Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.

History by Waterway from Wilts and Berks Canal

Wilts and Berks Canal

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

12 November 1793	William Whitworth	A meeting at Swindon decided that he should survey a junction with the Thames & Severn Canal.
22 February 1794	William Whitworth	He put forward a revised plan which included branches to Calne and Chippenham.
1795	Promoted by an Act.
1795	Robert Whitworth	He and his son William signed the deposited plan.
1795	William Whitworth	He and his father signed the deposited plan and he and John Ralph signed the estimate of £103,603 for the 55¼ mile main line and £8,350 for the branches. He began construction helped by Robert Whitworth, whether his father or his brother is not known.
1795	John Ralph	He and William Whitworth estimated the cost of the 55¼-mile main line and put the cost of the branches at £8,350.
1810	Opened from Semington to Abingdon.
1810	Promoted by an Act.
1813	North Wilts Canal promoted by an Act.
1815	Promoted by an Act.
1819	North Wilts Canal opened.
1821	Promoted by an Act.
1914	Closed.
1971	The Wilts & Berks Canal by L J Dalby, Published by Oakwood Press - History of the canal.
1999	The Wilts & Berks Canal by Doug Small, Published by Tempus - Canal history in old photographs.

Worsley Brook Navigation project

1736

Thomas Steers

About this time he did a survey for the navigation Act.

Woodeaves Canal

1802	Built about 1802.

River Wear

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

1716	Promoted by an Act.
1726	Promoted by an Act.
1747	Promoted by an Act.
June 1758	Joseph Robson	As engineer to the commissioners he did an estimate for extending the navigation to New Bridge.
1759	Promoted by an Act.
1759	John Smeaton	He appeared in Parliament supporting the bill that became the Wear Act and was asked to make a survey and prepare a plan for buildinf 12 locks and a number of short cuts.
1785	Promoted by an Act.
1809	Promoted by an Act.
1819	Promoted by an Act.
1830	Promoted by an Act.

