Did anyone know C E Faulkner?

[stevebacon]

I am a local historian living close to the restored Wilts & Berks Canal at Royal Wootton Bassett. I'm interested in finding out more on C E Faulkner of Essex, who spent much time on and off creating field-notes of the then-abandoned canal around 1960. He intended to publish a book, but it never happened; his photos and field-notes were deposited with Wiltshire Archive in 1989. He died in Norfolk in 1991 and his widow Eve died in Halstead, Essex, in 2015. There's no evidence that he ever connected with the Wilts & Berks Canal Amenity Group that was formed in 1977. The photos and notes provide a good record of the state of the canal's remains 60 years ago, and they would lend themselves to being cross-referred to the interactive map of the canal on the WBCT web-site because most locations in the field notes include OS map references.

 

Did anyone know anything about Charles Edward Faulkner apart from what I have retrieved on FindMyPast? It would be great to have at least a photo of him.

[Heartland]

C Faulkener certainly supplied pictures to Hugh Compton of the RCHS and include images of the Birmingham and Coventry Canals in the 1950 and orginals are presently with the present photographic collection officer. There are Wilts and Berks images in that collection as well, but I do not  have them recorded as Faulkener.

 

 

[Athy]

Welcome, from a Wilts &Berks member. This forum's members have a vast amount of knowledge and experience between them, so I hope that someone will proffer the information which you seek.

 

To put these photos into a book, if there are enough of them, would be of interest to quite a few people. Someone did a similar thing a while ago with a series of photos of the sleeping Kennet & Avon.

Edited May 28, 2020 by Athy

[stevebacon]

Hi Athy, Good to hear that you're also a member of WBCT. I have the immense pleasure of regularly walking the restored sections at Templar's Firs, Chaddington and Studley Grange, connected by a short piece of public footpath on the former towpath. It's a haven for wildlife including cygnets hatched this week. C E Faulkner's photos and field notes show how dilapidated it was in his time; he must have been devastated to see the route severed by the M4 south of Swindon in 1970. Certainly around here it's become a very well-used linear park - and there's hope that there will be a tunnel under the M4 within a few years. Perhaps one day we can meet for a drink at one of our CAMRA 2020 award-winning pubs when they re-open! (Out of the six categories, the Peterborough Arms at Dauntsey Lock received an award for refurbishment while the H & W at Swindon got the new-build award).

[Heartland]

There were other photographers of the Wilts & Berks

 

Uffington Wharf by the Weavers.

 

 

[stevebacon]

Thanks for the photo, which doesn't appear in C E Faulkner's collection. Here is the text from his field-notes, full of abbreviations:

 

10. Uffington Wharf, Bridge, SU300898;
Visited:- 7.8.60; 10.9.60; 22.9.60; 13.5.61.
Access:- from Uffington.
Photograph Nos.:- 358 : 360.
Observation:- Comparatively well-preserved spot. Traces remain of parapets of masonry Br. and distinct road bump. Embanking again in evidence:- to line E. for somd distance, but filling has taken places, and to W, where line and bank are very open and visible. NW curve to Rly. is very marked. Wharf Cottage remains apparently in inhabited condition; there is an ugly pre-fabricated dwelling on wharf-canal site. (13.5.61) walked about 400yd E. str. well defined line in high embankt. app 15'. quite dry & clear over distance, then dense growth and line v. narrow. Also wkd. abt. 300 yd. W, but more overgrowth, embankt. not so high: line further to Rly curve, v. difficult.

 

Although C E Faulkner's set of slides does have some missing examples, in this case both are accounted-for. No. 358 is of the canal embankment, looking east from the wharf site, while 360 is of the wharf; both were taken on his last recorded visit, 13th May 1961. Comparing the two of the wharf cottage, I guess that the RCHS photo is more recent; the TV aerial seems to have been relocated from the chimney-breast to a free-standing mast behind the house, while the wall in the foreground has been rebuilt.

 

 

[BuckbyLocks]

My guess would be that the TV aerial has been replaced by a Radio Amateur's array. 

[CEF]

Hello , I am Mark 

I do not have much information but I will try to type this down .

Please excuse any spelling mistakes , I am trying to decipher handwriting and can not recognise all the words .

there are four dates mentioned in this three and also a last recorded visit on the 13/05/1961.

C E Faulkner’s last actual visit was on the 17th September 1983 .

 

the date of 07/08/1960 from notes made  by C E Faulkner , 

journey number 68 using EBM 168 , 1946 Aerial “Red Hunter” 348cc ohv single . bought October 1958 in reasonable tho’ rusty order . 1960 March-April complete overhaul , re-bore , big end , brakes , electrics , etc . After which a very faithful friend for many happy days in Berks & Wilts .

Mileage C 6000, this machine recorded my longest day’s mileage for any vehicle  ( see 109] .

Sold [ foolishly] Nov 62 .

 

journey details for the 7th as recorded by Mr Faulkner as follows , he went down on the 6th August 1960 journey # 67 .

mileage 140 

A/ Highworth - Challows- Kingston Lisle - Uffington - Honycot - Highworth.

