Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.

History by Waterway from Aire & Dun Canal project.

Aire & Dun Canal project.

July 1817

William Smith

He was engineer for the project.

Ashby de la Zouch Canal

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

December 1781	Robert Whitworth	He had completed his survey for a canal, 31 miles and 3 furlongs in length, from Ashby Woulds through Market Bosworth and Hinckley to the Coventry canal at Griff. He estimated the cost as £46,396.
1792	John Smith	Surveyed the canal for Robert Whitworth.
Autumn 1792	William Jessop	He checked Robert Whitworth's line for the canal.
Mid October 1792	Robert Whitworth	He produced a plan, based on and adding to his 1781 scheme, for a canal from the Limeworks at Ticknall to Ashby Woulds then on to the Coventry Canal at Griff.The Ticknall end was to have branches to Cloud Hill and perhaps Staunton Harold it wes then to rise 84 feet through locks before descending 139 feet to Ashby Woulds. This section was to have a reservior 51 feet below the summit with water pumped by a steam engine and was estimated to cost £82,143. The level section from Ashby Woulds to Griff was estimated to cost £63,402.
1794	Promoted by an Act.
1794	John Smith	Surveyed the canal with Robert Whitworth and William Jessop.
May 1794	William Jessop	The Act was passed based on his and Robert Whitworth's estimate of £138,238 for the 30 miles and 3 fulongs canal.
July 1794	Robert Whitworth	It was agree that he and his son Robert would act as joint engineers, he spending three months a year on the canal and his son working full-time.
July 1794	Robert, junior Whitworth	It was agree that he and his father Robert would act as joint engineers, he working full-time and his father spending three months a year on the canal.
June 1797	Robert Whitworth	His services and those of his son were teminated although it was agreed that they could be employed on a daily basis.
June 1797	Robert, junior Whitworth	He was reported to be ill the previous month and now his services and those of his father were teminated although it was agreed that they could be employed on a daily basis.
After June 1797	Thomas Newbold	Was appointed engineer for the canal.
Summer 1798	Benjamin Outram	He was asked to report on the feasibility of building tramroads to Ticknall and Cloud Hill instead of canals. He reported in favour of tramroads.
1804	Opened from Marston to Moria.
1822	William Crossley	He was sent by the canal committee to survey the coal tolls and drawbacks on eight neighbouring canals.
1956	Originally from Moria, north of Snarestone, but this section was abandoned in 1956 under the BTC Act.

River Adur

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

1807	River was first improved by Act of Parliament.
1825	Act of Parliament extended it to West Grinstead.

Arbroath - Forfar Canal project

1788	Robert Whitworth	He was employed by George Dempster of Dunnichen to survey a line for a canal from Arbroath to within 2 miles of Forfar that he estimated would cost £17,788.
1818	John Rennie	He was asked to review the proposals made by Robert Whiworth and Robert Stevenson and expressed doubts about the financial benefits of any canal to Forfar. He suggested the line might be extended west along the valley.

Aike Beck or Lockington Navigation

1809

William Chapman

He reported to the drainage commissioners that the locks on the navigation had raised water levels and caused flooding.

Alford Canal project

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

1765	Featherstone	Mr Featherstone took the levels when the first proposal for this canal was made.
1784	William Jessop	He and John Hudson prepared a plan and estimate for a canal with the outfall at Anderby.
1784	John Hudson	He and William Jessop prepared a plan and estimate for a canal with the outfall at Anderby.
1807	Joseph Crow	Made a survey and estimated the construction costs at £33,308.
1825	William Tierney Clark	Made a survey based largely on Jessop and Hudsons 1784 report.

Andover Canal to Basingstoke Canal project

1810

Ralph Dodd

He advanced a scheme tfor a canal from Basingstoke to the Andover Canal by way of Overton, Whitchurch and the Test valley. This was opposed and soon dropped.