River Weaver

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

1721	Promoted by Act.
Early 1721	Thomas Steers	He supported the Bill that became the Weaver Navigation Act to make the river navigable to Winsford and Witton Brook navigable to Witton bridge.
1730	Work started.
1730	Thomas Robinson	He was appointed surveyor-general.
1732	Opened in the beginning of 1732, having 11 wooden locks.
1735	Thomas Robinson	He ceased to be surveyor-general.
1758	Henry Berry	Undertook a survey of the river and proposed improvements to the locks and navigation channel.
1760	Promoted by Act.
1764	James Brindley	Checked Robert Pownall's plans to make Witton Brook navigable.
1764	Robert Pownall	As the trustees' engineer he was asked to prepare plans to make Witton Brook navigable with a depth of 4.5 feet. These plans were checked by James Brindley.
Mid 1765	Robert Pownall	As engineer to the Weaver trustees he, together with Hugh Henshall, suveyed various routes for terminating the Trent & Mersey Canal at a junction with the Weaver navigation.
May 1765	Hugh Henshall	He and Robert Pownall were asked to survey routes between Winsford and Lawton, near Kidsgrove, via either Middlewich or Nantwich.
May 1765	Robert Pownall	He and Hugh Henshall were asked to survey routes between Winsford and Lawton, near Kidsgrove, via either Middlewich or Nantwich.
December 1765	James Brindley	Said that a junction between the Bridgewater canal and the river was practicable.
1794	John Johnson	As company engineer he went to east Shropshire to study railroads and other works there for shipping goods into vessels on the River Severn.
October 1796	John Johnson	He surveyed a canal between Frodsham and Weston Point.
1806	Thomas, junior Morris	He undertook to build the Weston canal for £38,000 but the Weaver trustees thought his proposals too vague and diffuse.
1807	Promoted by Act.
August 1807	John Johnson	He is given the task of building the Weston Canal. The Weaver trustees insisting that it should be built by their own engineer and accepting a £2,000 penalty if it is not completed in 27 months.
Late 1809	Samuel Fowls	Was appointed engineer.
November 1809	Thomas Telford	He was called in to report on the works on the unfinished Weston Canal. In February 1810 he reported there "had been great want of judgement and method in executing the work".
Early 1810	Thomas Telford	He was appointed consulant engineer.
February 1810	John Johnson	He is dismissed after the Weston canal was not completed on time and was well over estimate, and his methods and judgement had been critised in a report by Thomas Telford. He had worked for the Weaver for thirty years.
1825	Promoted by Act.
December 1825	Samuel Fowls	He was asked to estimate the cost of continuing navigation up to Middlewich, either by way of the Weaver from Winsford or by using the River Dane.
1829	Promoted by Act.
1833	Joseph Locke	As engineer for the navigation he was part of the delegation that met with the Grand Junction Railway company to discuss the building of Dutton viaduct across the river.
1842	William Cubitt	Was consulted about making the river navigable for sea-going vessels. He told the trustees that it was possible but it would be better to use Weston Point as a transhipment harbour and for smaller vessels to take the cargoes up the river.
1850	W Saxon	As engineer to the trustees he was asked to prepare plans for an additional dock at Weston Point with a separate entrance to the Mersey.
Late 1856	Sir Edward Leader Williams	He was appointed engineer, chosen from 110 applicants for the post.
July 1857	William Cubitt	He wrote of "the extensive and remarkable subsidences which are occuring" on the river due to rock salt mining and brine pumping.
June 1863	Sir Edward Leader Williams	He was told by the trustees to prepare a plan "of a Sea Wall at Weston Point to extend from our present Basin to the Bridgewater Property and Basins for the purpose of affording further accommodation and facilities to the Trade of the River". This led to the building of Delamere dock.
1865	Sir Edward Leader Williams	He said that Runcorn Docks were crowded and that the London & North Western Railway were building a high level branch to within 13 miles of Winsford at great expense. This would allow salt to be transported at less cost than on the Weaver. He also pointed out that some of the largest Winsford works already had railway connections and that others were getting them.
1865	Sir John Hawkshaw	He approves Edward Leader Williams' plans for river improvements.
Late 1865	Sir Edward Leader Williams	He produced a plan for making the river navigable to seagoing vessels with a minimum river depth of 12 feet and 15 feet over the lock sills, the enlargement of the Weston Canal and a new lock at Sutton. The new locks were to be 200 feet long and 40 feet wide with three pairs of hydraulic powered gates. He estimated the cost as £195,800 for the river up to Northwich.
1870	Edwin Clark	He designed the Anderton Boat Lift about this time.
July 1870	Sir Edward Leader Williams	He told a sub-connittee how a hyrdraulic boat lift at Anderton, costing no more than £12,000, would work.
1872	J Watt Sandeman	He bcame engineer to the Weaver trustees. He started a programme of lock and river improvements.
1875	Sir Edward Leader Williams	As engineer for the Bridgewater Navigation Company he suggested using the Delamere dock entrance as a means of connecting traffic from the Bridgewater Canal at Runcorn directly to the Weaver but the Weaver trustees rejected the idea.
1882	Sir Edward Leader Williams	He had discussions with the company engineer, L B Wells and Emerson & Co following a burst of a press and caission on the Anderton Lift. Thicker cast iron and modified presses were installed.
1882	L B Wells	As company engineer he had discussions with Sir Edward Leader Williams and Emerson & Co following a burst of a press and caission on the Anderton Lift. Thicker cast iron and modified presses were installed.
1888	John Arthur Saner	He said that there were only 146 tides a year when vessels drawing 15 feet of water could reach Weston Point docks from the Mersey.
1912	John Arthur Saner	He attended a conference of local authorities at Stoke-on-Trent to press for the extension of the Weaver to the Potteries.
1934	John Arthur Saner	Left his post of manager and engineer.
1943	C M Marsh	As the navigations engineer he was asked by the Ministry of War Transport to report on the possibility of a navigation for 100-ton vessels to Wolverhampton. He recconded the use of the upper Weaver to Audlem and the upgrading of the Shropshire Union.
1951	The Navigation of the River Weaver in the 18th Century by T S Willan, Published by The Chetham Society.
1973	Mersey & Weaver Flats by Edward W Paget-Tomlinson, Published by Wilson - The Sailing River and Canal Flats of NW England.
1979	IWA Festival at Northwich.

Wern Canal

1795	Opened about this date.
1811	Probably disused by 1811.

River Wey

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

1651	Promoted by Act.
1653	Navigation from Weybridge to Guildford opened.
1681	Promoted by Act.
1683	Promoted by Act.
1760	Promoted by Act (extension from Guildford to Godalming).
1760	John Smeaton	He was engaged on the extension of the navigation from Guildford to Godalming.
1763	Extension from Guildford to Godalming opened.
1970	IWA National Rally at Guildford.
1973	London's Lost Route to the Sea by P A L Vine, Published by David & Charles - Inland Waterways History series.

Worcester & Gloucester Union Canal project

Early 1825

Thomas Telford

He surveyed the line and estimated the cost as £200,000.

River Wharfe

1890	A company was formed to make the river navigable.
1898	The company formed in 1890 to make the river navigable failed and was wound up.

Whitby Canal

1752	Built between 1752 and 1754.
1754	Built between 1752 and 1754.
1766	Probably closed between 1766 and 1811.
1811	Probably closed between 1766 and 1811.

