NEWSLETTER Summer 2011 - Stratford Canal Society

SWALLOW CRUISERS
NEWSLETTER
Wharf Lane, Lapworth. B94 5NR
Telephone/Fax (01564) 783442
Email: [email protected]
www.stratfordcanalsociety.org.uk
Bridge 27 on the Stratford on Avon Canal
Open seven days a week, including Bank Holidays
VISIT OUR CHANDLERY FOR YOUR
NARROWBOAT AND CRUISER EQUIPMENT
Agents for MARINE MART fittings
Safety work and other repairs undertaken
Most makes of outboard and diesel engines serviced and repaired
Calor Gas Diesel Pump-out Coal
Promote the Society and look good in one of our
Polo Shirts. Most sizes available £15. Contact Steve
The Big Society c1980
Small ads:
Luxury 2/4 berth narrow boat for hire
Semi traditional stern
Based at Streethay Wharf, Coventry Canal
For details go to www.streethaywharf.co.uk
Or phone 01543 414808
With all the talk of the importance of volunteers in the new waterway
charity, here are three members of your current committee in their
younger days backfilling after building the wall on the approach to lock
23. In their haste to get started they forgot their hard hats, hi-vis gear,
lifejackets, orange netting etc. In spite of this, all three survived!
Summer 2011
Issue 351
The Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Society
The objects of the Society are to promote the fullest use, maintenance
and improvement of all Inland Waterways of Great Britain, and in
particular the Stratford upon Avon Canal
Stratford upon Avon Canal Society meetings are usually held on the third Friday
of each month from October to April at 7.45pm.
We meet at Wootton Wawen Village Hall which is situated in the village of Wootton
Wawen, very near to the A3400. All are welcome. Admission to meetings is charged at
£2 per person. This also covers tea/coffee etc.
From the south, leave Stratford on the A3400, pass under the aqueduct at Wootton, past
the village store on the left and then the road takes a 90-degree turn towards Henley in
Arden. At the apex of the bend, turn left onto the B4089 towards Aston Cantlow/Alcester.
On the corner you will see the Bulls Head pub and the entrance to the village hall is 100
yards from the junction, opposite the pub car park.
From the north, leave Henley in Arden on the A3400. As you approach Wootton Wawen,
the road goes down a slight hill and then takes a 90-degree turn to the left. On the apex
of the bend, turn right and follow the instructions as above.
Join the Society - Membership rates are now £10
for any number of members living at the same address, per year.
Send a cheque (payable to ‘Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Society’ together with
your name and address to the Membership Secretary (details inside back cover).
Newsletter No. 351 Summer 2011
The Committee and Society may not agree with the opinions expressed in this
Newsletter; we encourage the publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed herein
can be construed as policy or an official announcement unless it is so stated. The Society
and Committee accept no liability whatsoever for any matter in the Newsletter.
Date for final contributions for issue 352 is 1st September.
Small Ads, for sale or wanted, are welcome. Send details to Clive Henderson. (inside back cover)
Front cover: Messrs Beeston, Glock & Miller on a SonACS work party
(photograher unknown)
1
Joint Chairmen
Alasdair Lawrance
Waterside House, Wharf Lane,
Lapworth,
SOLIHULL B94 5NR
01564 783766
[email protected]
Minuites Secretary
Joan McAdam
Flat 25, Mason House
Green Lane, Shirley,
SOLIHULL B90 1AF
07776 400530
[email protected]
Jeremy Scanlon
1 Canal Cottage
Old Warwick Road
Lapworth
SOLIHULL B94 6BA
07973 483724
[email protected]
Other Committee Members:
Arthur Beeston
24 Stratford Road
WARWICK CV34 6AS
01926 491558
[email protected]
Treasurer
Olwen Blackborow
50 Billesley Lane,
Moseley,
BIRMINGHAM B13 9QS
Membership Secretary
Clive Henderson
The Bridge House,
Church Lane,
Lapworth,
SOLIHULL B94 5NU
01564 783672
07836 523118
[email protected]
Newsletter Editor
Dusty Miller
Furze Hill, London Road
SHIPSTON ON STOUR CV36 4EP.
Contributions to the newsletter to:
[email protected]
Steve Burt
6 Peartree Close
SOLIHULL B90 1LP
0121 244 8439
[email protected]
Dan Farrell
PO Box 1402
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON CV37 9GR
01789 413119
John Glock
33 The Maltings
LEIGHTON BUZZARD LU7 8BS
01525 382311
[email protected]
Malcolm Sadler
3 Swallow Close,
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON CV37 6TT
Tel: 01789 205571
[email protected]
22
Programme of Events 2011
The Vole
This time the Vole can only report on one committee meeting and the
first in our history to be chaired by two people. (Perhaps “chaired”
should change to “setteed” or “sofa’d”?). Plenty was discussed as
ever, and much has been covered in these pages. Ideas were sought
for the programme and for some reason the suggestion of a society
trip to the Purity brewery in Stratford was well received. We have been
given display space on the “William James” licence boat in Bancroft
Basin which will give us a chance to promote the society. Existing
leaflets, updated with sticky labels will be available. The boat is well worth a visit. Arrangements
were made to get the Pinder Plaque to Mick Jeffs our “webmaster” and worthy 2011 winner.
