Lock House Wenesfield staffordshire

[Tony K]

Shows up on the 1980-82 OS map, but 'gone' by the 1991-93 edition winja

 

 

Been 'searching' for an image of it since last night.............no joy yet

[winja]

Whats the betting it looks like a prefab when you find one !!!!!!!!!

Where was Benjamin Wood Living in 1911 ?

 

 

HOW DID BOTH ITEMS END UP TOGETHER ???

Edited February 12, 2014 by winja

[jeannette smith harrison]

1911 Benjamin wood was living in a place called Brownshill Warwickshire.

Benjamin is one of three family connections between the Wood & Harrison

Working Canal boat Family's you are prob aware that Benjamin was the GG Grandad to Ronnie Wood

of the Rolling Stones Fame.

He & I share the same GGG Grandparents.

Once again Gentlemen I cant thank you all enough for your valuable info & great photos e.c.t.

being a South London/Surrey girl most of my knowledge was on the Grand Union & London Canals.

It's only over the past 5/6 years that I have researched a lot of my family & discovered them in the

Birmingham area.

Lots Baptised & Married @ St Gabriel's Barn St Birmingham.

[Tony K]

Whats the betting it looks like a prefab when you find one !!!!!!!!!

HOW DID BOTH ITEMS END UP TOGETHER ???

 

Dunno I was trying to find Naboths Wharf

 

 

Sorry Jeannette for the hijacking

[jeannette smith harrison]

Sorry forgot to mention I had hoped that one of Benjamin's sons had taken over

as Lock Keeper as was often done.

1911 Census shows a James Jackson (also from a boating Family) as the Lock Keeper

 

Dunno I was trying to find Naboths Wharf

 

 

Sorry Jeannette for the hijacking

Tony never under estimate the knowledge of the people on this forum someone will know the answer.

[Laurence Hogg]

This is Well Lane lock cottage in Wednesfield a short time before demolition:

 

Sorry for unsharp photo but I had bought the camera for 6d from a jumble sale and was trying it out ... it shows (or doesn't as the case may be ) Tom Wood on Christopher James at Wednesfield he had dropped the loaded boats at the top lock and was coming back thro Wenesfield Stop to pick up the empties for us to take back to Lane Head ... this is about 1957 / 8 there is no sign of the toll house you mention on the out side so it must have been on the towpath side..... I'm trying very hard but I just can't remember it

 

Roland I cant remember you ever going down the locks to the Weldless , so you must have started going down after I left ...Do you remember any of the following of your Dads crew

Billy Dunn.... Stanley Moore .... Tommy Chapman .... Johny ? dont know his other name but he caught a fully loaded boat on the sill of the top lock and sunk it ( I bet Rol was pleased ) and David Webb (Webby)

 

I remember you being at the yard at Lane Head, I think some of your friends used to come with you including a lad from "The United Kingdom" ?

The base of the Toll house at Wednesfield junction is still visible today.

Edited February 14, 2014 by Laurence Hogg

[jeannette smith harrison]

Lawrence thank you . winja your photo is def the same cottage as the photo Aunt Lucy has

it gives a better picture to the the tales of her not having a garden & her door being close to the edge of the cut.

All this area & research is something relatively new to me but I hope to visit the area .

I am thinking to add it into a visit to the Wolverhampton festival later this year.

Edited February 14, 2014 by jeannette smith harrison

[Laurence Hogg]

Lawrence thank you . winja your photo is def the same cottage as the photo Aunt Lucy has

it gives a better picture to the the tales of her not having a garden & her door being close to the edge of the cut.

All this area & research is something relatively new to me but I hope to visit the area .

I am thinking to add it into a visit to the Wolverhampton festival later this year.

Jeanette, I know the area extremely well and there is now nothing to see, the site of Well lane lock cottage is now being turned into a lorry park, interestingly they dug up six lock gates which were in remarkably good condition having been buried for years on the site, these are now with the Lichfield & Hatherton restoration chaps who are going to reuse a set if possible on the Lichfield canal.