River Ancholme

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

1287	A very old navigation with a patent dating back to 1287.
17 September 1766	Thomas Yeoman	He reported "Ferriby Sluice had decayed and the Humber water had gone up to Glanford leaving much silt. The New Drain 40 ft wide is reduced to 15 ft - 16 ft in some places which is the chief cause of flooding. Above Glanford it is interrupted by Lug Beds, Weeds, and Sands and wholly silted up for the last miles next to Bishop Briggs."
1767	The Ancholme Navigation was promoted under an Act.
12 September 1769	Joseph Page	The lock house at Ferriby was completed under his direction.
April 1778	John Dunderdale	He was asked to stake out land at Bishopbridge as a coal and general goods wharf.
1781	John Dunderdale	He resigns as company engineer.
2 October 1781	Thomas Bradley	Appointed engineer.
August 1800	Isaac Leatham	He presented his report proposing a way of providing efficient drainage and navigation on the river at a cost of £22,975.
9 November 1801	John Rennie	He produced a report based on his survey recommending the building of catchwater drains and the widening and deepening of the river, construcing two new locks and reconstructing the road bridge at Brigg. He estimated the cost as £53,921 which included £6,063 of navigation improvements. These plans were later modified and re-estimated at £25,413.
1802	Promoted under Act.
Before 1808	Samuel Porter	He was the navigation engineer.
1824	Sir John Rennie	He was consulted and reccommended that the works specified by his father should be completed and that the river should be widened and deeped to double its capacity.
1825	Promoted under Act.
26 October 1826	Sir John Rennie	He wrote to the clerk to the commissioners about the lack of a person to control accounts and measurements and recommended the apointment of a Mr Atkinson to assist the engineer Thomas Bradley.
26 October 1826	Thomas Bradley	John Rennie writes to the commissioners recommending an assistant for Bradley to improve financial control.
1827	Sir John Rennie	His single-segmental arch stone bridge near Yarborough Mills in Brigg was completed at a cost of £2,524 replacing an earlier structure. Also completed this year was his re-constructed Harlam Hill Lock with the upper gates replaced by a guillotine gate at the cost of £2,027.
4 October 1841	Sir John Rennie	He attended a meeting of the commissioners to discuss the reconstruction of South Ferriby Sluice and new lock. He thought the work should be done as soon as possible and estimated the cost as £16,533.
March 1842	Sir John Rennie	Work started on the construction of his South Ferriby Sluice.
22 May 1844	Sir John Rennie	His South Ferriby Sluice was formally opened.

Annandale Canal project

1810

Mr Jardine

He proposed the canal, which was reported to have an intended depth of 4.5 foot.

Andover Canal

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

1770	Robert Whitworth	He made a survey for a canal down the Anton and Test valleys to Redbridge at the mouth of theTest near Southampton. He estimated £28,982 for a narrow canal and £31,654 for a broad.
1789	Authorised by an Act.
1789	Charles Roberts	He gave evidence to the parliamentary committee on the canal Bill and may have been the company's first engineer.
Before March 1789	Robert Whitworth	He did a survey for the petition for a Bill.
1794	Completed.
1859	Closed.

Ashton, Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canals

1961	Last passage through the Ashton and Lower Peak Forrest Canals prior to their restoration in 1974.
1974	Ashton and Lower Peak Forrest Canals fully restored.

River Arun

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

1732	Promoted as a navigation under Act.
1785	Act passed to make the river navigable between Houghton Bridge and Newbridge.
1790	River opened for navigation between Houghton Bridge and Newbridge.
1792	John Rennie	He surveyed a line to extend the navigation to Horsham and estimated the cost as £18,133.
1793	Promoted as a navigation under Act.
1810	John Rennie	He said 'the Arun is a very bad navigation, and barges navigating it experience great detention, from floods in winter and droughts in summer'.
1821	Act passed.
1821	James Hollinsworth	Was engineer for the river improvements needed for linking the Wey & Arun Canal with the Portsmouth & Arundel Canal.
Summer 1823	James Hollinsworth	He completed the improvements to the river which raised barge capacity by about 10 tons to 40 tons.
1916	The Rivers Rother & Arun. By P Bonthron. First published.
1973	London's Lost Route to the Sea by P A L Vine, (3rd edition ) Published by David & Charles - Inland Waterways History series
1995	London to Portsmouth Waterway by P A L Vine, Published by Middleton Press - Limited but informative text with maps and 120 illustrations.

Ashton Canal

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

November 1791	Thomas Brown	Probably prerared the plans and estimates for the canal.
1792	Promoted under Acts of Parliament.
1793	Branches promoted under Acts of Parliament
1796	Completed, except for the Ancoats to Piccadilly section, about this year.
1798	Promoted under Acts of Parliament
July 1798	Benjamin Outram	Acting as contractor to the company he was building the basin at Piccadilly.
1799	Main line completed.
1800	Promoted under Acts of Parliament
1805	Promoted under Acts of Parliament
December 1831	John Wood	He was appointed engineer at £180 a year.
1959	Excluded from British Waterways cruising licence.

River Avon (Bristol)

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

1712	Act passed to provide navigation between Hanham Mills and Bath.
1727	Navigation between Hanham Mills and Bath opened.
15 December 1727	John Hore	The first barge arrived at Bath after the 11.5 miles of river below the city had been made navigable by 6 locks and other works said to have been built by him.
1749	Navigation Act.
1765	Ferdinando Stratford	He revived the 1735 idea of extending the navigation to Chippenham and was supported by the Bristol corporation for a short time before the idea was dropped.
1803	Navigation Act.
1806	Navigation Act.
1808	Navigation Act.
1809	Navigation Act.
January 1809	William Jessop	Water was diverted into the new cut from the floating harbour to the Avon so completing his £600,000 scheme for the docks at double his original estimate.
1927	The Bristol Avon by Ernest Walls, Published by Arrowsmith - Rivers of England series. Includes drawings.

River Avon (Hampshire)

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

1675	Samuel Fortrey	He was appointed engineer.
1675	Andrew Yarranton	He surveyed the river, at the request of Lord Salisbury, and found it was practicable to make it navigable. He thought timber and ironstone might be carried.