The Vole
Other News...
Some members will have noticed that a small forest, seven in number, of wooden posts, about 8”
square, have been installed on the vehicle approach to Drawbridge Farm, Br 28. They’re in
substantial metal sockets let in to the ground and padlocked in place with combination lock
padlocks. An e-mail to Fazeley elicited the response that they were there to stop vehicles being
driven into the canal, and was a nationwide initiative, because it cost about £1000 to clear up
after a car had been driven in to the cut. The cost of installation of the posts was given as £1600,
so we’ve got to have two such attempts before BW is better than quits. For information, there has
been one such incident, at Br 26 in the 21 years we’ve been at Swallow Cruisers, so you may
have to wait some time before you’re ahead. It’s as useless as bollards at locks and begs the
questions about consultation, heritage, budgets and, more importantly, the estimated probability
of occurrence at this site. Is it any wonder we look on in baffled amazement and wonder why BW
has to scratch around for volunteers to paint lock gates at Hatton? Latest news is that the posts
have been cut down a bit, to about 2’ tall; so if you know anyone who wants bits of oak cut
obliquely both ends and approx. 8” square, contact BW at Fazeley, they might be lying about
somewhere. The reasoning behind this is not, as you might naively have thought, to prevent
obstruction to traffic on the cut; it’s because BW might become liable to the Environment Agency
for “allowing a water-course to become polluted”. This would result, of course, in one branch of
Government fining another branch, but that’s a different, sillier story. Sorry to dis-illusion you…!
Much excitement on the Northern Section, as there’s been some dredging going on. This is done
in the modern style, which consists of a mini-excavator sitting on a sort of floating cushion which
is shunted about the track by a tug. So far, so good, except there’s not always a tug available,
and so the aforesaid excavator can manoeuvre by digging its bucket into the bottom of the cut
and pulling itself along, like a disabled praying mantis. All well and good until it hooks on to an
un-mapped water pipe buried in the puddle, supplying Swallow Cruisers. Much head scratching
takes place, followed by apportioning of liability, and it does explain the tasteful blue pipe affixed
to the north portal of Br 27. Unkind souls have started a sweep on when it’s going to be repaired
properly…. In conclusion, here’s another little quiz for you. When was Br 35 (carrying
the Old Warwick Road) damaged, and when will it be repaired? And, more interestingly, by
whom? Just the thing for the Trial Partnership to get its teeth into.
Alasdair
21
Stratford upon Avon Canal Society
1st July
Annual Dinner (see page 20)
2nd/3rd July
Stratford River Festival (see page 20)
16th Sept
No meeting
14th Oct
China’s Grand Canal - Liam D’Arcy-Brown
18th Nov
Newcomen engine at Birm. Science Museum - Don Payne
9th Dec
Christmas Meeting
Worcester/Birmingham Canal Society
at the "Boat & Railway" public house at Stoke Prior
5th July
Society Walk, A perambulation of Victorian Worcester.
A guided tour explaining Industrial Heritage,
led by Gareth Davies.
2nd August
Society Walk, Venue to be confirmed.
6th September Society A.G.M
BCNS
at Titford Pump House, Oldbury.
11-12th June
BCNS Rally - at Pelsall Common
4th August
Walk with Ray Shill
1st September
Talk by Dean Davies - Progress on the Canals
IWA Warks
at The Alan Higgs Centre, Allard Way, Coventry, CV3 1HW
13th July
Walk & picnic - Hatton Top Lock (7:30pm)
4th August
Summer walk at Napton - meet at the Folly (10:30am)
Other Activities
29-31st July
IWA National Festival - Burton on Trent
2
Message from the
Chairmen
This is the first SonACS Newsletter
to have a joint Chairpersons
introduction, which must be some
kind of record. Jeremy and I agreed
to fill the post together, so it turns
out as something of a BOGOF. It
will hopefully work out in the end!
We come to the Society at a most interesting time, as most readers will be
aware. British Waterways is to be abolished as part of the Government's
"Bonfire of the Quangos", and it's intended it will be replaced by a 'New
Waterways Charity' (NWC) in the Third Sector, as part of the Prime Minister's
"Big Society" initiative. This depends on local activism, volunteering and
charity, and how exactly this will work in practice remains to be seen - opinions
range from cautious optimism to 'Gawd help us all'.
This issue co-incides with the Stratford Canal & River Festival, being held over
2nd and 3rd July. This event is now in its third year, and seems more popular
and successful each year, with upwards of 80 boats attending this time. Next
year should see the 100 barrier broken, with even more attractions on the
bankside. This is being written in early June, so no comments will be made
about the weather!
We hope the Festival is a success and that it provides a good meeting place
for all canal and River Avon users. A welcome is extended to all participants,
and if we can persuade you to join the Canal Society too, so much the better.
To those who are already members, thank you for your support, and we look
forward to some interesting meetings in the Autumn and Winter next year.
Alasdair
Jeremy
PS: Do you shop online? Go to easyfundraising.org.uk to donate to IWA
funds.
Laurel Stevens
It is great sorrow that we have to report the death of Laurel Stevens. The
Society's sincerest condolences go to David and family. Laurel had been a
committee member and had been Editor of the Newsletter. For 20 years she
had produced eight issues each year.
