Lower Lea Valley

[magpie patrick]

For professional reasons I'm researching the river Lea and it's associated navigations below Lea Bridges. I was aware that this area was complex with a lot of changes in the 1930's that resulted in the Bow Back Rivers taking on their current form.

 

I went to the London Waterways Museum where they have an excellent map that purports to show all waterways and features that ever existed. Made several notes but sadly they didn't have a copy of the map to sell. However, trying to square what the map says with other historical sources is very difficult because the other sources don't seem to exist. With a working knowledge of the area, I can just about square what Bradshaw 1904 lists as navigable with what exists today, and work out therefore what changed between 1904 and the 1930's in the Bow Back rivers area, however the map has other things that I can't find any source for (I've tried Hadfield's canals of Eastern England, but as is often the case it's more concerned with commercial history). For example, there were once apparently two locks between Old Ford and Lea Bridges, were these removed when old ford locks were built? The LWM map shows a lock on the Lea itself (rather than the modern line of the navigation) called Hackney Lock. Did this exist? Was that route once the main line of the navigation?

 

Can anyone point me in the direction of a historical source that will shed light on these things?

[Pluto]

Patrick,

 

There are two reports in the Proceedings of the Inst Civil Engineers about reconstruction of the lower sections of the Lee dated 1854 and 1857/8, and in John Smeaton's Reports, dated 1767-81, there are reports on the river. Edward Paget-Tomlinson's book also has a useful outline. I did some research for BW on the lock gates in the London area a few years ago, so have quite a bit of other material as well in digital format. PM me for exactly what you require.

[Richard Fairhurst]

If you've not already seen it, http://www.leeandstort.co.uk/ is outstanding. It has extensive (and sourced) documentation on the various locks that once existed on the Lee.

Edited October 19, 2010 by Richard Fairhurst

[jenlyn]

For professional reasons I'm researching the river Lea and it's associated navigations below Lea Bridges. I was aware that this area was complex with a lot of changes in the 1930's that resulted in the Bow Back Rivers taking on their current form.

 

I went to the London Waterways Museum where they have an excellent map that purports to show all waterways and features that ever existed. Made several notes but sadly they didn't have a copy of the map to sell. However, trying to square what the map says with other historical sources is very difficult because the other sources don't seem to exist. With a working knowledge of the area, I can just about square what Bradshaw 1904 lists as navigable with what exists today, and work out therefore what changed between 1904 and the 1930's in the Bow Back rivers area, however the map has other things that I can't find any source for (I've tried Hadfield's canals of Eastern England, but as is often the case it's more concerned with commercial history). For example, there were once apparently two locks between Old Ford and Lea Bridges, were these removed when old ford locks were built? The LWM map shows a lock on the Lea itself (rather than the modern line of the navigation) called Hackney Lock. Did this exist? Was that route once the main line of the navigation?

 

Can anyone point me in the direction of a historical source that will shed light on these things?

 

there was a programme on tv last year about everything your asking, for the life of me, i cant remember which channel, but i remember the stuff your talking about being mentioned. was it gryff? or the irish guy? anyway, it was very informative, so maybe try bbc or itv search