Calling BCN experts – Naboth’s Wharf?

[Tony K]

Glad you enjoyed the book Winja – I was a little concerned that it might not be your cup of tea.

 

I’m only 60 odd pages through the Memoirs of a Maverick – which has minimal references to angling so far (apart from a ‘repeated’ tale of ‘On the box’) so I think you will enjoy that more.

 

But I reckon that’s one giant leap to your conclusion that Ralph christened the wharf ‘Naboth’s’ though. Can’t recollect Ralph featuring in that specific tale/recollection regarding Naboth’s and as kids didn’t we all name or inherit names for inanimate things – eg the Hangman’s Tree – my there must be thousands of those dotted around the country.

 

One of those ‘minimal references’ in M O M does read ‘There was Pratts Bridge cut, Little Bloxwich cut, Stafford Road cut, Fishley cut, Long Lane cut, and Sneyd Lane cut. At times we fished them all, but Broad lane and Long Lane cuts were the nearest and most favoured. Actually it was all the same canal system, but local patriotism lent special virtues to this or that stretch. Access went by bridges’

 

There’s no reference by M W (so far) to the canal south west of the Sneyd – is that sufficient to rule out Linthouse Lane area?

 

But who knows – I’m clutching at straws that perhaps there’s further reference to Naboths in this or some of the authors other works that will assist to pinpoint it. Well I’ve always been the eternal optimist.........

[winja]

I am now the proud owner of Troubled Waters....Memoirs of a Maverick....Faces at the Window and A Cottage Idyll he does seem to repeat some things but not so far Naboths Wharf... he does say in Faces at the Window that he is part of the "Old Hall" Wiggins Family

[Tony K]

You have 'splashed out' winja . You certainly learn lots about life as a member of the Wiggins family in M O a M which I'm enjoying so much - just put the book down after digesting another 30 odd pages. So much so, that those two books you mention, as well as In Spite of the Price of Hay, are definately on the 'to get' list. In fact I nearly splashed out last week on one of the autographed editions of the 'hay' book available, but disciplined myself to wait and see whats 'on offer' when I finish this good read

[winja]

I saw that and was sorely tempted...I did get "A CANAL PEOPLE The Photographs of Robert Longden" by Sonia Rolt...... I wish Mr Longden had lived in Wednesfield,Wolverhampton or Essington instead of Coventry....WOW what photographs , each picture DOES paint a thousand words

[Ray T]

I saw that and was sorely tempted...I did get "A CANAL PEOPLE The Photographs of Robert Longden" by Sonia Rolt...... I wish Mr Longden had lived in Wednesfield,Wolverhampton or Essington instead of Coventry....WOW what photographs , each picture DOES paint a thousand words

 

Well he did live in Coventry Nowt wrong with that, given me a good living.

[winja]

I didnt mean any disrespect to Coventry, I just would have liked to have seen pictures of this quality of canals and canal carriers in our area

[Ray T]

I didnt mean any disrespect to Coventry, I just would have liked to have seen pictures of this quality of canals and canal carriers in our area

 

I know that, I was just teasing. Coventry has suffered from the decline of the motor industry and has yet to reinvent itself, IMHO.

 

Some of the names lost: Triumph, both cars and motor bikes, Jaguar, Daimler, Alvis, Rootes (Chrysler Pugeot) Massey Ferguson + associated machine tool works: Wickman Wimet, Matrix Churchill, Pressed Steel Fisher, Alfred Herberts, Reynold Chain, Rolls Royce, Coventry Climax - all gone, in my lifetime too!

Edited May 7, 2013 by Ray T

[Tony K]

I am now the proud owner of ....Faces at the Window and A Cottage Idyll

 

Me too soon winja.............just pressed the button and spent a few bob, now waiting for the postie to call.

 

 

Birthday later this month. Know that 'little' bro has sorted me a copy of Ray S's 'Wyrley & Essington throughout time' ........... just got to put out the call for someone to get me one of those signed copies of 'Despite.....'

[Pluto]

I didnt mean any disrespect to Coventry, I just would have liked to have seen pictures of this quality of canals and canal carriers in our area

Have a look for photos by Rev William Wickham, who is best known as a photographer in Wigan circa 1890-1910. There is a book about him, 'The World of William Wickham', published in 1981. He took a number of canal photos which are captioned as if taken at Wigan, but are definitely of boats in the Coventry area. The date given for many photos is 1891, but again I suspect that the actual date is different.