We will be publishing a full appreciation of Laurel in our Autumn issue.
3
2nd & 3rd July 2011
Following the success of last two festivals, the organisers are aiming for
further growth by attracting even more people & boats this year. Boats will
gather on the Friday and the festival will take place over two days. (At short
notice we have been informed the Droitwich canal will be officially opened on
the Friday and boaters wishing to go from Stratford to Droitwich and back in
time for the SonACS dinner (below) should contact Alasdair (pg22).
The Avon Navigation Trust, once again, are offering concession licences to
boats coming off the Canal for the festival and there are various deals for 7,14
& 31 days to allow boaters time to visit the Evesham Festival.
As well as a boat gathering there will be Craft and Trade stalls with waterbased and musical entertainment. A family zone will provide activities for
children. There will be lots more on the river than last year with a fireworks
display and an informal illuminated boat parade on Saturday evening.
Non-boaters are equally welcome and should seek out those with boats!
As happened in 2010/11, SonACS will have a mini marquee at the event. We
will have a display and sell secondhand books. We will also “man” the barge
lock to welcome visiting boaters and to promote the Society. Volunteers are
needed so please contact Steve (pg22).
Annual Dinner
As last year,
we will hold our annual dinner on the Friday
evening of the Stratford River Festival.
Plans have now been finalised and we are
dining at Le Bistrot Pierre which is located in
the Swans Nest Hotel near the festival site.
Tables have been booked for 6.30pm on the
1st July. To book please e-mail or contact
Clive at the address inside back cover ASAP
20
part time, as all these people seem to be terribly busy. Perhaps it’s true you should
give jobs to the busiest people.)
The non-appointment of Clive is incomprehensible, until you begin to perceive this
rebuff as part of the plan to remove BW, and its property in particular, from public
ownership. Although the Waterways Minister has said on more than one occasion that
the Brave New World is not simply a ‘rebranding’ of BW, it’s becoming increasingly
obvious that it’s still BW and their management who are calling the shots, including the
recent announcement of the appointment of a fund raiser, salary unknown. At about
the same time, the membership of the Trial Local Waterways Partnership for the West
Midlands was announced. Your correspondent was not appointed, but ex-Chairman
Steve Burt was, so we have a voice at this table.
As this is being written, the first meeting of the Partnership will be on Wednesday 15
June at 7:30…..in the morning! The chairman is Peter Mathews, CMG (The Chair is
appointed by BW, not elected from the panel members as you might reasonably
expect). We hope to have Peter as a Speaker at one of our monthly meetings, when
the dust has settled, although he might be disappointed that we don’t meet at the crack
of dawn.
Alasdair
In order to meet the publication deadline, I’ve listed the other members of the West
Midlands, Trial Local Waterways Partnership from a draft press release. Like the
trustees, we are all unpaid volunteers. I’ve abbreviated the CVs so apologies if the list
is not 100% accurate:
Ivor Caplan IWA trustee and known to many of you.
David Caunt long standing councillor for Sedgley, many other civic positions.
Anne Cranston director of community, health & wellbeing at Groundwork W. Midlands.
Len Cresswell councillor on Solihull MBC, helped restore Stratford canal in 1960s.
Graham Fisher involved in local w/ways for donkey’s years and known to many of you.
Jim Matthias runs a boat business, ex-BMF board member, Black Country museum.
Jenny Spencer of Canoe England.
Matt Ward general manager at the Copthorne Hotel Merry Hill Dudley.
Vaughan Welch IWA region chairman and known to many of you.
I feel flattered to be included and at the same time intrigued as to what will be
expected of us so I’m starting with an open mind and will keep a little distance from
some of the views expressed elsewhere in this newsletter! There are only two trial
regions and we have a year to establish ourselves before other Partnerships are
established across the country. Watch this space and I will try to keep you up to date
on the progress of our part in the new organisation as BW moves to full charity status
in 2012.
Steve
19
Editor's Report
Welcome to the 24 page Summer Newsletter. We
make no excuse for majoring on local items in this
issue. If you have picked up this quarterly magazine
of the Stratford upon Avon Canal Society at the
Stratford River Festival we hope that you will be
interested enough to become involved in your local
waterway – please join us.
This is a time of great change in the nation’s
waterway system with around 2000 miles of river and
canal being taken out of Government control and into a new Trust.
Developments are progressing rapidly with trustees being appointed and local
groups being set up.
I still have one major problem with the whole idea. This is long term
finance. No ex-nationalised transport system whether it is railways or
waterways can survive on income alone and has to be subsidised. Hundreds
of millions of pounds are pumped into the private rail companies but it is
proposed only to give a grant of £30m per annum for the next 12 years to the
new trust. This is about a third of the money BW received only a few years
ago. If inflation should suddenly escalate this figure could be worth half. Surely
the grant should be inflation linked. I hope that there are emergency
contingency plans in hand if there is a major problem such as the failure of an
embankment or tunnel. In this instance it would seem that the new trust would
only have three options. Firstly to go cap in hand to the Government, - maybe
this would work the first time. Secondly, to sell of part of the property portfolio
to raise the cash, causing future income to be reduced. Thirdly to mothball the
offending waterway, meaning that the cost of reinstatement would far exceed
the original repairs. Those empowered with the running of the new trust must
be given the funds to do the job effectively otherwise there will have to be a
rescue plan and a Government bale out.