B/ Highworth - Faringdon-wantage-Wallingford-High Wycombe-Amersham-Watford-Potters Bar- Epping -Chelmsford.

 

Further notes add the following -

16 . Compton Beauchamp T Junc

17. Line crossing B4001 . SU 357887

18. Broadleaze Fm SU 341889

19. Kingston common Fm SU 330888

20. Uffington arch Br. SU 313897

21. Uffington wharf SU 300898

22. Honycot old wharf . SU 273893

23. 24 WH

24. Esso garage, Faringdon . * via oxford 

25. ?????????? Sorry can’t read this 

26.”elm tree” layby A404 (rain)

27.A6 Ridgehill T ? 
28. 25 Dorset Close .

 

margin annotated as follows -

7.8.60. Dep 23 . 15.40

arr 28 20:31

 

that is all the travel information I have for the 7/8/60

 

 

[CEF]

Journey details for 10/9/1960. Journey # 74. 151 miles 

EBM 168 1946 Aerial “Red hunter”

 

Chelmsford - Epping- Potters Bar - Watford - Amersham - High Wycombe- Wallingford-Didcot-East hanney-grove - Wantage -Kingston Hill -Uffington - Honycot- Wantage -Challows-Faringdon-Lechlade- Highworth .

 

furthur notes as follows.

 

1. A6 Ridgehill

2. ?????????

3. esso garage A40

4. ???? Farm bridge . 1102

5. A338 “white horse”

6.Wantage .—-??????? ( doodle of windmill)

7. Barwell Br 

8. Kingston common FM

9. Fawler hamlet

10. Uffington Wharf

11.Honycot old Wharf

12 . B4507 sparsholt ( photograph view of vale )

13. Wantage ??? PL . T.      ( doodle of windmill) 

14. Lechlade * Via Faringdon 

15 . 24 WH 

 

Margin annotated-

10/9/60 dep 06:50

arr 15 18:45.    151 miles 

 

this is all the travel information I have for this date . 
 

 

[CEF]

C E Faulkner’s motorcycle , Ordnance survey map ref SU 106 897 

2/9/61

facing south , crosslanes farm on the left .

Ahead is Swindon and a road called The Pry

Behind is the road to Crichlade , road is Hayes Knoll.

to the left is a road called Crosslanes leading to Blunsdon .

to the right is I think Tadpole lane , leading to Purton . 

[Derek R.]

That's my kind of bike!

 

The house seen still stands (looking older now), as does the farm on the left (and the telegraph pole!).

The road to the left is Tadpole Lane leading to Blunsden; The road to the right is Packhorse Lane leading to Purton. Straight on leads to the Western edge of Swindon and behind the road leads to Hayes Knoll 'Railway Station' - which has no road access, but now an engine rebuilding centre for the Swindon & Cricklade Railway, with a base and visitors centre at Blunsden Station. (See: Whistlestop Cafe).

 

Great image. Thanks for posting CEF.

 

The view nowadays:

https://tinyurl.com/9hn5vmn6

Road layout has changed a little and of course signage.

 

'Crosslanes Lock' is named on the old map:

 

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16&lat=51.60648&lon=-1.84901&layers=6&b=1

Edited May 25, 2021 by Derek R.

[CEF]

Many thanks for correcting the road names Derek , I was relying on an online map which gives the road as crosslanes leading into Tadpole lane , however , looking on an Ordnance survey map I can see you were spot on !

Interestingly enough as soon as you mentioned Crosslanes Lock I began to wonder whether the cottage in the photo was the Lock keepers cottage , according to the article I found online it would appear so , which would give a good reason as to why that particular photograph was taken .

And yes it must certainly have been a great motorcycle to have toured around on .

 

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crosslanes,_Purton_-_geograph.org.uk_-_295650.jpg

[CEF]

With reference to the other two dates Steve has mentioned ,

22/09/60 , journey number 76 , 238 miles travelled .

C E Faulkner hired an Austin A40 reg 917 SVW , to complete the days travel , journey taken was -

Chelmsford-Sawbridgeworth-Hatfield-St Albans-Aylesbury- Thame-Stadhampton-Cliveden-Abingdon: Steventon-East Haney-Kingston Lisle-Uffington-Honycot-Bowles Bridge-Wantage:  Wallingford-High Wycombe-Amersham-Watford-Potters Bar-Epping -Chelmsford .

 

The bottom of the page is annotated         ( 150th anniversary of opening ceremony of the Wilts & Berks at Abingdon )

 

[CEF]

The last date Steve mentioned , 13/5/61. 
was taken on C E Faulkner’s motorcycle EBM 168 , journey # 79 , 117 miles travelled .

 

[jake_crew]

It would be fantastic to see these photos in a book.

 

Perhaps with the notebook pages as pictures too.

 

I hope CEF's notes are found and published.

[jake_crew]

On 28/05/2020 at 15:46, Athy said:

 Someone did a similar thing a while ago with a series of photos of the sleeping Kennet & Avon.

Would that be "The Kennet and Avon Canal: A Journey from Newbury to Bath in 1964, by John Russell" ?   Lots available on Ebay / Amazon etc.

[Derek R.]

