Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.

History by Waterway from Fletcher's Canal

Fletcher's Canal

Before 1760	James Brindley	He devised a system for pumping water from the Wet Earth colliery using a water from the river Irwell to drive a wheel. The works included a half mile channel which forty years later were converted into the canal.
1790	About 1790 or 1791 Matthew Fletcher widened some earlier water channels used to for water power into a navigation.
1791	About 1790 or 1791 Matthew Fletcher widened some earlier water channels used to for water power into a navigation.
1799	Benjamin Outram	He advised the company that a second lock with a small rise would be needed at the junction with the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal to avoid taking too much water.
1952	Completely closed by 1952.

River Foss

See Priestley's Navigable Rivers and Canals for more information.

November 1791	William Jessop	He reported on the river navgation but saw the main advantages of improvements coming from better drainage which would open up land for development. He proposed buying out Castle mills and having an entrance lock with a rise of 4 feet 4 inches. He estimated the cost as £16,274.
1793	Promoted by Act.
1793	William Jessop	He supervised an amended survey by Robert Gilson that proposed 5 locks above Sheriff Hutton and 9 below.
1793	Robert Gilson	He produced an amended survey under the supervision of William Jessop that proposed 5 locks above Sheriff Hutton and 9 below.
August 1793	John Moon	He answered an advertisement for a superintendent of woks and was given the job of building the navigation to William Jessop's plan.
Autumn 1793	John Moon	Work was underway on building the navigation but he had changed the line and number of locks from the William Jessop's plan.
August 1794	John Moon	His salary is raised.
5 November 1794	John Moon	He has completed 1.25 miles to Monk Bridge and it is opened. He is told to "treat the workmen upon the canal in such manner as appears to him proper, not exceeding the sum of ten pounds".
30 November 1795	John Rennie	He reported on the construction of the canal saying 'throughout the whole of the Work, very little attention indeed has been paid to Mr Jessop's original design, by which not only many thousand Pounds have been thrown away, but the Works rendered much less secure'.
30 November 1795	John Moon	He was severely criticised in a report by John Rennie who said that had William Jessop's plan been followed the navigation would be open to Sheriff Hutton instead of being well short with all the money spent. He was replaced as engineer shortly afterwards.
1796	William Scruton	He was appointed engineer and completed the two Oulston Moor reservoirs and the line to Strensall.
1801	Promoted by Act.
1802	William Scruton	He suggests that the cut along the line of the river above Strensall, planned by William Jessop, should be replaced by a straight cut from Strensall to Sheriff Hutton.

Fossdyke Canal

See Priestley's Navigable Rivers and Canals for more information.

1121	Originally a Roman navigation dating back to AD 120, and deepened by Henry I.
1791	William Jessop	He was commisioned to survey the canal and its junction with the River Witham.
1803	John Rennie	He proposed drainage and other works estimated at £12,260.
1833	Isambard Kingdom Brunel	Surveyed the navigation and made a report.
1916	The Fossdyke Canal. By P Bonthron. First published.
1956	IWA National Rally at Lincoln.
1977	The Waterways of Lincoln and Boston by Christine Richardson & John Lower, Published by Hallamshire Press - A guide to the Witham, Fossdyke and the connecting waterways.

Gloucester & Sharpness Ship Canal

See Priestley's Navigable Rivers and Canals for more information.