 

The only visible remains of the canal is the preserved bridge within the TATA steel factory, the guards on the gate will normally let you in to photograph it.

[Derek R.]

It's in the garden area, complete with balance beams.

 

http://goo.gl/maps/gZxkR

 

Interesting to see foreigners (India) treating our own fragment of history is this way. Shame about the BSA factory though.

Swings and roundabouts.

[jeannette smith harrison]

I often wonder as to what the old boat family's would make of all the changes.

They where funny folk very stuck in their ways & didn't like any changes

My Granddad would often say Lupin (pet name) " theys a killing this ear cut of ours all our ways will be gone & I wont be

around for ever but make sure my G grand bairns know where their blood runs from ."

I have done just that & hope he is nodding his head in approval .

I also have five books full of memories & stories. these will one day be published.

Lawrence in 1901 Well Lane appears to have been quite a busy community & the Cut seems to have

had many wharfs with a lot of canal related works , do you know of any books that cover the history of the area.

[RLWP]

Jeannette, you bring something special to my understanding of the BCN and it's people, thank you

 

Richard

[jeannette smith harrison]

Thank you Richard

although I still have a lot to explore & learn about the BCN

I was raised on the Grand union so most of my knowledge runs from Brentford to Long Buckby

lots of Family lived & died along this stretch as well as the Coventry area.

Thanks for spelling my name the correct way . Many don't & Granddad would always ask me have they put your mark right Girl.

Robert Harrison Married Ann Stokes( The Brentford boat girl her picture hangs in most canal related places)

they where my Grandads Godparents & he was farmed out to them when he was 10 years old.

I was the first born Grand Child & the only Girl, Granddad wanted me named after his godmother but as none of them

could read or write they didn't know her correct name.

I have since seen it as Ann ,Anne or even Annie in Census ect , problem was solved I was named & Baptised Je anne tte Ann Harrison. My Brother has the middle name Robert.

[Laurence Hogg]

It's in the garden area, complete with balance beams.

 

http://goo.gl/maps/gZxkR

 

Interesting to see foreigners (India) treating our own fragment of history is this way. Shame about the BSA factory though.

Swings and roundabouts.

Apart from the bridge the line of the Bentley is lost, curiously the long lost Nechells branch line is still clear including its buried bridge which is a hump in Strawberry lane!

[Derek R.]

Jeannette, I'll wager there were many old boating families who would have looked very enviously at a kitchen and bathroom and the thought of stable schooling for their children. But you have to be careful what you wish for. In hindsight the greatest loss was to an entire community who showed spirit and independence such as we have almost lost completely nowadays, and those who have gone would be justifiably proud of their lives and the work on the cut. Granddad was right.

[lydfordcastle]

Apart from the bridge the line of the Bentley is lost, curiously the long lost Nechells branch line is still clear including its buried bridge which is a hump in Strawberry lane!

 

I think you might mean Watery Lane Lawrence, just by the gates to Clydesdale Jones? I don't think that the Nechells branch extended as far south as Strawberry Lane. I've been trying to figure out what the 'Tata' bridge actually was as I don't recall a road crossing in that area apart from Merrills Hall Lane, but it's too far east to be that one. I reckon it must have been a footpath/bridle path/occupation bridge. Anyone confirm?

[Laurence Hogg]

I think you might mean Watery Lane Lawrence, just by the gates to Clydesdale Jones? I don't think that the Nechells branch extended as far south as Strawberry Lane. I've been trying to figure out what the 'Tata' bridge actually was as I don't recall a road crossing in that area apart from Merrills Hall Lane, but it's too far east to be that one. I reckon it must have been a footpath/bridle path/occupation bridge. Anyone confirm?