I know nothing of the line of the Wilts & Berks. canal, but it appears that if the house seen in the image of Mr Faulkner's Ariel was once a lock keepers cottage, and in that 1960's shot, there appears to be what looks like a bridge parapet in stone (mostly all gone now), then following a line that runs parallel and beside the Hayes Knoll road in the Northern direction, there will be seen a murky strip of water that might indicate the remains of part of the canal.

 

Looking more closely at the 'streetview' image, there does appear to be a stone wall beneath the ivy in this shot:

https://tinyurl.com/wpabpc2f

 

The murky strip from above:

https://tinyurl.com/y8wr5ump

 

I have a number of books on canals, but the Wilts & Berks gets only brief mention in any of them and in some - none.

 

The sixties was a good decade to be wandering around the countryside on two wheels.

Edited May 26, 2021 by Derek R.

[LEO]

32 minutes ago, Derek R. said:

I know nothing of the line of the Wilts & Berks. canal, but it appears that if the house seen in the image of Mr Faulkner's Ariel was once a lock keepers cottage, and in that 1960's shot, there appears to be what looks like a bridge parapet in stone (mostly all gone now), then following a line that runs parallel and beside the Hayes Knoll road in the Northern direction, there will be seen a murky strip of water that might indicate the remains of part of the canal.

 

Looking more closely at the 'streetview' image, there does appear to be a stone wall beneath the ivy in this shot:

https://tinyurl.com/wpabpc2f

 

The murky strip from above:

https://tinyurl.com/y8wr5ump

 

I have a number of books on canals, but the Wilts & Berks gets only brief mention in any of them and in some - none.

 

The sixties was a good decade to be wandering around the countryside on two wheels.

 

Agreed, but thanks to his amazing records, he certainly chose some 'grim' cross country routes, but I guess there wasn't the traffic volumes we have now, (well in pre Covid days).

[CEF]

On 24/05/2021 at 21:00, CEF said:

C E Faulkner’s motorcycle , Ordnance survey map ref SU 106 897 

2/9/61

facing south , crosslanes farm on the left .

Ahead is Swindon and a road called The Pry

Behind is the road to Crichlade , road is Hayes Knoll.

to the left is a road called Tadpole Lane leading to Blunsdon .

to the right is packhorse Lane , leading to Purton . 
Thanks to Derek R for road name corrections. 

Attached are the journey details of the day the photograph was taken at Woodward’s Bridge next to Crosslanes lock .

 

Edited May 26, 2021 by CEF
Correction

[CEF]

On 26/05/2020 at 18:06, stevebacon said:

I am a local historian living close to the restored Wilts & Berks Canal at Royal Wootton Bassett. I'm interested in finding out more on C E Faulkner of Essex, who spent much time on and off creating field-notes of the then-abandoned canal around 1960. He intended to publish a book, but it never happened; his photos and field-notes were deposited with Wiltshire Archive in 1989. He died in Norfolk in 1991 and his widow Eve died in Halstead, Essex, in 2015. There's no evidence that he ever connected with the Wilts & Berks Canal Amenity Group that was formed in 1977. The photos and notes provide a good record of the state of the canal's remains 60 years ago, and they would lend themselves to being cross-referred to the interactive map of the canal on the WBCT web-site because most locations in the field notes include OS map references.

 

Did anyone know anything about Charles Edward Faulkner apart from what I have retrieved on FindMyPast? It would be great to have at least a photo of him.

Steve , you wanted a photograph of Charles Edward Faulkner , here it is , he is relaxing on a summer holiday.

it is not the best photograph , there were some that were done back in the day, professionally, in better light and wearing a suit and with a crystal clear view of his face .

unfortunately , many no longer exist and this is the better one of two that I have . 
 

[stevebacon]

Mark, Thank you for your recent posts and for the holiday photo. Mr Faulkner certainly logged his activity in detail at a time when few knew anything about the Wilts & Berks or North Wilts canals. He deserves recognition for his research and his photography.

 

If you want to e-mail me directly, you can reach me on 'Steve dot Bacon at wbct dot org dot uk'. As a local member in the Royal Wootton Bassett branch, I have documented the restoration history within our area, while there is a growing volume of historical information being posted on the WBCT web-site. It has an interactive map showing both the original canal line and the proposed line when restored.

[CEF]

Does anybody know where this photograph was taken ? Does anybody recognise the bridge , towpath and hill in the background? 
it is untitled and I have no idea when or where it was taken .

 

[David Mack]

Is that a tank trap on the right hand end of the bridge?

[jake_crew]

Welcome to the forum Mark / CEF. 

 

I guess you're a relative of CEF ?

 

How fantastic to have his diaries and photos.

 

[Derek R.]

8 hours ago, CEF said:

Does anybody know where this photograph was taken ? Does anybody recognise the bridge , towpath and hill in the background? 
it is untitled and I have no idea when or where it was taken .

 

 

I am so tempted to suggest it might be Buckland Wharf, Aston Clinton. But it cannot be.

The canal, bridge and crane tempt the thought, but the New Inn is missing from the right hand side (far side of the bridge), Ivinghoe Beacon is farther away, and I believe the bridge is different. So no, not Buckland Wharf.