The Butty - Autumn 2024

AUTUMN 2024

Butty The

Crofton for Kids How Crofton Beam Engines are engaging young people

Bradford Lock Our lock series continues

Rennie’s Canal in Bricks

Welcome Who's who President: Rob Dean CMG

Dear Members, Contrary to what our cover image would have you believe, it’s getting chillier and the evenings are drawing in, which means it must be time for the Autumn Butty!

Our cover for this edition was sent to me by Lesley Hooper, our Boat Manager at Bradford on Avon, and shows happy passengers enjoying a trip on Barbara McLellan as part of The Jane Austen festival. You can read more on this, as well as our other trip boats, in our Branch Updates (pages 4-13).

We also hear from Mary Ranger, who updates us on how the season has been for our twinned canal, Canal du Nivernais. I always enjoy hearing from Mary and thinking about how similar our canals are despite the miles between them. In this article, Mary remarks ‘our beautiful canal seems to swing between years of drought and lack of water or excessive rainfall and flooding’ which brings back memories of sitting in the K & A office debating the problem of there being not nearly enough water in the canal for our Bruce Boats to run trips.

I would love to include more content from readers and members in future editions of The Butty so please do feel free to write to me with your memories of the Canal, pictures you have taken along the towpath and would like to be shared or that canal article you’ve been meaning to write.

You can email me at thebutty@katrust.org.uk I hope you enjoy the articles and photos in this edition and until I write to you again in the Spring, stay warm and well, Jen Jen Smith-Furmage Editor

Get in touch 01380 721279 thebutty@katrust.org.uk /KACTrust @kennetandavoncanaltrust

K&A Canal Trust, Devizes Wharf, Couch Lane, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 1EB

Vice presidents: Rt Hon Lord Benyon Bill Fisher David Lamb Michael Corfield Michael Goodenough Prunella Scales, CBE Terry Kemp Timothy West, CBE David Copley Trust council: Graham Puddephatt, Chair chair@katrust.org.uk Jerry Dixon, Hon. Treasurer fd@katrust.org.uk Graham Snook Mike Bailey, H&S Ali Cannon Robert Dunton Terry Mundy Paul Hanson Enterprise board: Graham Puddephatt, Chair Jerry Dixon Michael Corish Ceri Hanlon Paul Hanson Office: Helen Flavin finance@katrust.org.uk Phoebe Restorick admin@katrust.org.uk

The Trust is a registered charity, No. CC209206, and a company limited by guarantee registered in England, No. 726331

Autumn 2024

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In this edition Capturing the canal

3 Chairman’s Letter An update from Trust Chairman, Graham Puddephatt.

15

4-13 Branch Updates Updates from the our Branches (and their boats!) as we come to the end of the 2024 season.

14 Work Experience Nola Laidlaw tells us about the experience of working with the trust as a sixth former.

15

16

Locks on The Canal Alison Cannon continues her locks series with Bradford Lock

17 Building The Canal Jamie Wright shares his knowledge of Rennie and some of the materials that built the canal.

19

17

The Canal Taverners Boat Club Trust Archivist Elaine Kirby reflects on the club

21 News From The Nivernais Mary Ranger brings us news and updates from our twinned canal in France, Canal du Nivernais.

Autumn 2024

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Chairman’s Letter I hope you all had an enjoyable summer,

My granddaughter took the opportunity to photograph the moving engine in the more dimly lit atmosphere. She was

When I wrote in the Spring, I commented on the high-

thrilled with the result. She was further impressed when

water levels, and red boards which lasted until mid-May.

the Astronomer giving a talk said the light was generated

We are now reaching the close of September, and the

by the stars when Elizabeth I was on the throne, as she is

high-water levels and Red Boards have returned again.

fascinated by the Tudors.

This is earlier than I have known before, and again

The Trustees are currently reviewing the arrangements

raises concerns about floods and water management.

where many activities such as passenger boats and

The growing need to manage the weather extremes

café’s, are operated through a trading subsidiary known

affecting our navigations, appears to go beyond the

as Enterprise. Professional advice has been received

resources of a charitable function. Managing the

demonstrating that the trading company could be

waterways as a resource to move, direct, store and

absorbed back into the Trust. Consultation and due

control the levels and availability of water, would justify

diligence within the Trust is under way to assess the

the IWA campaign to ‘Fund Britain’s Waterways’,

benefits and disadvantages, hoping to conclude by the

maintaining government funding.

end of the year.

Our volunteers have been doing a tremendous job of

My experience this year has shown me what a wonderful

showing our passengers and guests how wonderful our

job our volunteers do. Enjoyment and engagement is

waterway is with the fascinating mix of nature,

there for young and old alike. For my part there is a huge

environment and history to be found along the lengths. I

thank you to all the folk who contribute to the activities of

have taken my granddaughter on a few trips this year

the trust. It is greatly appreciated.

and it was delightful to see how much she enjoyed the experience. It was great to see the crews doing what

GrahamP

they do, always with a pleasant word and a smile to their passengers.

