Boatman's names for places

[Ray T]

You'll be going a long way round, then - the only Langley Mill I know is at the top of the Erewash! (I'm sure that someone will be along soon to add that it's also at the bottom of the Cromford, and the Nottingham Canal puts in a brief appearance too).

 

I like, and use, the word "hackerduck" for an aqueduct. I was told years ago that this was what the boat people called them.

 

Athy, the quote is from "Painted Boats" so I am unable to vouch for its authenticity.

 

Also I don't hear of motors by the name of Monkey Boats today.

[astalweeks]

I like, and use, the word "hackerduck" for an aqueduct. I was told years ago that this was what the boat people called them.

 

I liked 'Humpeedeeback Bridge' which I heard from the lock keeper at Sulhamstead when it was the top of the navigation on the K&A in the 70's.

Also on that list it was good to see the lock after Cowroast named as 'Next Lock'

[bizzard]

And surely there must be, just must be a lock somewhere called either ''Padlock, Yale, Chubb or even Wilmot Breedon'', you know, a lock that's a devil of a job to get into and to escape from.

[magpie patrick]

And surely there must be, just must be a lock somewhere called either ''Padlock, Yale, Chubb or even Wilmot Breedon'', you know, a lock that's a devil of a job to get into and to escape from.

In a list of capital costs for a restoration scheme I found "Homebase Lock" included for around £400,000, will that do?

 

Turned out it wasn't much use and the client didn't buy it...

[David Mack]

And surely there must be, just must be a lock somewhere called either ''Padlock, Yale, Chubb or even Wilmot Breedon'', you know, a lock that's a devil of a job to get into and to escape from.

Which reminds me of the tale of Rose and (Tom) Castle in Navvies a few years ago, in which a number of the fictional characters were named after real waterway places - like Bruce Tunnel and Moira Furnace.

[Athy]

Which reminds me of the tale of Rose and (Tom) Castle in Navvies a few years ago, in which a number of the fictional characters were named after real waterway places - like Bruce Tunnel and Moira Furnace.

I think I've met them. He was a deep sort of chap, and she was really hot.

[Nightwatch]

It's the junction at Napton, but like at Hawkesbury, it took the other name from a family who lived there (as far as I can recall from the tales so told).

I have a saved reply from a research chappie who wrote that the name came from a family that lived in the cottage there. Their name was Wiggerham.

 

It's on another computer so will try to find it and post. It's a lengthly piece and informative. Hence I kept it. Perhaps someone with the skill and patience could search for it. It was about three years ago.

 

Martyn

Edited October 20, 2015 by Nightwatch

[Nightwatch]

Just spent the last three hours trying to get my apple mac pro flashed up. It ain't playing.

 

I haven't used it for months,which shouldn't cause a problem, but I downloaded Yosemite?? last time I was on. Perhaps that's the problem. I can't reload it as I don't have a disc. I'll sort it and get the wiggerhams info in due course.

 

Martyn

Edited October 20, 2015 by Nightwatch

[GUMPY]

I thought macs were user friendly and nicer than every other operating system/computer......

 

Edited October 20, 2015 by Loddon

[Nightwatch]

They probably are, mine isn't though.

[Chalky]

From my research it appears that Fenny Compton Wharf was also known as Mr Brown's Wharf. It appears under this name several times in court papers in the 19th century.

[madcat]

I think it's worth recording this information , not sure how. There will be variations over time no doubt and quite possibly more than one name for some places as well as its official name.

[Ian Mac]

The ones I like are Asherton Bucket and its pub The Tip, the former was only used by some boatmen, Alf Toole for one, the latter was fairly common parlance. The last time I remember someone other than our immediate group using Asherton Bucket was a guy on a bike bring the sad news of its demise back in 1983 when H&S demand it made an emergency stop, which broke it, even though it did stop.

[Ian Mac]

Dukes, Tunnel, Blue pass, Tib, Oxford, Clock, Chorlton, Lead mills and Piccidilly, Brownsfield, Ancoats, Butler,

The names of the Rochdale locks starting at lock 92 coming up through Manchester, as taught to me by Harold Williams the lock keeper on the flight till the late 1970's. Some are still the official names some have changed. Blue pass(now Albion Mills), Clock (know Princess St, officially David St) Lead MIlls (know as Rodwell Tower Lock, officially Piccidilly) Piccidilly (now Dale St) These last two changes have lead to all sorts of confusion over the years. The Basin above lock 84 was also dual named as Dale St or Piccidilly Basin.

Brownsfield is now Ancoats Lower. Ancoats is Ancoats Upper.