£100m per annum doesn’t seem unreasonable in the scale of the cost of
bombing and occupying foreign countries or of warships or even foreign aid.
There seems to almost be a bigger debate over the name of this new trust!
British Waterways Trust is far too near the existing name – looks like business
as usual. National Waterways Trust, not really, Scotland is not included in the
plans. Whatever name is chosen it will have to result in the now almost
obligatory acronym. Has anyone any ideas? Send them to me and I’ll publish
them in the next issue. I’m sure you can do better than me. Canal and River
Navigation Trust - CARNT, a bit negative. River and Navigation Trust - RANT,
perhaps not. Waterway Environment Trust - WET, That‘ll do!
Dusty
4
The River Avon Navigation
The River Avon is a delightful natural feature, but the navigation we enjoy
today was built many years ago by the early pioneers of water transport. They
built the navigation not for pleasure, but for commerce. It was Sir William
Sandys, of Fladbury, who was granted ‘Letters Patent’, or permission from
King Charles 1st In 1635 to begin the work to make the river Avon navigable
from Tewkesbury.
The navigation,
was wrecked by
the civil war in
1640’s, but after
the rebuilding of
destroyed bridges
and neglected
locks, it re-opened
again in 1666. In
1712, records of
tolls show boats
carrying coal, iron,
lead, stone, brick,
lime, timber, wine,
cider, wheat,
barley, corn & flour in barges of 30ft to 45ft long, and 10 to 12ft wide, carrying
10 to 30 tons. This type of vessel was known as an up-river trow, smaller than
the Severn trow, but with the same mast and square sail common to vessels
on the inland waters of England at that time. Late 1700’s saw the coming of
the canal age and competition for trade routes with the opening of the
Worcester & Birmingham Canal, and the Warwick & Birmingham Canal, (later
the Grand Union). The Stratford canal opened in 1816, originally planned
without a link to the river, but the so called barge lock was added later to allow
barges into to the basin for trans-shipping, and to travel downstream.
From the early 1850’s, with the arrival of the proper railways a large chunk of
the waterborne trade from both the canals and the river disappeared.
The owners of the Upper Avon could not raise tolls, and as traffic reduced to a
trickle they ceased taking tolls in 1857. With no maintenance and little traffic,
the navigation rapidly became derelict, the last commercial barge running up
to Lucy’s Mill, the steam tug ‘Bee’ was forced to run with only partially loaded
barges, and finally stopped running in 1873.
The fate of the beautiful Upper Avon was then sealed, it’s locks and weirs
abandoned to crumble into the mud, and the river began to return to it’s old
unmanaged state. By the 1880’s with the navigation rapidly becoming derelict,
5
been a member since 1961 of The Inland Waterways Association, of which he was
General Secretary 1970-73. He was chair of the Commercial Boat Operators
Association. He will relinquish membership of the Inland Waterways Advisory Council
and of the British Waterways Advisory Forum on becoming a trustee for the new
waterways charity. Having sailed dinghies, fished and canoed on the Thames and
elsewhere in his youth, he went onto hire cruisers over most of the network, enjoying
the waterways’ built and natural environment. He now owns an historic narrow boat.
Tom Franklin
Tom is chief executive of the Ramblers, Britain’s walking charity. He is currently a
member of the Independent Panel on the future direction of forestry and woodland
policy in England. He was previously a local authority councillor for twelve years,
including a period as council leader, and was an expert adviser on ‘Better Public
Spaces’ to the Beacon Council Awards Scheme.
Tony Hales CBE
Tony is chairman of British Waterways and Workspace Group plc. He is also chair of
NAAFI Pension Fund Trustees. He was previously chief executive of Allied Domecq, a
non-executive director of HSBC Bank plc, Welsh Water plc and Aston Villa plc, and a
chairman of NAAFI. He is a trustee of Welsh National Opera.
Nigel Hugill
Nigel is a British Waterways board member and chairman of its audit and property
committees. He is executive chairman of Urban & Civic and, previously, was chairman
of Lend Lease Europe and managing director of Chelsfield plc (all major property
development businesses). He is chairman of urban think tank, Centre for Cities, and of
the estates strategy and capital project committees of the London School of
Economics, where he is a member of Council. He also chairs the committee overseeing
the proposed redevelopment of Tate Britain. He is a former special advisor to the
Homes and Communities Agency, sits on the Independent Transport Commission and
is trustee and treasurer of the Architecture Foundation.
Simon Thurley
Simon was educated at London University where he took an MA and a PHD. After
working for English Heritage in the 1980s he went to be curator of the Historic Royal
Palaces for eight years. In 1998 he moved to be director of the Museum of London and
in 2003 chief executive of English Heritage. Simon is an historian specialising in
English architectural history and has written many books and presented television
programmes on the Subject.
What is it about Curators of Royal Palaces? Is it part of the job description, that they
get to play with canals when they retire? It’s also a good job that the trustee posts are
18
New Waterways Charity
Regular readers will know that SonACS keeps a beady eye on happenings on our
canals and waterways, but even their flabber was gasted when it was announced that
our member, Clive Henderson, was not appointed to the interim board of the New
Waterways Charity (NWC). As National Chairman of the Inland Waterways Association,
it seems incredible that a major user-group presence like Clive is not on the new board.