River Avon (Warwick)

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

1636	Promoted under an Act.
1636	Sir William Sandys	He received an Order in Council authorising him make the river navigable. He began work on this but it seems did not do any work on the River Teme, which he was also authorised to improve.
1639	Open for navigation.
1639	Sir William Sandys	He finished making the river navigable by building 13 flash and pound locks so that 30-ton barges could navigate from Tewkesbury to Stratford.
1751	Made navigable by Act.
1793	Made navigable by Act.
1935	Shakespeare's Avon by Ernest Walls, Published by Arrowsmith - Rivers of England series
1962	Waterways to Stratford by Charles Hadfield & John Norris, Published by David & Charles - The History of the Avon, canal and tramway routes to Stratford.
1972	The Upper Avon Navigation Act passed.
1994	Along the Avon by Josephine Jeremiah, Published by Alan Sutton Publishing Ltd - An illustrated history of the Warwickshire Avon.
1996	Shakespeare's Avon: The History of a Navigation by Jamie Davies, Published by Oakwood Press.
1999	The River Avon - A Pictorial History by Josephine Jeremiah, Published by Phillimore & Co. - An illustrated History of the Warwickshire Avon.

Ancholme - Witham Canal project

1844

Sir John Rennie

He made a survey and proposed two alternative routes.

Aylsham Navigation

1773	Authorised by an Act.
1774	Construction started.
1779	Opened in October.
1928	Abandoned.

Brecknock & Abergavenny Canal

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

16 October 1792	Thomas Dadford junior	Was ordered by the company to make a plan and estimate for the canal with the assistance of Mr Cockshutt, a shareholder and solicitor of the Monmouthshire Canal Company.
Early 1793	Thomas Dadford junior	He attended hearings of the Bill for the canal, his expenses being paid by the Monmouthshire Canal Company.
1794	Thomas Dadford junior	He and Hugh Henshall surveyed the line for a tramroad from Llan-march Coal and Mine Works to the Clydach ironworks.
1794	Hugh Henshall	He and Thomas Dadford junior surveyed the line for a tramroad from Llan-march Coal and Mine Works to the Clydach ironworks.
March 1794	Philip Williams	He was appointed engineer for the extension of the Clydach valley tramroad to Bryn-mawr with branches to Nant-y-glo and Llwydcoed colliery.
August 1794	John Dadford	He completed the tramroad from Gelli-felen collieries to Gilwern and Glanggrwyney for which he was engineer and which was the first work to be started under the canal Act.
Late 1795	Thomas Dadford junior	He was appointed engineer on a part-time basis.
December 1798	Thomas Dadford junior	His role as engineer changed from part-time to full-time.
1 July 1799	Benjamin Outram	Recommends the conversion of the company's cast-iron edge-rails to plateways.
24 December 1800	Thomas Dadford junior	The final section of the canal he built, from Gilwern to Brecon, was opened.
March 1802	Thomas Cartwright	Did a survey to extend the canal from Gilwern to Llanfoist, having replaced Thomas Dadford as engineer for the canal.
1805	Thomas Cartwright	Made a survey for a tramroad between Brecon and Hay.
1809	John Hodgkinson	He acted as consultant to William Crossley in the re-surveying of the line to connect the canal with the Monmouthshire Canal.
1809	William, Junior Crosley	Engaged as engineer for £500 a year.
August 1810	William, Junior Crosley	Did a survey for a group of promoters for the route of a tramroad from Brecon to Eardisley beyond Hay.
Autumn 1810	Thomas Dadford junior	Surveyed the line of a tramroad from the canal near Abergavenny to Hereford.
1811	William, Junior Crosley	Surveyed the line for a 7.75 mile tramroad from Govilon through Llanfoist and Abergavenny to Llanvihangel.
Summer 1811	John Hodgkinson	He was appointed engineer for the Hay tramroad and suggested a revised line, which he estimated to cost £52,743 18s.
Summer 1811	William Dunsford	He was appointed assistant engineer for the Hay Tramroad and later became resident engineer.
October 1811	John Hodgkinson	He was reported to have been given the job of building a tramroad from Llanvihhangel to Hereford.
May 1812	John Hodgkinson	An Act was passed for a 5.5 mile tramroad from Llanviihangel to Monmouth Cap which he estimated to cost £12,000.
12 March 1814	John Hodgkinson	His 5.5 mile tramroad from Llanviihangel to Monmouth Cap was opened.
June 1815	George Overton	In May or June the 12 mile Bryn-oer Tramroad from a colliery at Bryn-oer to the canal at Tal-y-bont was opened, he having been the engieer for the work and a joint leasee after it was opened.
Autumn 1818	John Hodgkinson	He was appointed engineer for the Kington tramroad which extended the Hay tramroad over 12 miles to Burlingjobb.
18 August 1825	David Davies	A meeting in Hereford decided to seek an Act for a tramroad fromthe Grosmont at Llangua to Wye Bridge, Hereford, on a line surveyed by him.

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.