Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.

History by Waterway from Liskeard & Looe Union Canal

Liskeard & Looe Union Canal

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

1777	Edmund Leach	He was consulted on the possibility of a canal and proposed a canal from Sandplace, 2miles above East Looe, to Bank Mill bridge, 2.5 miles from Liskeard. He estimated it would cost £17,495 for a 15-mile canal with two inclined planes.
1823	James Green	He was called in to advise on the making of a canal, railway and turnpike road, all of which he said were possible. On the question of a canal he ruled against locks and recommended a tub-boat canal with inclined planes at an estimated cost of £14,000.
1823	Robert Coad	He re-surveyed the proposed route with John Edgcumbe and Thomas Esterbrooke.
Late 1823	John Edgcumbe	Resurveyed the line of the canal with Robert Coad and Thomas Esterbrook, estimating the cost at £12,578.
Late 1823	Thomas Esterbrook	Resurveyed the line of the canal with Robert Coad and John Edgcumbe, estimating the cost at £12,578.
Early September 1823	James Green	He asked to prepare a report to support the planned Bill for the authorisation of the canal.
1825	Authorised by an Act.
1825	Robert Coad	Was engineer for the canal.
1828	Fully open.
1858	Silvanus W Jenkin	He was engineer for the railway line that the canal company were builing alongside the navigation.
1910	Closed around 1910.

Leicestershire & Northampton Union Canal

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

Early 1792	Christopher, Senior Staveley	He was asked to do a survey to extend the navigation from Leicester to Market Harborough.
Late 1792	John Varley	He did the survey for the canal and recommended a line to join the Grand Junction Canal at Gayton, with a branch to the Nene at Northhampton if the cost were reasonable. He did the final plans for the Bill together with Christopher Staveley.
June 1792	William Jessop	He commented on the extension of the line from Market Harborough to Northampton and was later appointed engineer.
1793	Authorised by an Act.
1793	Christopher, Senior Staveley	He worked with John Varley on the parliamentary survey for the canal under William Jessops direction. He was also joint engineer with Varley at the start of work on the canal but did not stay long.
1793	John Varley	He and Christopher Staveley both started work as engineers at the Leicester end of the canal.
24 October 1794	John Varley	The canal was open to Blaby and the committee "Ordered that Mr Varley the Engineer do contract for a Boat load of good coal to be conveyed as far as it will pass on the Union line on Monday to be sold for the benifit of the company".
July 1796	John Varley	It was suggested that Saddington Tunnel was out of straight. He offered to pay the costs if it was and entered into a £2,000 bond. The problem was not found to be very serious.
July 1796	William Fletcher	In his role as assistant engineer of the canal he discovered that Saddington Tunnel was not straight.
1797	Completed to Debdale wharf about 6 miles from Market Harborough.
1802	Thomas Telford	He was called in to report on James Barnes' proposals for a line to connect to the Grand Junction Canal. He agreed with the start and finish points but proposed a longer course to the east with less lockage. This was to go through Market Harborough, the upper Welland valley, Maidwell, Cottesbrooke, Hollowell, Ravensthorpe and Hodenby, with a branch to Rushton at a total cost of £228,207.
1805	A new Act was obtained.
After 1805	Thomas Newbold	He was appointed to build the line to Market Harborough.
1808	Thomas Telford	He and James Barnes were employed to do another survey for a connection to the Grand Junction Canal.
1809	The canal reached Market Harborough.
13 October 1809	Thomas Newbold	His construction of the line to Market harborough was completed at the cost of £40,500 for the basin, buildings and 6¾ miles of canal.
1894	Purchased by the Grand Junction.

Lechlade - Abingdon Canal project

1784

Robert Whitworth

He survyed a 22¾ mile line from Kempsford on the Thames & Severn Canal to Abingdon to by-pass 45¾ miles of difficult river navigation.