As published by BW, the trustees of NWC are:Lynne Berry OBE
Lynne is chief executive of WRVS, itself with 50,000 volunteers, and associate for Civil
Exchange. Previously she was chief executive of the General Social Care Council,
Equal Opportunities Commission and Family Welfare Association, and was executive
director for the Charity Commission. Lynne serves on the Office for Civil Society’s
advisory body and Red Tape Task Force; co-chairs Women in Public Policy; and was
vice chair of the Deakin Commission on the Future of Voluntary Sector. Her leisure
interests include boating and an interest in industrial heritage. She lives near the Kings
Cross development in London and on the banks of the River Trent where she is
restoring a 1950s wooden boat.
John Bridgeman CBE
John is British Waterways’ vice chairman, chair of the Fair Trading Committee and the
Wales Advisory Group and a pension trustee. He is a former director general of Fair
Trading, member of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and CEO of British
Alcan Aluminium plc. He is also regulatory director of the British Horseracing Authority,
chairman of the Audit and Standards Committee for Warwickshire County Council,
complaints commissioner for the Direct Marketing Authority and a longstanding trustee
of three Oxfordshire charities.
Jane Cotton
Jane has been human resources director and a deputy chief executive of Oxfam, one
of the UK’s largest and most successful charities, for the past 11 years. Prior to this she
worked in Departments of Transport and Environment in both policy and human
resources roles. In the 1990s Jane was resources director of the Charity Commission
and human resources director of Department of Environment, Transport and the
Regions. She brings particular expertise in organisational development and change
management; also in volunteering, fundraising and charity governance.
John Dodwell
John is a chartered accountant who moved into corporate finance and corporate law.
He is a former finance director or chair of several property companies (including setting
up joint ventures), a former charity trustee (including dealing with investments) and has
17
the only boats still using Stratford’s waterways were a few commercial
narrowboats coming down the Stratford canal, and stopping in the canal basin.
Fortunately, Shakespeare came to Stratford’s rescue when the Memorial
Theatre opened in 1886. The second canal basin on the Bancroft was cleared
and turned into a large ornamental pond to form part of the new formal
riverside gardens. The Avon, like many other rivers, soon began to attract
those who wanted a day out from the Victorian industrial towns, and go
boating for pleasure. Boathouses and pleasure boat piers opened up and
down the Avon to serve the new day trippers and tourists, but they only
problem was that, with the navigation derelict, the boats were limited to short
stretches of the river.
Since the 1880’s the river at Stratford had been a long thin boating lake, but
that was soon to change with the revival of interest in the inland waterways in
the 1950s.
In 1950, the Lower Avon Navigation Trust was formed and over the next 12
years they steadily replaced old gates and paddles, and rebuilt the old locks
until in 1962, the navigation re-opened to Evesham. In 1958, the attempts by
WCC and Stratford
Borough Council to
abandon the Stratford
Canal were foiled by the
Stratford Canal Society,
and the enthusiastic
campaign that followed
resulted in the canal reopening in 1964.
Following the success of
the re-opening of the
Stratford Canal in 1964,
David Hutchings agreed to
accept the job of
managing the restoration of the Upper Avon. The river had been abandoned
for 90 years since 1877 and was in ruins.
The new navigation would build new weirs, and re-site locks to achieve their
aim, and satisfy the demands of the Severn River Authority over floods and
drainage.
The Upper Avon Navigation restoration took slightly longer than William
Sandys required to build it. It re-opened in 1974, with the formation of the
Upper Avon Navigation Trust to manage the river.
In 2010 the Lower and Upper Navigation Trusts amalgamated to form the
largest independent and privately managed navigation authority in the country,
the Avon Navigation Trust.
6
The Stratford Warwick Waterways Trust
The Stratford and Warwick Waterways Trust Ltd is a group of like-minded
individuals who both support and are committed to work towards achieving,
the extension of navigation on the River Avon from Stratford-upon-Avon to
Warwick, to join the Grand Union Canal. This link would create a linear water
park providing wider access to the public to enjoy this highly scenic amenity,
passing through some of the finest landscape in central England. We believe
that this waterway would act as a catalyst to other benefits. The opportunity
exists to create and enhance wildlife sites and their safe observation, to
improve foot and cycle paths, to provide car parking, more angling sites,
small boat launching and camping sites, and to give a substantial benefit to
the local economy, job creation and
social inclusion.
Over 350 years ago, navigation was
possible from Tewkesbury to the
outskirts of Warwick. Since the
completion of the renovation of the 46
miles of the Avon navigation between
Tewkesbury and Stratford some 30
years ago, efforts have been made to
promote the restoration of the 12
miles of the upstream section.
Warwick Castle
Recently this short length was
identified by AINA (Association of Inland Navigation Authorities) as one of the
few missing broad inland navigation links between the estuaries of the
Severn and the other major English estuaries (Mersey, Humber, Thames and
the Wash).