The basins on the Ashton were known as Ducie St no1. Basin and Ducie St no2. Basin.

[cheshire~rose]

I was told that every pound on The Chesterfield Canal had a name as well as the locks and bridges but I have not managed to find out much about them.

 

I have these:

Meadow Pond (below Shireoaks locks)

Feeder Pond (Cinderhill)

Haggonfield Pond

Gainsford Pond (below Stret)

Cricket Field Pond (Worksop)

Checkerhouse Pond (Osberton-Ranby)

Checkerhouse Water Flash (Ranby winding hole)

Stockwith Puddle

Worksop Town Pond

Gringley Short Pond

Cinderhill Pond

Turnerwood Long Pond

Kilton Pond(between Kilton Locks)

Shireoaks Pond (above locks)

They were all used by Joe Gagg in his diaries when operating the dredger boats but I don't know what date that was.

Interestingly the place we moor Python is known locally as "Much Binding" but I am fairly sure that name does not go back very many years and is just a name that has been used by a handful of local boaters who reminisce about the old radio programme

[Ian Mac]

There are of course modern names which have come in common usage. The one I really hate with a passion is Heart Break Hill - Cheshire Locks. Its a lovely flight, and even back in the late sixties when Gagg came up with the term, they were not that bad, well unless you were either a Bridgewater boater when any lock was a pain! or had a boat called Nike V

There are others.

Curly Werly for the Wirley and Essington

Nits and Stuffs for the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal

 

Just thought of another old one used by the northern boaters - Dutton Hole - Preston Brook Tunnel.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Ian Mac

[Pluto]

Of course, as with many canals, Rochdale lock names changed over time; even going back 100 years there were changes.

[Ian Mac]

Do you know who or when the hand written names are from, Pluto. The only one missing is Lead Mills for Piccadilly. Can't quite make out the handwritten name for Dukes - Castlefield? Blue pass and Clock are on the list.

[Pluto]

Yes, Castlefield.

[David Mack]

 

I was told that every pound on The Chesterfield Canal had a name as well as the locks and bridges but I have not managed to find out much about them.

 

I have these:

Meadow Pond (below Shireoaks locks)

Feeder Pond (Cinderhill)

Haggonfield Pond

Gainsford Pond (below Stret)

Cricket Field Pond (Worksop)

Checkerhouse Pond (Osberton-Ranby)

Checkerhouse Water Flash (Ranby winding hole)

Stockwith Puddle

Worksop Town Pond

Gringley Short Pond

Cinderhill Pond

Turnerwood Long Pond

Kilton Pond(between Kilton Locks)

Shireoaks Pond (above locks)

They were all used by Joe Gagg in his diaries when operating the dredger boats but I don't know what date that was.

Interestingly the place we moor Python is known locally as "Much Binding" but I am fairly sure that name does not go back very many years and is just a name that has been used by a handful of local boaters who reminisce about the old radio programme

 

 

When I lived in the area, the pound from Camp Hill to Knowle was referred to as the Ten Mile Pound, and that from Knowle to Hatton as the Eight Mile Pound.

[David Schweizer]

I have a saved reply from a research chappie who wrote that the name came from a family that lived in the cottage there. Their name was Wiggerham.

 

It's on another computer so will try to find it and post. It's a lengthly piece and informative. Hence I kept it. Perhaps someone with the skill and patience could search for it. It was about three years ago.

 

Martyn

 

The subject was discussed at some length eight years ago.

 

Link to thread :- http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=18427&hl=wiggerham#entry295155

Edited October 22, 2015 by David Schweizer

[Ray T]

Thank you for the link, David.

 

I visited Mike today and we talked about place names. He came up with: "Louse Lock" - Isis Lock on the Oxford.

 

A place on the Fenny Pound, "Tin sheds".

[Chalky]

Thank you for the link, David.

 

I visited Mike today and we talked about place names. He came up with: "Louse Lock" - Isis Lock on the Oxford.

 

A place on the Fenny Pound, "Tin sheds".

 

From what I've been told the warehouse at Fenny was made of corrugated iron. There were also animal sheds by the canal. I wonder if it's the same place?

[Nightwatch]

The subject was discussed at some length eight years ago.

 

Link to thread :- http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=18427&hl=wiggerham#entry295155

Thank you for the link, David. I really did think it was only three or so years ago.

 

Time flies when you're enjoying yourself, obviously.

 

I hadn't read the info from the relative for ages, in my mind it was a researcher, I was wrong.

 

Still interesting how names change over the years. As has been said, we mustn't lose these historic names for places.