Lancaster Canal

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

November 1771	James Brindley	He was approached to do the survey for the canal but it was carried out by Robert Whitworth.
1772	Robert Whitworth	He did a survey and put foward a plan for a line from the Leeds & Liverpool at near Eccleston crossing the Ribble below Penwortham Bridge then west towards Kirkham before turning north then east to Barton. The canl then continued north to Lancaster where it crossed the Lune just below Skerton Bridge.The long 54½ mile pound ended with a rise of 86 feet at Tewitfield before another level pound covered the last 18 miles to Kendal. The committee asked him to find an easier crossing of the Lune and he proposed a higher line locking up 24 feet from the Ribble, a shorter looptowards Kirkham but an additional loop up the Lune to Halton where a shorter aqueduct was needed. This reduced the rise at Tewitfield to 62 feet and the whole rise was around ½ mile longer.
1787	John Longbotham	He proposes to build a cut from the River Winster, near where it joined the the River Kent estuary at Castle Head (SD422799), northeast across Foulshaw Moss to Nether Levens where it would join the River Kent. The Kent was then to be diverted south-southwest along the coast to Arnside where it would turn south along the coastline to the deep water at Heysham Head. The scheme was intended to provide drainage as well as navigation.
8 June 1791	John Longbotham	Was asked to re-survey Whitworth's line, together with Robert Dickinson and Richard Beck, and to extend it southward to Worsley.
8 June 1791	Richard Beck	Was asked to re-survey Whitworth's line, together with Robert Dickinson and John Longbotham, and to extend it southward to Worsley.
8 June 1791	Robert Dickinson	Was asked to re-survey Whitworth's line, together with Rihard Beck and John Longbotham, and to extend it southward to Worsley.
October 1791	John Rennie	He was asked to resurvey Robert Whitworth's line and extend it southward to Worsley.
1792	Promoted by Act.
January 1792	John Rennie	He did a survey in December and January and recommended a broad canal from Westhoughton, in the coalfield between Bolton and Wigan, running north on a 15½ mile level to Clayton Green. Here it would descend 222 feet in 32 locks to the embankment and aqueduct over the river to Preston to join Whitworth's line.
July 1792	John Rennie	He is appointed engineer to reside five months a year at Lancaster and to attend at other times as requested for a salary of £600 a year.
July 1792	William, Senior Crosley	Appointed assistant surveyor.
1793	Promoted by Act.
1793	Archibald Millar	He is appointed resident engineer and superintendent.
January 1793	John Rennie	His plans for the Glasson branch were approved.
1794	Henry Eastburn	Was appointed resident engineer for the canal south of the Ribble and was assisted by Thomas Fletcher.
1794	Thomas Fletcher	Was appointed assistant to Henry Eastburn, the resident engineer south of the Ribble.
January 1794	William Cartwright	Appointed assistant resident engineer with special responsibilities for the Lune Aqueduct foundations.
January 1794	Archibald Millar	He started pile driving for the Lune Aqueduct foundations inside 20-foot coffer dams kept dry by steam pumping.
1795	Robert Whitworth	He was called in to arbitrate in the disputes between Archibald Millar the resident engineer and the contractors John Pinkerton and John Murray.
1795	Archibald Millar	He had many complaints about the bad work of the contractors, John Pinkerton and John Murray, and their inattention to his instructions. Robert Whitworth was called in to arbitrate and the work was taken back and let out again as smaller contracts under Millar's supervision.
6 October 1795	William Cartwright	The canal committee record the presentation of a silver cup to him "as a reward for his extra care and attention in superintending the Foundations of the Lune Aqueduct".
1796	Promoted by Act.
1797	Lune Aqueduct opened, 62 feet above the River Lune, built by Rennie.
1799	William Cartwright	He advises the canal committee to build a 5-mile tramroad from the South End at Clayton Green to Preston and to make a short extension to the North End of the canal from Spital Moss, thus connecting the two portions of the canasl across the Ribble.