[winja]

L:ooking at your map I couldnt work out enough detail so I got hold of an old map of the area, I didnt realise any canal went so close to Bursnips Road, looking into it closer the canal was built to service Mitre Colliery (on oposite side of Burnips Road to Holly Bank Colliery ) problems arose trying to keep the water levels up resulting in only half filling the boats, to rectify this a basin and wharf were built at Double Bridges, the old section of canal was closed in the 1850s, Mitre Colliery Closed not much later, and the Double Bridges wharf closed in 1906.............ANGABOUTABIT what have we here.....a long closed canal wharf that had been used for loading coal from a now derelict mine....AND just accross the road from Olly Bonk..... I think I've read about this place somewhere else recently !!!!!

[RLWP]

I love the twists and turns in this thread. Good work chaps, keep it up

 

Richard

[winja]

Did I ever mention that I've got the name board off the old Kenilworth Signal Box ?

[RLWP]

The one by the station?

 

Richard

[winja]

Not no more it aint

[Tony K]

L:ooking at your map I couldnt work out enough detail so I got hold of an old map of the area, I didnt realise any canal went so close to Bursnips Road, looking into it closer the canal was built to service Mitre Colliery (on oposite side of Burnips Road to Holly Bank Colliery ) problems arose trying to keep the water levels up resulting in only half filling the boats, to rectify this a basin and wharf were built at Double Bridges, the old section of canal was closed in the 1850s, Mitre Colliery Closed not much later, and the Double Bridges wharf closed in 1906.............ANGABOUTABIT what have we here.....a long closed canal wharf that had been used for loading coal from a now derelict mine....AND just accross the road from Olly Bonk..... I think I've read about this place somewhere else recently !!!!!

 

 

Sorry about the scale of the map on my posting dated 1st May winja - from the limited clues in the book that area was my suspicion too or further up that 'long dead' section where it appears to 'splinter'

[winja]

There is a tramway marked from Mitre Colliery to the very end of the Essington lock Branch almost at Bursnips Road but there is no name on the map

[Tony K]

winja - all the clues fit our suspicions............

 

 

 

 

Here's the 1902 map - looks cock on that we might have sussed it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MW was born in 1912 - even if he was piking at the age of 7..............

 

 

the 1919 OS map now looks like

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can't spot much water

 

 

Back to the drawing board..........

Edited May 14, 2013 by Tony K

[winja]

 

 

No 9 is Mitre Colliery No 10 is Holly Bank

 

On a later map the canal area near Double Bridges is filled in but the final length near to Mitre Colliery is still showing water

 

 

Woops Sorry

[winja]

Edited May 15, 2013 by winja

[winja]

The Later map shows the Double Bridges Area Filled in but the Mitre Farm area is still in water, You are the fisherman would pike have survived there ?

[Derek R.]

Fascinating stuff. Love all this historic sleuthing! Well done.

[Tony K]

The Later map shows the Double Bridges Area Filled in but the Mitre Farm area is still in water, You are the fisherman would pike have survived there ?

 

 

Hi winja - back in the early 70's, although the canal was heavily weeded and disused for 25 years or so, I caught several pike from the basin south of Long Lane, just west to what would have been Cannock Lodge Colliery. Can't see any reason why not as long as that end section hadnt dried out previously at some stage.

[winja]

I think we have cracked it .....unless anyone knows anything different !!!!!!!!!

[Laurence Hogg]

The Cannock Lodge arm was in water in the 70's, I have photographs of it. Also in the 1980's locks 4 and 5 of the essington branch existed either side of the railway from Hilton / Holly bank, we got down into the chambers which were remarkably intact. They were filled over during the opencast but the line of the canal was not opencasted but used as a road.

The route of the canal was then and still is a track. The sole house just further north of the Mitre and now substantialy rebuilt is one of the wharf buildings on the terminus of the canal.

[Tony K]

Hi Laurence - have you any photos of those locks 4 & 5 ? Would love to see them if you either posted them here, or mailed them personally to me.

 

Back in the 60s we used to cross the canal via the then solitary bridge at the site of Essington Farm Colliery, then head northwest across a field until we eventually came to the rail line.

 

Then we headed slightly east along the line, before we 'picked up' another 'avenue' that ran north west again down past a wood on our left (we called it 'rhody wood' as it contained lots of rhododendron bushes) before emerging at the main road by the Mitre . Must have made that 'trip' dozens of times and we were always venturing around the surrounding area but cannot recollect ever spotting any locks to the Essington Branch

 

Many thanks in anticipation

 

Tony