupied by you on 25 Dec next transferred to your Brother-in-law as tenant from that date.
Enclose cheque £28 10s being 1/4 years salary due on 29th. Request receipt by return.
Responding to your request, I have received complaints from residents of Cainscross and Ebley about boys congregating at Hilly Orchard Bridge on Sundays to annoyance of passers by. Similar problem at Dudbridge Bridge. I would be grateful if you could put a stop to this nuisance.
Re 2s 6d owing for removing Caroline, if not paid by Mr Ford, I will issue summons under S 21 of Bye Laws. Stop Sittington 1/2 days wage also Sanders for being drunk on duty.
Notice that wharfage charge of 2s 6d per ton will be made on stone now lying on Wallbridge Wharf from Tuesday next 12th October.
Acknowledgement of cheque for £1 9s 2d. Further 13s 7d due. Free wharfage is for limited time. Longer term rates quoted. Continued on next page…
From last page: Charges must be paid before stone is taken from wharf.
Informed that 1d per ton cartage charge to be paid before the stone is taken off the wharf.
Request for 2s 6d for removal of Caroline which was left tied up in short pound at Eastington contrary to Bye Laws. Liable for a penalty of £10, but if 2s 6d is paid no further proceedings will be taken.
No money has been paid and nothing allowed to be taken away until it is.