1799	Archibald Millar	His contract was not renewed.
July 1799	William Cartwright	As resident engineer for the whole canal he reported that the canal was now open for 12 miles to Johnson's Hillock and almost ready to Clayton Green except for Whittle Hills Tunnel.
July 1799	Henry Eastburn	His contract was not renewed and by this date he was no longer a resident engineer on the canal.
1800	Promoted by Act.
Mid 1801	William Cartwright	Submitted a design for an aqueduct with three 120 foot spans as an alterative to a tramroad crossing of the Ribble.
May 1801	William Jessop	He and John Rennie reported on the schemes for crossing the Ribble and recommeded a 640-feet long aqueduct 57 feet high with three 116-feet elliptical arches.
May 1801	John Rennie	He and William Jessop reported on the schemes for crossing the Ribble and recommeded a 640-feet long aqueduct 57 feet high with three 116-feet elliptical arches.
May 1801	Thomas Gibson	Around this date he produced a drawing for an aqueduct across the River Ribble with pointed arches, three of which spanned the river.
6 July 1801	William Cartwright	The committee record that Rennie and Jessop have approved his plans for a tramroad as a temporary crossing of the Ribble valley.
1805	William Miller	He made two surveys for the continuation of the canal to Kendal, one through Hincaster with a 340-yard tunnel and the other a more direct route with a 670-yard tunnel at Rains Hall at the cost of £71,755 for the cheaper option. He also suggested a 13-mile tramroad with three inclined planes at a cost of £38,575.
July 1806	William Miller	Pumping of water from the Ribble started after he finished the tunnel between the canal and the river and other works. He had been assistant engineer for some years after 1794.
1807	Promoted by Act.
1812	Thomas Fletcher	Was appointed resident engineer and prepared detailed estimates for the Kendal extension, which he costed at £98,095.
1813	Thomas Fletcher	He advised on two proposed schemes for crossing the Ribble. The first for a level crossing he considered impracticable. The second for a lower level aqueduct with increased lockage on both sides he estimated at £160,537 and thought that it would endanger water supplies.
May 1817	William, Junior Crosley	Appointed as engineer responsible for for completing works north of Tewitfield Locks.
1819	Promoted by Act.
1819	Thomas Fletcher	Left the canal company.
1820	William, Junior Crosley	He is appointed superintendent for the whole canal.
June 1826	William, Junior Crosley	After completing the Glasson Dock branch he resigns to become engineer to the Macclesfield Canal.
June 1826	Bryan Padgett Gregson	He took over the role of engineer following the departure of William Crossley.
Autumn 1830	George Stephenson	He was asked to report on the conversion of the company's tramroad into a railway.He recommended retaining the exsisting engine-worked incline from the Ribble bridge, the building of four self-acting inclines and two diversions at a total cost of £11,895.
1831	Bryan Padgett Gregson	He makes four positive suggestions to deal with the treats posed by the proposed Wigan & Preston Railway. 1 - Convert the tramroad into a railway, to speed up transhipment. 2 - The same but in addition to make suitable changes to permit locomotive working. 3 - Seek amalgamation with the railway and abolish the tramroad. 4 - Abolish the tramroad so forcing the railway to make branches to the pits.
1844	Bryan Padgett Gregson	In recognition of his work in negotiating with railway companies his salary was fixed as a minimum of £1,000 a year for the rest of his time with the company.
October 1846	Bryan Padgett Gregson	On the death of his father, Samual aged 83, he succeeded to the role of clerk.
1849	Robert Stephenson	He acted as arbitrator in a dispute between the company and the Lancaster & Carlisle Railway awarding £55,552 of outstanding tolls to the canal company.
3 December 1872	Bryan Padgett Gregson	He died still with the company after 60 years service.
1955	The waterway above Tewitfield was closed by the Transport Act of 1955.