Sadly, in early September we learnt that Major Mike Wyatt, a Vice president and long-term supporter and

Volunteers are our great asset, and they were again in

activist with the Trust has died. It is a sad loss, and our

evidence when I visited Crofton for a steaming, with my

condolences have been passed to his family. Mike was

family. My seven-year-old granddaughter was fascinated

actively involved in the Trust activities with the Reading

with the overflow tank as it gurgled and spluttered away.

branch and restoration. He was involved in the initial

Her enjoyment was enhanced further when she found

Reading Waterfest and he championed subsequent

she could roll down the embankment. My mother-in-law loved chatting to the volunteers who were driving the engine and stoking the boiler.

Dark skies were the focus for the astronomy night at Crofton. Our impressive engine took a polite background stance, gently turning over with little fuss.

events. It was only a few years ago that his own boat Moonflower last attended the event. Mike gave a presentation to the branch talking about the history of the Reading branch and some of the parts he played.

This 60 min presentation has been arranged into 10 min clips and is be available from the Trusts YouTube channel. youtube.com/kennetandavoncanaltrustrea2464

Autumn 2024

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Reading Branch Updates Reading Waterfest feels like a long while ago but is now a good memory. We had lots of smiling faces and an increase in boat attendance although we had a number that had planned to make the trip that were stopped by water conditions. There were two boats who had planned to set off from Sheffield but had to resign themselves to not being able to make the distance in time. Likewise, we had four boats that told me reluctantly, the night before, that they were still west of Newbury and were not going to

Lowland Rescue at Waterfest

make it!

Our Matilda Too trips are continuing to be popular. By the Our first decision for next year’s event was to move it back

end of August…Passenger Numbers were up by 15% and

in the calendar. Waterfest will be on June 28th in 2025.

income up by 8%. Advertising through “What’s on Reading”

This will give an extra two weeks to get over the winter

seems to be creating interest and customers. We find we are

water issues, and see the trees removed, and the banks

on the outer edge of the TfL area courtesy of the Elizabeth

repaired. We were unable to use the Huntly wharf

line. This has provided some interesting passengers from

moorings this year due to the lack of depth against the

many parts of the Greater London area who can use their

new wharfage. This was supposed to have been taken

Freedom pass to reach Reading. We have increased the

down to 3 ft by the developer…but wasn’t!!! we are talking

crew numbers by 2 new volunteers and have 3 newly trained

with Reading Borough Council and the developers to

accredited CCBM skippers. The early rise in water flow

rectify this for next year and hopefully earlier. We plan to

means we have had to look at running for the winter

bring one of the Bruce Boats Branch accessible boats to

moorings before we are once again trapped away from

the Waterfest again next year and will be looking for local

maintenance and workshop space.

groups who may be interested in trips. t was felt that the music on the floating stage was much

The Aldermaston Tea Room has been well attended and has

more in keeping this year and we have already begun

staged some Promotional K&A Trust events. They offer K&A

talking to musicians to provide next year’s music.

Trust member discounts for their offerings. Our work on the “Wash / Toll” house has continued, with more artefacts being donated to further add to the wash house display. It is open during the summer when the tea room is open.

We arranged to restart the Branch Winter meetings in September with our first guest speaker to be Victoria Owen talking about her new biography of LTC Rolt. Unfortunately, she was unable to attend at short notice. Our thoughts are with her and her family. We will reschedule the talk in future.

The September meeting instead turned into a general review of recent Reading Branch & Trust activity and raised much

Debris on the ZigZag weir

Autumn 2024

interested discussion.

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On 15th October we decided to show the video presentation that Mike Wyatt gave us a few years ago as reminder and recognition of the work that Mike had done for the Reading Branch and the Trust in general.

We hope to have the CRT hydrology team talking about a study which has been done, with computer modelling of the flows and flooding, of the Kennet and Avon over recent years.

In the New year we plan to host Kev Maslin showing us his photographs of canals and working boats.

Meetings take place on the third Tuesday of the month at The Cunning Man Pub, Burghfield bridge, RG30 3RB. They can also be accessed via Zoom. Email chair.reading@katrust.org.uk for the meeting link.

Dates and subjects of all talks can be found on the Website once confirmed.

Katrust.org.uk Best regards GrahamP “Reading on Kennet and oh so near the Thames”....Daniel Defoe 1724

Photos (left to right) Waterfest Trophy Winners Major and Lord Lunt banging home a point at Waterfest Matilda and the gang at Waterfest Autumn 2024

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Newbury Branch Updates It is nearly the end of September and we are back to mentioning the rain!

The picture of Jubilee at the wharf was on a day when the river Kennet was back in flood and some boats were struggling to make progress up the river. It was pouring with rain and we were discussing the flow rate through the town bridge (again).

We have had a busy Summer – training was done on dry land as the river flow didn’t allow us to move the Jubilee – we eventually started to operate the boat 4 weeks later than plan with a reduced capacity in the middle of May.

A rainy day in Newbury

That being said, we have been very busy; many passengers on public trips and a significant increase in several areas. Gin and beer tasting trips in partnership with local businesses have been very successful. We have been operating 3-4 charters a month.