April 1784	Robert Whitworth	He surveyed a new line for the canal about this date. At this time the proposed canal was called the Gloucester Canal.
1792	Josiah Clowes	Did surveys for the line of the Gloucester & Berkeley Canal.
1792	Richard Hall	He made a survey of a route for the proposed canal.
1793	Promoted by Act.
1793	William Jessop	He was asked to resurvey the canal but did not respond.
1793	Dennis Edson	Was appointed resident engineer at £210 a year.
1793	Robert Mylne	He was asked to resurvey the line as "Chief and Principal Engineer" on £350 a year plus expenses and proposed a 17.75 mile canal 70 foot wide and 18 foot deep to carry ships of up to 300-tons. He estimated the cost at £121,330.
Spring 1793	Robert Whitworth	He was asked to resurvey the line for the canal but was too busy.
September 1793	Robert Mylne	He had started setting out the line of the canal.
March 1794	Robert Mylne	He prepared drawings for a canal cutting machine but the canal committee preferred alternative designs.
1795	James Dadford	Appointed resident engineer on Robert Mylne's recommendation.
1795	Dennis Edson	Was dissmissed from his post of resident engineer.
1796	William Jessop	He and Robert Whitworth were consulted about changes to the line.
1797	Promoted by Act.
1797	Robert Whitworth	He and William Jessop were consulted about changes to the line.
Autumn 1797	Robert Mylne	He made visits to the canal in September and October and in response to C B Trye's criticism that he spent too little time on the canal he agreed to be paid 4 guineas a day plus travelling expenses.
October 1797	James Dadford	Took over the role of engineer about this time following Robert Mylne's departure. He was ordered to consider the shortening of the canal by bringing it out into the Severn at Hock Crib near Frampton.
October 1797	Robert Mylne	He ceased to be engineer following some quarrel with James Dadford.
1800	James Dadford	Was dismissed as engineer.
1805	Promoted by Act.
1805	Ralph Walker	An Act was passed based on his proposal to extend the main line and then build a branch to Hock Crib. £80,000 in shares was needed to finance the work.
1810	William Jessop	He and John Hodgkinson were asked to report on the canal and the proposd line to Hock Crib.
1810	John Hodgkinson	He and William Jessop were asked to report on the canal and the proposd line to Hock Crib.
1811	John Rennie	He was asked to report on the canal and the proposed line to Hock Crib. His estimate to complete the canal to this point was £128,656, higher than the estimates of John Hodgkinson and William Jessop the previous year. He also criticised the present standard of work on the canal.
1813	Benjamin Bevan	Called in to adjudicate between Hock Crib, the originally proposed terminus of the canal at Berkeley Pill and Sharpness. He recommended Sharpness Point.
1818	Promoted by Act.
1818	Thomas Telford	About this time wrote to the canal company, following a loan to them, on behalf of the Exchequer Bill Loan Commissioners complaining of John Upton's conduct in his dual role of clerk and engineer.
1819	John Woodhouse	About this time he was appointed enginner of the Gloucester & Berkley Canal at 500 guineas a year plus expenses.
1820	Thomas Fletcher	Appointed resident engineer.
May 1820	Thomas Telford	He wrote to the company saying that John Woodhouse's son had been supplying the wrong kind of stone to the works at Sharpness, adding "I am of the opinion that it is absolutly necessary to employ as resident engineer a person wholly unconnected with Contractors for Material or Labour in any shape".
May 1820	John Woodhouse	Thomas Telford wrote to the company saying that Woodhouse's son had been supplying the wrong kind of stone to the works at Sharpness, adding "I am of the opinion that it is absolutly necessary to employ as resident engineer a person wholly unconnected with Contractors for Material or Labour in any shape". As a result Woodhouse was dismissed.
1822	Promoted by Act.
1825	Promoted by Act.
1826	William Clegram	He was appointed harbour master, engineer and general superintendent at £370 per annum and a house.
1827	Opened.
1827	Thomas Fletcher	His job of engineer came to an end with the opening of the canal.
1829	W B Clegram	He was appointed clerk to the company.
1836	William Clegram	He advises against the use of a steam tug for towage on the grounds of damage.
1865	W B Clegram	He commissioned a survey which found it was practicable to build a railway bridge across the Severn to the company's docks at Sharpness.
1869	W B Clegram	He reported on the overcrowding of Sharpness Docks and on the inadequacies of a canal and docks built for sailing ships now the age of steam had arrived. He suggested a new entrance, tidal basin and docks below Sharpness at a cost of £150,000.
1990	IWA National Festival at Gloucester.
1993	The Gloucester & Sharpness Canal and Robert Mylne by Christopher Gotch, Published by Lantern Press - This book has been extensively researched but is definitely pro Mylne in its presentation and conculsions.
1999	The Gloucester & Sharpness Canal by Hugh Conway-Jones, Published by Tempus - Canal history in old photographs.

Grand Junction Canal

See Priestley's Navigable Rivers and Canals for more information.