River Lark (Great Ouse)

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

1700	Promoted by Act.
1817	Promoted by Act.

Lower Avon Navigation

1924	Was in the hands of the Perrotts of Craycombe, Fladbury until 1924 when William Fisher took over and formed the Lower Avon Navigation Company.
1949	It was transferred from John Whitehouse of Evesham, to C D Barwell.
1950	On 1 August the Lower Avon Navigation Trust Ltd was formed to restore the river.
1952	Avon Lock at Tewksbury had two new gates fitted and repairs were done to the lock chamber..
1953	Chadbury lock rebuilt by the Royal Engineers.
1954	Wyre lock, weirs and sluice gates extensively repaired and restored.
1955	Work started on deepening Pershore Lock.
1956	Pershore Lock deepened by three feet, new gates fitted and the navigation arches of the old bridge deepened.
1958	Fladbury Lock deepened by three feet.
1961	Cropthorne/Fladbury water gate removed and channel deepened.
1962	From Evesham to Tewksbury formally reopened on 10 June.
1997	Gongoozlers at the Gate by Kathleen Balchin, Published by Silverswan 1997 The author and her husband spent three years in the 1980s as lock keepers at Tewkesbury on the Lower Avon. This is an account of their time there.

London & Birmingham Junction Canal project

12 November 1827	Thomas Telford	An article appeared in the Aris's Birmingham Gazette in which he is named as engineer for this canal from the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal, pssing under the Oxford Canal, to join the Grand Junction Canal at at Braunston with a branch to the Coventry Canal. This route had only 20 locks compared with 54 via Fazeley and 77 through Warwick.
After February 1830	Thomas Telford	He withdrew from the scheme after the Bill was rejected due to serious irregularities in the subscribers list presented to parliament.
Late 1833	James Green	He surveyed the line of the canal.
March 1838	William Cubitt	A meeting was held in his office to discuss the project. No later discussions of this canal are known.

Leicester Navigation

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

12 July 1790	William Jessop	He was asked to make a survey for the line of the proposed canal.
Autumn 1790	William Jessop	He and Christopher Staveley proposed a canal and river line to Leicester, the canalisation of the Wreak to Melton Mowbray and a rail and water line to the Leicestershire collieries.
Autumn 1790	Christopher, Senior Staveley	He reported with William Jessop proposing a canal and river line to Leicester.
Autumn 1790	Christopher, junior Staveley	He and William Jessop proposed a canal and river line to Leicester, the canalisation of the Wreak to Melton Mowbray and a rail and water line to the Leicestershire collieries.
May 1791	William Jessop	He was appointed engineer at £300 a year.
May 1791	Christopher, junior Staveley	He was appointed surveyor at £200 a year.
1795	Christopher, Senior Staveley	He was appointed engineer of the completed navigation.
Summer 1796	Hugh Oldham	He was called in to judge if Saddington tunnel was straight. He said it was not and James Barnes later confirmed his view.
February 1799	William Jessop	The reservoir on the Forrest line of the canal burst and he estimated the cost at £6,193 for repairs and compensation.
Late 1801	Thomas Telford	About this date he was called in to see if the Loughborough to Nanpantan rail link could be replaced by a canal.
1825	Edward Staveley	He was appointed joint engineer with his father.
1827	Edward Staveley	He became engineer and superintendent following his father's death.
1830	William Alexander Provis	Around this time he was called in to advise on the problem of reopenning the Forest line. A horse railway throughout the line at the cost of £44,585 was agreed but rejected by shareholders.
1833	Edward Staveley	Called on his solicitor to announce that he owed the company £1,400. He then disappeared leaving his records inaccessible. The records were recovered but Staveley and the money were not seen again.
Early 1833	John Urpeth Rastrick	He and Thomas Hill were consulted on the horse railway the company proposed to build along a similar route to the Forest line.
Early 1833	Thomas Hill	He and John Rastrick were consulted on the horse railway the company proposed to build along a similar route to the Forest line.
1846	George Stephenson	He proposed to the company that they, together with the Loughborough company and himself, should jointly build a railway line from Derby to Rugby along the Soar valley.

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.