This recognition by AINA coincides with a substantial shift in public and
governmental attitudes to inland waterways, which are now appreciated for the
opportunities they offer for economic growth, leisure, personal development
and education. This Upper Avon Extension ( UAE ) has become a significant
national issue. It is the view of The Stratford and Warwick Waterways Trust Ltd
that the inertia of past years can best be overcome if all those bodies that
have a major interest in the UAE, the national and local authorities, private
individuals and the political and economic resources, were to join forces. The
Trust has been formed to co-ordinate these efforts with the achievement of the
UAE as its prime objective.
John Glock
7
bringing his now famous boat along the Stratford canal. The authorities jacked
up the bridge to allow passage for 'Cressy'.
The Stratford Canal Society together with the inland Waterways Association
(Instigated mainly by Rolt) some M.P.s and other enthusiasts, including the
National Trust, all backed the move to open the Stratford Canal.
One bone of contention at the beginning of the restoration was the fact that the
boat basin was in the middle of the new ornamental gardens and the Council
seemed to have an aversion to having boats moored in the basin. They put
forward an objection opposing any ideas as to the mooring of boats in the
basin. It was even proposed that a new cut be opened from lock 55 to enter
the River Avon further upstream. This proved impractical and costly and never
came to fruition. Work was at this time in motion for the formal opening of the
canal, also for the National Boat Rally proposed for summer 1964. The
National Trust, who were now the owners of the canal decided that the
restoration of the original Bancroft Basin and its lock must go ahead.
During the early 1960's difficult and arduous work had been done to reopen
the canal, by volunteers from all walks of life. From organisations, even men
from the prisons clearing weed, repairing locks and dredging. It was eventually
declared navigable and on 11th. July 1964 the opening ceremony was
performed by the Queen Mother who travelled in a boat from Bancroft Basin
through the lock onto the River Avon. After a turbulent few years the
responsibility for Bancroft Basin and gardens was transferred in 1977 from the
National Trust to Stratford Council. They faced their responsibilities and saw
that the basin was dredged and essential repairs carried out.
Today, seeing the colourful boats moored in the basin, with the background of
the completed theatre and the gardens one cannot but be pleased with the
spectacle. The feeling of tranquillity inspired by the slow and stately moving
boats and (usually) the slow and stately moving river surrounded by the
attractive gardens make a restful scene. The delight when emerging, in a boat
from the road tunnel and coming upon this scene is one of my memorable
moments. I have spent much time in Bancroft Basin and can vouch for the fact
that as many photographs are taken of the colourful boats as of the buildings.
Because the canals are so typical of England they seem to be popular with
foreign visitors. I wonder how many return to hire a narrowboat to explore our
canals?
In writing this article I perused much material, some of it with differing dates
and facts. Anyone who would like to add to this or make a correction would
you please do this through the medium of the Newsletter. Cheers.
Joan McAdam.
16
restaurant are wonderful, but the half finished wall is a puzzle. Has it been left
just as a talking point?
The riverside walk has been re-opened and it is now possible to walk from
Clopton Bridge through Bancroft Gardens, past the front of the theatre as far
as Holy Trinity Church.
BACK TO BANCROFT Now trade had stopped, the last commercial boat
travelled to Stratford in 1920. Sundry small boats still plied their trade on the
now neglected canal. Some years later, Stratford Council were not
enthusiastic or sympathetic with regards to the canal and were starting to
make noises about having it closed down, and applied for a warrant to
abandon it. However, there was a group of enthusiasts who wanted to see the
canal restored and
used for leisure and
were determined to
see that this
happened. In 1956
The Stratford on Avon
Canal Society was
formed to secure the
use of the Southern
Section from
Lapworth to Stratford.
To prove the canal
was navigable two
men from this society
applied for and
obtained a licence to
canoe from Stratford
along the canal. They managed to reach Hockley Heath, by portaging round
the now defunct locks, then canoed back thus proving the canal was
navigable. When the council declared its legal right to have the canal closed
the two men were able to produce the evidence that the canal was navigable,
namely the toll tickets for the journey.
In the 50's interest in opening the canals for recreation had been growing. An
activity known as ‘campaign cruising' sprang up. One of the founding fathers of
the movement was L.T.C. Rolt, whose book 'Narrowboat' describing a canal
trip round England, in his boat 'Cressy’ did much to arouse enthusiasm on the
subject. When it was found that all traffic had come to a stop on the Stratford
Canal because a supposedly moveable bridge (Lifford Lane Bridge) had
become an obstruction, Rolt informed the authorities of his intention of
15
From the Local Press
Stratford Warwick Link
April 15th Stratford MP Nadhim Zahawi gave the thumbs up to campaign to
open the river up to Warwick reported the Observer. He said "I was very
excited to hear the plans to open navigation further linking Stratford and
Warwick. This will provide an excellent new resource for our two towns,
increasing the number of opportunities for the visitors which are so important
to our local economy. I will certainly do all I can to get this project going".
This caused a response the following week in the Letters to the Editor headed
"Avon canal plan a waste" the contributor stating that apart from the
destruction of wildlife habitats and the intrusive engineering works, there is no
economic case for this doomed proposal.
This was followed on May 13th by "Avon plan is good for all" and explained
that it would bring economic benefit to the area, would not involve destruction
of wildlife habitats it would even encourage wild life back.
Then on May 20th another letter aimed at scaremongering stating the
campaign is an expression of greed and again cites destruction of wild life
habitats, rendering the tranquillity and beauty of the area into a noisy polluting,
artificially shaped waterway.