Early 1792	James Barnes	Surveyed the line for the canal.
Autumn 1792	William Jessop	He resurveyed the route that James Barnes proposed and found little to change.
1793	Authorised by an Act.
Spring 1793	William Jessop	He was appoined to take charge of construction.
3 June 1793	James Barnes	Appointed full time engineer at 2 guineas a day plus half a guinea a day expenses.
Early 1796	James Barnes	Proposes a different line for Blissworth Tunnel due to excessive water in the workings of the original tunnel.
Early 1796	Robert Whitworth	He was called in to advise on the problems of Blisworth Tunnel and supported James Barnes idea for a tunnel on a slightly different line.
January 1796	John Rennie	He supported James Barnes' proposal for Blisworth Tunnel to be built on a slightly different line to overcome various problems.
1799	William Jessop	He designed a three ached masonry aqueduct to cross the Ouse and replace the locks on either side of the crossing down to and up from the river.
Before November 1800	Benjamin Outram	The double-track horse tramroad that he built to connect the two ends of the un-finished Blisworth Tunnel was completed.
June 1802	John Woodhouse	He was one of several contractors engaged to build Blisworth Tunnel.
Early 1804	Benjamin Bevan	Together with Henry Provis was asked to prepare fresh estimates for the Wolverton Aqueduct following the contractors' claims for extra payments.
Early 1804	Henry Provis	Together with Benjamin Bevan was asked to prepare fresh estimates for the Wolverton Aqueduct following the contractors' claims for extra payments.
March 1804	Benjamin Bevan	Having supervised repair work on the Wendover Arm he now proposed a new reservoir for storing water from the summit. The new reservior at marsworth was built in 1806.
May 1804	John Woodhouse	He was appointed superintendent of tunnel workmen under James Barnes.
1805	Grand Junction opened a double track tramroad in October 1805 while the Northampton Branch was awaiting completion. Blisworth Tunnel was completed.
1805	Opened.
April 1805	Benjamin Bevan	Reported on the construction costs and extra time spent locking through Berkhamsted Locks 58 and 59, which had experimental side ponds.
September 1805	John Woodhouse	He was appointed engineer of the Northern district.
October 1807	Benjamin Bevan	Together with Henry Provis was asked to examine the contractor Thomas Harrison's claim for payments in the dispute over the Wolverton Aqueduct.
October 1807	Henry Provis	Together with Benjamin Bevan was asked to examine the contractor Thomas Harrison's claim for payments in the dispute over the Wolverton Aqueduct.
1808	Richard Trevithick	One of his 4 horse-power steam engines was ordered for pumping out water during repairs.
Summer 1808	Benjamin Bevan	He agreed to the suggestion that an iron aqueduct would be better than conventional brick to replace the colapsed structure at Wolverton and was asked, together with the company secretary, Charles Harvey, to make detailed investigations.
March 1809	Benjamin Bevan	Advised on the prices and quality of stone for the peirs of the new Wolverton Aqueduct. He later recommended gornall stone from Cornwall for the piers before finding the equally good, but cheaper Hornton quarries stone in Warwickshire.
9 September 1809	Benjamin Bevan	Lays the foundation stone for the new Wolverton Aqueduct.
1810	William, senior Thompson	Around this time he was appointed Northern District Engineer.
22 January 1811	Benjamin Bevan	Attends the openning of the new Wolverton Aqueduct for which he was engineer.
1815	John Woodhouse	He was given the contract to build 8 side ponds for Hanwell locks. It was later said that these were unusable due to bad workmanship.
July 1815	Benjamin Bevan	Was told to construct side ponds for the four King's Langley locks as part of efforts to resolve a long running dispute over water rights with the owners of Nash mills.
Late April 1817	Benjamin Bevan	Left the company.
1824	Sir John Rennie	He was employed to survey a route for a proposed London to Birmingham railway in direct competition to the canal.
1835	William, senior Thompson	He retired fom his post of Northern District Engineer.
1897	Gordon Cale Thomas	He and his brother designed an inclined plane to lift boats 75 feet 2 inches at Foxton.
1897	E Bailey Denton	He reported on the problems of sewage in the canal emanating from the Hanwell sewage works into the River Brent near where it joined the canal.
1906	Gordon Cale Thomas	In his evidence to the Royal Commission he (with the support of the Grand Junction Company) suggested thr building of more inclided planes as part of a plan to enlarge the canals to 80-ton standard. He blamed the lack of traffic on the Leicester line on the bad condition and high tolls of the railway-owned Cromford and Nottingham canals and the disuse of the Nutbrook Canal.
1929	Became part of the Grand Union on 1 January 1929.
1972	The Grand Junction Canal by Alan H Faulkner, Published by David & Charles.