Warwick & Birmingham Canal

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

1793	Authorised by an Act of 6 March 1793.
1793	Samuel Bull	Was in charge of the survey of the line of the canal while working for the Birmingham Canal Company. He produced an estimate of 95,000 pounds.
June 1793	William Felkin	He became the company's engineeer.
November 1796	William Felkin	Following various engineering problems, starting with the colapse of the River Blyth aqeduect in late 1795, he was dismissed from his post but was taken on again when his replacement failed to arrive.
Late 1797	William Felkin	He left his post following an investigation of his accounts that revealed he was paying contractors more than they were due.
Late 1797	Philip Henry Witton	He added the post of engineer to his existing job as clerk-accountant.
1800	Completed throughout on 19 March 1800.
October 1800	Philip Henry Witton	Having completed the canal he left his post.
After October 1800	Thomas, senior Sheasby	He was appointed engineer.
1804	Thomas, senior Sheasby	He left his post of engineer due to ill-health.
1804	Thomas Green	He was appointed engineer when Thomas Sheasby left due to ill-health.
1985	The Warwick Canals by Alan H Faulkner, Published by Railway and Canal Historical Society - Canal history.

Weald of Kent Canal project

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

1812

John Rennie

In support of the Bill he told the Lord's Committee that 'it is without exception the finest piece of country to cut a canal through I ever saw'.

Warwick & Napton Canal

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

Mid 1793	Samuel Bull	Took part in surveys of alternative lines for the canal while working for the Birmingham Canal Company.
Mid 1793	Charles Handley	Surveyed a route for the canal.
Mid 1793	James Sheriff	He carried out a survey of a line for the canal.
1794	Authorised by an Act of 28 March 1794 as the Warwick & Braunston Canal. The line was later changed to join the Oxford Canal at Napton.
1794	William Felkin	He estimated a cost of £82,444 for the Warwick & Braunston Canal, as it was called before the decision was made to jion the Oxford Canal at Napton.
1795	William Felkin	Was appointed company engineer.
August 1795	Charles Handley	He suggested that if the canal's line was altered so that it joined the Oxford Canal at Napton instead of Braunston a saving of £50,000 would be made. This suggestion was adopted and he was given 300 guineas for the work he did in surveying the altered line.
1796	The line change, to join the Oxford Canal at Napton, was authorised by an Act of 14 May 1796.
March 1796	William Felkin	The committee decide to replace him with an engineer that was not also employed elsewhere.
March 1796	John Turpin	He was briefly appointed engineer.
Spring 1796	Charles Handley	He was appointed engineer at 350 guineas a year including valuation fees, plus five free shares on the satisfactory completion of the work.
1799	Formally opened on 19 December 1799.
1800	Open for trade on 19 March 1800.
19 March 1800	Charles Handley	The canal was completed, he was given his five free shares and was retained as engineer on £150 a year.
1819	Charles Handley	The company gave permission for him and John Tomes to make a private cut from the canal near Long Itchington.

River Welland

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

1571	Navigation was authorised by an Act.
1664	Work was started.
1670	Stamford Canal from Stamford to Market Deeping opened.
1801	John Rennie	He together with William Jessop produced a report on the outfall.
1801	Edward Hare	The Deeping Fen Act was passed based on two reports, one of which he prepared with George Maxwell.
1801	George Maxwell	The Deeping Fen Act was passed based on two reports, one of which he prepared with Edward Hare.
1810	Benjamin Bevan	Reports on the state of the navigation and recommended the building of a sea-sluice at the end of the cut from the reservioir would improve navigation and drainage.
1815	John Rennie	He and Thomas Pear both reported on the bad condition of Deeping Fen.
1815	Thomas Pear	He reported on the poor condition of Deeping Fen which drained into the river.
1818	John Rennie	He and Thomas Pear both reported on the bad condition of Deeping Fen.
Before 1823	John Rennie	He and Thomas Pear both reported on the drainage of Deeping Fen and recommend the use of steam power.
1835	James Walker	He was asked to report on improving the river and recommended enclosing the channel below Fosdyke Bridge in a straight line towards a meeting with the Witham outfall at or near Clayhole and embanking both sides of the channel. The estimate for this was £13,000 together with his other proposals for dredging, deepening and embankments the total estimate was £70,000.
October 1838	James Walker	He surveyed the progress made in deepening and extending the channel below Fosdyke Bridge. This was being done by using fascine training walls as he recommended and was the only part of his 1835 recommendations currently being pursued. He found that vessels with 8 feet draught could get through up to the bridge whereas those with a 3 foot draught had some difficulties three years before.
1944	E G Taverner	He produced a £723,000 scheme for the improvement of the river which included the diversion of some of the River Glen waters to the Welland by means of the Greatford Cut, and a by-pass channel around Spalding to reduce the risk of flooding.

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.