Whoops yes it is watery lane, the TATA bridge was access to colliery workings adjacent to the canal, now part of the nature reserve. The nechells branch ended in what today is the Mercedes dealers ground, from Google earth the canal route is still visible passing at first through the Galvanisers factory, then through the industrial park to the terminate in the Mercedes car park. Edited February 17, 2014 by Laurence Hogg

[tarboat]

A view of the top lock cottage in April 1984.

 

Edited February 17, 2014 by tarboat

[pearley]

Is the No Through Road sign referring to cars or boats!

[winja]

I bet if it was still like that now there would be more than a few boy racers using the tow path as a racing track

[tarboat]

Is the No Through Road sign referring to cars or boats!

Definitely boats. The canal was still officially navigable at this time!

[Derek R.]

That's a wonderfully evocative image Tarboat. Excellent shot. A canal in its death throws. Tragic - but inevitable.

[David Mack]

That's a wonderfully evocative image Tarboat. Excellent shot. A canal in its death throws. Tragic - but inevitable.

 

I took a boat down the first 4 locks in 1974. The next 2 locks were still there and more or less usable, but the 5th lock had both top paddles out of action, and we didn't have time to try to force a passage. Its a little surprising that 10 years later it still looked more or less the same. When did it officially close?

[lydfordcastle]

Jeannette, you might like to know that the house by Lock 4 on the Bentley Canal that was occupied by one of your ancestors was, according to Richard Chester-Browne in his excellent book "The Other 60 Miles", Birmingham Canal Navigations House Number 246. In happier times it would have been graced by a cast iron plate bearing this number probably above the front door, but this had obviously been 'liberated' by the time the pre-demolition photograph was taken.

[Laurence Hogg]

This picture is taken outside the lock house at Well Lane, on this trip we had been down the flight and were almost certainly the last boat to do the complete flight. BW made sure no one else went down by removing the paddle gear shortly afterwards, also the bottom gates caught fire too.

 

 

The filling in meant full excavation of the canal to place a huge culvert pipe in the bed, this was done without removing the puddling clay and subsequently it had to be redone to remove it. They must have spent more money than it would have cost to reinstate the whole line.

 

 

 

Laying the culvert first time!! taken from Fibbersley bridge

 

 

The cutting at County Bridge below Sandbeds locks, this turned into a dangerous quagmire within a short time of being finished. Re excavation was needed as elsewhere to remove the puddle.

 

 

WHAT A WASTE!!

Edited February 19, 2014 by Laurence Hogg

[jeannette smith harrison]

Jeannette, you might like to know that the house by Lock 4 on the Bentley Canal that was occupied by one of your ancestors was, according to Richard Chester-Browne in his excellent book "The Other 60 Miles", Birmingham Canal Navigations House Number 246. In happier times it would have been graced by a cast iron plate bearing this number probably above the front door, but this had obviously been 'liberated' by the time the pre-demolition photograph was taken.

Thank you so much for that info lydfordcastle I will add that to my family tree info, I have copies of the census for the lock cottage for 1991 ,1901 & 1911

but it has no number just lock cottage Well Lane. It might seem nothing to some but to people into their roots it all helps to bring things to life in your mind.

This picture is taken outside the lock house at Well Lane, on this trip we had been down the flight and were almost certainly the last boat to do the complete flight. BW made sure no one else went down by removing the paddle gear shortly afterwards, also the bottom gates caught fire too.

 

 

The filling in meant full excavation of the canal to place a huge culvert pipe in the bed, this was done without removing the puddling clay and subsequently it had to be redone to remove it. They must have spent more money than it would have cost to reinstate the whole line.

 

 

 

Laying the culvert first time!! taken from Fibbersley bridge

 

 

The cutting at County Bridge below Sandbeds locks, this turned into a dangerous quagmire within a short time of being finished. Re excavation was needed as elsewhere to remove the puddle.

 

 

WHAT A WASTE!!

I agree whole hearted with your remark Lawrence the ironic thing is that they fill in a canal that was once full of water & then lay pipes on the canal bed

to carry water. We live in a mad mad world