James Hall and The Waterman Inn

[Michael Owen]

I came across a discussion whilst researching my family history associated with the Hall family of Bugsworth, Derbyshire. The topic centred around Fairfield Locks but mentioned a boat owner called James Hall who was also publican at The Waterman's Inn close to the locks. I was wondering if anyone could point me towards any other information about James (full name James Samuel Hall). He was a third generation boatman in the Hall family and I believe he may have also become a local councilman in the area. Many thanks.

[jeannette smith harrison]

I have some records on 12 different Hall boating familys. Attatched should however be connected to the one you ask about = MAUD hall on her Dad James boat .

[billh]

Welcome to the forum!

You will find  some information here:

https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/topic/55048-can-anyone-identify-this-boat/&tab=comments#comment-1043486.

 I have a couple of pictures of James Hall's daughters(?)  aboard Mr Hall's boats at Fairfield., also I  have  somewhere a picture of the Waterman Inn taken by my father possibly just after WW2. If you  go to the "Britain from above " website and search "Droylsden" there are aerial photos taken in 1930's showing Jim Hall's fleet moored up between locks 17 and 18 at Fairfield. 

Mr Hall owned sand quarries at Daisy Nook on the Hollinwood Branch canal and employed boatmen to dig the sand , load boats  and transport to a builders merchants at Greenside Lane. The men were relatively well paid. Another contract was boating raw cotton in bales from the Manchester Ship Canal to Ashton Brothers Throstle Bank Mill in Hyde and Goyt Mill in Marple

All in all he was a Big Wheel in the area!

Hope this helps

Bill

ETA  Jeanette has beat me to it with a picture.......

[pete harrison]

I have health registration details for several of James Hall's narrow boats - FRED, IVY, MAUD, REGINALD.

I also have LIZZIE for Thomas Hall of 5 North Road, Fairfield, Droylsdon 

[Michael Owen]

Hi everyone - thanks for your responses to my post yesterday.

The photograph you show Jeanette is the item that made me raise this query in the first place having been displayed on an enthusiast website along with a mention of James Hall. I would certainly be interested in details of the other Hall families though. It was certainly a family profession, James' grandfather Thomas was a boatman and just today I have found the census of 1861 showing him moored at Orsall Locks in Salford carrying lime on a vessel called 'Wonder' owned by a Mr John Bibbington. Currently I'm trying to find if the Halls were involved in canal transportation from the outset at Bugsworth in 1798 right through to the demise of trade there in the 1930's.

Bill, the historical background is fascinating - absolutely enjoy discovering these stories behind the names. Currently I live in New Mills, very close to the Peak Forest Canal and only a couple of miles from Bugsworth Basin where Thomas Hall lived when not out on the water. I shall certainly look at the 'Britain from above' website but if you could find the picture of The Waterman I would be very grateful. Searching old photo collections on the net has proved fruitless.

Pete, is there any way in which you could let me see copies of the registration documents please? I'm not sure of the information they hold but I'm sure to find it interesting. I haven't come across that Droylsden address yet in my research but certainly 'Lizzie', 'Ivy' and 'Maud' are family names closely related to James.

Thanks again for all your help

Michael

[pete harrison]

9 hours ago, Michael Owen said:

Pete, is there any way in which you could let me see copies of the registration documents please? I'm not sure of the information they hold but I'm sure to find it interesting. I haven't come across that Droylsden address yet in my research but certainly 'Lizzie', 'Ivy' and 'Maud' are family names closely related to James.

I am afraid I do not have original Documents, but these boats were all health registered at either Manchester or Stoke on Trent - both of which I transcribed as partial health registers with more than half of their (earlier) content 'lost'. All of my health registration transcripts are housed in a Microsoft Access database (currently standing at 18092 entries), making them quick and easy to find and far less dusty, smelly and space consuming than original Documents 

Edited April 28, 2018 by pete harrison