Glamorganshire Canal

See Priestley's Navigable Rivers and Canals for more information.

1790	Promoted by Act.
30 June 1790	Thomas Dadford junior	Was engaged as joint contrator with his father and Thomas Sheasby to make the canal for £48,288 exclusive of land. The company did not appoint an engineer so the contractors were controlled by committee members.
30 June 1790	Thomas Dadford senior	Was engaged as joint contrator with his son Thomas and Thomas Sheasby to make the canal for £48,288 exclusive of land. The company did not appoint an engineer so the contractors were controlled by committee members.
30 June 1790	Thomas, senior Sheasby	Was engaged as joint contrator with the Thomas Dadfords, father and son, to make the canal for £48,288 exclusive of land. The company did not appoint an engineer so the contractors were controlled by committee members.
1792	John Dadford	As ther was no carriage road up the Aberdare Valley he surveyed a route for one at the same time as he surveyed the canal and tramroad link to the Neath Canal.
Spring 1792	Thomas Dadford senior	By this time the canal was navigable but many works still needed to be completed and he had exceeded his contract. He produced a bill for £17,221 of extra work carried out and said that £5,000 still needed to be spent.
1794	Two and three-rise staircase locks built at Nantgarw and canal opened.
After 1794	Thomas Dadford senior	In a dispute over payments between the company and the contractors (him and Thomas Sheasby) they were both arrested on the grounds of an alleged overpayment made to them.
After December 1794	Thomas, senior Sheasby	He and his fellow engineer-contractor Thomas Dadford senior were in dispute with the canal company over money they were due and stopped all work on the canal. The company had him arrested and held on bail for £10,000 that they alledged they were owed.
1795	Robert Whitworth	Around this time he was called in to arbitrate between the canal company and their former contractors, the Dadfords and Thomas Sheasby. Of the £17,000 claimed by the company he awarded that only £1,512 should be refunded by the contractors.
After May 1799	George Overton	He was appointed engineer for the 9½ mile Penydarren tramroad (opened in 1802) from Merthyr to Abercynon.
1804	Richard Trevithick	His locomotive ran on the canal company's Penydarren Tramroad.
June 1821	George Overton	He reported on the Port of Cardiff and improvements for better accommodation of the increasing trade on the canal, proposing canal deepening, straightening and a new basin so that 300-ton vessels could reach the wharves.
1823	David Davies	Surveyed a 15 mile extension to continue the Penydarren tramroad to Cardiff, marked out on the opposite side of the valley to the canal by George Overton.
Early 1823	George Overton	He marked out a 15 mile extension of the Penydarren tramroad to Cardiff. This was on the opposite side of the valley to the canal. The tramroad was not extended but later the Taff Vale Railway used the route.
April 1828	James Green	He reported to Lord Bute who had requested his advice on improving the port of Cardiff. Green thought that the entrace to the canal was too high up the River Taff so that vessels had difficulty in navigating the winding tidal channel. He proposed a ship canal to get vessels off of the tidal waters, this was to be authoised in the Bute Ship Canal Act of 1830.
1834	William Cubitt	Drew up plans for the Bute Docks in Cardiff on behalf of Lord Bute.
Mid 1835	Isambard Kingdom Brunel	Made a survey with a view to improvements of the sea lock and the Cardiff end of the canal.
1875	Richard Hassard	Did a survey for a new dock in Cardiff which would be connected to the Great Western Railway.
1974	Canals of Welsh Valleys & Their Tramroads by David D Gladwin & J M White, Published by Oakwood Press .
1993	The Taff Trail by Jeff Vinter, Published by Alan Sutton Publishing Ltd - A 55 mile cycling and walking trail along the line of the former Glamorganshire Canal and the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.