We all know that everyone that has a boat is directly related to Vikings set on
rape and pillage. Perhaps some of these doom and gloom merchants should
get out and actually see how wildlife survives and thrives in conjunction with
activities of humans further down the beautiful Avon, Ed
Volunteering
It was reported in the Stratford
Midweek Herald of 19th April,
that Volunteers get out their
paint and brushes to spruce up
canal.
A new waterway volunteering
group, overseen by BW, have
been meeting monthly to care for
the Stratford Canal by painting
lock gates and metal bridges as
well as removing litter. Anyone
wishing to join Clive, Steve and
others on these Saturday work
parties should contact Murray
Woodward on 01827 252000.
8
A Sonacs Link to Stratford Canal History
One of NB Unicorn's unusual features embodies a bit of Stratford Canal
history: about 25 years ago I fashioned a large "lazy Susan" from one of the
last bits of well-seasoned mahogany supplied by Cox's Timber Yard before its
doors closed forever, after a century and a half of trading on that site. The
great timber shed, sole survivor of the range of commercial and industrial
premises which once surrounded a busy inland port, now houses, inter alia, a
small theatre, rather less grand than the hundred million pound theatre
opposite.
As an historian, I felt that I was carrying back to my boat, not just a piece of
timber, but a bit of history. I did not know that I had, or soon would have, a
personal as well as a professional/sentimental connection to Cox's yard. A
little Stratford history will explain the connection.
Cornwall & Rosalind tied by the drawbridge at
Majors Green prior to the cruise on May 1st 1949.
In 1827, Edward Flowers and James Cox opened a timber business beside
the canal basin. Five years later, the partnership was amicably dissolved. On
what had been the timber yard, Flowers opened a brewery: Cox relocated the
timber business to the Bridgefoot site, where river barges could deliver
massive tree trunks without entering the perennially silty canal basin.
9
THE THEATRE There has been a theatre in this location since 1769, when a
temporary wooden building was constructed, promoted by David Garrick, the
actor. This was almost washed away by two days of torrential rain causing
flooding. (A small theatre, known as the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, had
been built in the garden of Shakespeare's home in the nineteenth century but
had become derelict by 1860)
The first permanent
theatre was built, and
opened in 1879, known
as the Shakespeare
Memorial Theatre with
an audience capacity of
1,400. This burned down
in July 1926. As the
second canal basin had
been infilled, in 1902 a
replacement theatre was
sited partially on the
reclaimed land thus
bringing it nearer to the
gardens.
The new theatre opened
in April 1932 and named The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre. The actors and
the audience shared the space in the theatre as had been done in
Shakespeare's time
This theatre thrived for many years providing a focus for the tremendous
worldwide interest in 'The Bard of Avon' and attracted many tourists to
Stratford. It was renamed The Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 1961.
It was decided to develop and refurbish the theatre and work started in 2007.
During this time the Stratford Council decided to re-develop Bancroft Gardens.
As is usually the case there was much criticism about the new development.
People don't like change. The council no doubt had in mind the cost of
maintaining the gardens and wanted to retain the asset to the community
whilst cutting down on costs. Some trees needed to be felled. The mess and
upheaval surrounding the Bancroft area for about three years was hard to
bear. The refurbished theatre was opened in February 2011 by Her Majesty
the Queen accompanied by Prince Phillip. They were treated to a performance
of the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet. The cost of this refurbishment
was approximately £100million. Contributions came from many sources
including the RSC of America. The whole theatre has access for the disabled,
three times as many seats as in the original building. The views from the upper
14
About Bancroft and the Theatre.
THE BANCROFT was originally an area of land where the townspeople
grazed their animals. With the coming of the canals the land known as the
Bancroft was developed in 1816 into a basin for the boats which travelled
down the Stratford Canal from Birmingham. Canal mania had seized the
country and in 1793 work had begun to create a canal to Stratford. In order
that there would be a source of water for the canal, three lakes were created
at Earlswood in 1815. These have proved not only to service the canal but to
provide a useful amenity for the community. Wild life is abundant, good walks
and fishing. In later years sailing was established on one of the lakes.
There were high hopes of making Stratford on Avon a port of some
importance. This was not realized but the canal did have connections with the
Birmingham and Worcester canal and the Grand Union Canal and became
quite busy. It was also possible to carry on from Stratford down the River Avon
to meet with the River Severn at Tewkesbury. The basin at Bancroft became
surrounded by
wharves, warehouses
and various
businesses
connected with the
boats that used the
canal. This area was
crisscrossed by
tramlines needed to
transport the goods
handled at the
wharves. A second
basin for boats was
built in 1826 and
trade reached a peak
in 1830.
With the advent of the
railways, the land around Bancroft became owned by various railway
companies. By this time trade had fallen off and the surrounds of the Bancroft
had become an eyesore. The theatre at this time was sited further down the
riverside.
The canal continued to be used for trade throughout the 1880's but use
dwindled. In 1883 the Corporation (Stratford Council) bought the Bancroft site
for the purpose of turning it into public gardens and walks. The now unsightly
mess of buildings was demolished, the second basin filled in and the area
landscaped.
