Chorley L&L Top Lock Heapy

[Peter-Bullfinch]

This was posted on our local "Then and Now" site. I presume it is at the top of Johnson's Hillock. I wonder if anyone can identify  any more of the boat and scene?

[Heartland]

Looking at the image it was registered at Leigh 315? and has the name Mary & Ralph Wadosoe, I think. Leigh registration would imply a boat based roughiy in that area which includes both the Bridgewater and L & L. The amount of collieries in this area would suggest the craft carried coal 

[Pluto]

The boat is the Mary of Wheelton, owned by Ralph Walmesley. He owned the Thomas, registered no 69 in Blackburn, in 1905, while J Walmesley owned Henry, registered 246 at Wigan, in 1922. Looking at the Boatfamiles website, http://www.boatfamilies.website/search.php?mylastname=Walmsley&lnqualify=equals&mybool=AND gives a good number of boatmen and women with this surname name, though this branch of the family seems to have been based in the Wheelton area, at the top of Johnsons Hillock. There were a good number of owner boatmen, or those with a small fleet, working on the coal traffic between the Leigh branch and the Blackburn area. The Blackburn coal merchants Dean Waddingtons were the last on this traffic, which ended in 1955. Shortly afterwards, when the Burnley coalfield ceased being able to provide suitable coal for Whitebirk Power Station, coal from the Leigh branch was considered, but by then the locks were not in a suitable condition for regular working, and the idea was given up.

The decoration on the square stern is typical of Lancashire area between Blackburn and Wigan. I always liked the cabin ventilator in this photo, just to the right of the boatman. The pitch of the 'roof' varied considerably from yard to yard. There is also a proven box, just visible of the left of the deck. Proven for the horse was kept in a special cupboard in the stern cabin, with sufficient for each day brought out and kept in the proven box, where it could be damped to make it easier for the horse to eat. The dampened proven was usually put in a nose bag for the horse to eat, often at locks where it gave the horse something to keep it quiet whilst waiting for the boat.

[Peter-Bullfinch]

3 hours ago, Pluto said:

 

Thank you so much. I have taken the liberty of posting your responses back to this local Chorley "then and now" group.