13
The brewery thrived, and was soon replaced by a much larger plant. By the
end of the century the Flowers seemed well on the way to joining the exalted
ranks of those ennobled brewers known collectively as "the beerage." The
Coxes were more modestly successful, although it must have helped that for
some years they did all the cooperage for the expanding brewery. They did not
run to the sort of mansions where fin de siecle Flowers entertained
Chamberlains, but their timber business supported serious philanthropy. As
early as 1835, only three years after going solo, James Cox built an elegant
chapel for his "Particular Baptist" coreligionists.
His heir was equally generous. James Cox Jr, a convert to Roman
Catholicism, engaged the celebrated Gothic revivalist Augustus Pugin to
design an edifice suitable for his new faith. It was consecrated in 1866, the
first Catholic church in Stratford since the reign of Mary Tudor.
The second James Cox was described in a Birthplace Trust publication as "a
genial, liberal-minded man," but his liberality was not up to the challenge
presented by his son's involvement with a singer in a local public house.
Lawrence might have been forgiven, unless Lizzy Grimes had been singing in
The Ship. This notorious pub was handily placed on Waterside to lure to
destruction a young man trying to keep his mind on the price of 4x8s.Any
young woman seen in the Ship had lost her character forever. Even his having
got the hussy with child might have been got round.
Unforgivably, the lad had married her! Victorian liberalism could not accept this
contamination, by the public house, of the blood line of respectable timber
merchants, for whom even the Flowers connection had been too close to the
tap and spile. Lawrence was given a small silver handshake, told that was the
limit of his patrimony, and told never again to approach the respectable home
he had disgraced.
Lawrence Cox, who in later life never met a publican or a bookie's clerk he did
not like, began married life as he meant to go on. Resolved to turn his meager
share of the family timber into a real fortune, he set off, Lizzy and infant in tow,
on the great Klondike gold rush. Remarkably, all three returned alive.
Inevitably, they returned penniless, and sought relief at the parental door.
James Cox was obdurate: Lawrence had made his bed and must lie on it. But
the senior Coxes would look after the child until its parents were in a position
to care for it properly. Young Isabel Cox spent her most impressionable years
in upper-middle class luxury in Stratford, and for the rest of her long life nursed
a resentment at having been pulled down from her proper place in society.
She made it worse for herself by marrying Charley Hamblin, canal carpenter,
and moving into a company cottage completely devoid of mod cons. And that
is how her daughter, and my wife, Dorothy Priest, came to be born at 2 Canal
Cottage, Lapworth.
Jeremy
10
My Early Waterway Memories
The Stratford canal in 1949 - 50 (cont)
Lorelei had the distinction of being
the last boat through the old bridge
on Sunday March 13th 1950, as
the D.& I.W.E. had already
decided to replace the bridge,
which showed that the persistence
of the I.W.A. had paid off. A new
steel swing bridge, built to the
pattern of the bridges on the
Kennet & Avon canal, was fitted
later that month, making the
northern section of the canal once
again open to through traffic. The
swing bridge is now over fifty years
old and had, until recently
damaged by vandals who had
burned a stolen car on the deck,
remained in good condition.
In April the family and I had
several walks along the Stratford
canal between Wooton Wawen and Bishopton. On
Saturday the 16th we drove down to Bearley and
parked the car by the aqueduct. The iron trough
standing high on brick piers looked most
impressive. At 158 yards long it was the biggest
structure I had yet seen on the waterways. We
climbed to the towpath and walked across the
aqueduct, looking down through the railings of the
low level path at the road, stream and the railway
that went underneath. In the distance we could see
a lock so continued. The lock appeared to be in
quite good repair but the lock keepers cottage was
empty and only being used as a tool store by the
lengthsman. Further along towards Wooton
Wawen it was pleasing to see that some repair
works were being carried out to the storm paddles.
In both the long pounds the depth of water looked
11
sufficient to navigate. The following Saturday we drove back to the same spot
but set off south towards Wilmecote. Apart from the lush growth along the
towpath and two rather crumbling split bridges there was not much to see until
we reached the old lime works. Two cottages
stood among the ruins of the old crushing plant
and limekilns by the canal. The bridge for the old
tramway, which had been used to bring the stone
from the quarries at Temple Grafton, had gone
except for the stone piers.
For our last walk we went to Wilmecote and
headed towards the Old Stratford flight of locks.
Considering that the last commercial boat had
been this way nearly twenty years before, the
condition of the locks appeared surprisingly good,
most of those in the flight looking in a workable
condition. Water levels were not so good however,
particularly those of the two long pounds at
Bishopton. The cruiser Quest had been as far as
the top lock at Wilmcote in 1947 without too many
problems, it had only been a lack of time that had
stopped them trying to go down the locks to
Stratford. Since then people in Lowsonford have
told me that the maintenance boat
used the locks prior to
nationalisation, and I have also
been shown the notebook of the
carpenter at Lapworth depot who
had been taking measurements for
new lock gates at that time. It
would now appear that the new
regime of the D.& I.W.E. had less
interest in that part of the canal
than the G.W.R., who had kept it
clear as far as the top of Wilmecote
locks. From this point a pipeline
had been laid under the towpath to
take water down to Stratford station
for their steam engines, so that the
canal was less important to them.
Colin Scrivener
12