We also managed to get the Jubilee down to the Reading Waterfest in June (but with some adventures on the way and on the way back and the high flow meant that steering the boat upstream was like weight training!) However, it was all worthwhile – lots of interest from the visitors on the many trips done. The long transit from Newbury to Reading was also a much-appreciated opportunity for all the crew to helm the boat, see different parts of the Kennet and Avon Canal and spend time catching up.

We have a good number of new volunteers on the boat and they are now crewing and helming the boat but we are always looking for more volunteers.

We start to wind down soon – Creepy Cruises in October and then Santa Trips, which we hope to be Beer tasting cruises prove popular Autumn 2024

able to run on the water this year. katrust.org.uk | 6

Hungerford Branch Updates Another season draws to a close, although the ever popular Santa trips are still to come.

Pleasingly (and profitably!), there have been a large number of charters this year.

Passenger numbers have, in general been lower than in previous seasons; there appears to be specific reason for this and informal discussions with other businesses in Hungerford suggest that there have been fewer visitors overall.

Weather delayed the Rose’s MCA out of water inspection.Although not unexpected, it was

Rose of Hungerford remains the highest rated Hungerford tourist attraction on TripAdvisor and we are grateful for the kind comments from passengers who have enjoyed their experience.

Finally, a very sad piece of news: Glenys Bettley, wife of Tony, one of our Boatmasters and a keen and dedicated volunteer herself, died in September, after a prolonged period of ill health.

Her cheerful competence and enthusiasm, her ready smile and the mischievous twinkle which so often came to her eyes will be sorely missed.

disappointing to find that her hull had thinned to a level where MCA required us to replace a large area of her plating. We were, however, permitted to continue with passenger trips for the summer on a temporary certificate and the required repairs will take place at the beginning of November, in time for the December children’s trips. MCA insisted that the old plating be removed and replaced, rather than simply overplating. This means that the galley and toilet will have to be cleared out, as they are both fitted in wood. It has been decided to use this opportunity to improve access to the toilet for people with disability, although this will mean a considerable reduction in galley space.

Weather also delayed a much needed paint job and she looked her age during the first part of our season. A window of opportunity at the beginning of August was gratefully seized!

Autumn 2024

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Bruce Branch Updates What a year we have had! 50 holiday hires, 68 day trips, 31 Lady Hilda bookings. The four Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Residentials on Lady H provided 23 young people with training leading to the NCBA Boat Handling Certificate. We have run 9 hirer training weekends. In all, Bruce Boats has this year given time on the water to over 1400 people. Our 75 active volunteers – including over a dozen new this year – have crewed, cleaned, checked and maintained the boats to consistently high standards, recording over 4500 hours of activity on KARS. But Bruce Boats is not about numbers. It is about making a difference to people’s lives – especially those who are disabled, disadvantaged or elderly, their families, friends and carers, and members of youth organisations. The many spontaneous thank you emails we receive are a testimony to our success in doing this. Here are three of them: Fiona and her two friends had no experience of canal boating until they came for a training weekend in advance of their holiday. Although Fiona has physical disabilities, she was able to steer the boat sitting on a perching stool while her companions worked the locks.

Afterwards, Fiona wrote; ‘We had an amazing adventure. We all loved it so much. It was very empowering as we all found things we could achieve so we came away feeling that we could do more than we thought we could. It was such a boost to our mental health as well as great fun. My best holiday ever.’

Nigel wanted a holiday with friends, but one of their number had had a severe stroke and is now a wheelchair-user. They chose Bruce Boats, and discovered the benefit that time on the canal can bring: ‘I just wanted to drop a quick note to thank everyone at Bruce Boats for our recent experience hiring one of your boats. The experience has been brilliant from first enquiry to handing back.

Communication was excellent, the training perfect and then the actual hire was everything we hoped for. By the end, our friend Gordon had really improved and we saw a lot more of our old friend from before he had his stroke.‘

Autumn 2024

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Our day trips cater for a wide variety of groups: care homes, day centres and support groups, as well as families celebrating special birthdays or other milestones. This email gives a good idea of what a Bruce day trip is like: ‘For this diverse group of different ages, abilities and tastes, this trip brought everyone together in the most wonderful way! The canal worked its magic and everyone was relaxed and charmed.

The boat is so well cared for and equipped. Your crew were all open and friendly and their enthusiasm and love of the canals was infections! The children were occupied and active as you involved them with all the locks.

My nephew, who can find it difficult to manage himself, had just the right level of challenge and purpose to have a really good day. The men in our group, who can find family chatting and socialising a little under-stimulating, had the opportunity to steer and quiz your crew about all the technical details! Dad could sit and feel in the centre of things and my Mum, the birthday girl, had everyone she loves all around her.

Please pass on our thanks and congratulations for the wonderful atmosphere and experience you, as a group of volunteers, have created.

Your values and ethos shine through. A truly life affirming experience!!’

Ali Cannon

Autumn 2024

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Crofton Branch Updates In the Spring Butty, we told you about our ‘Crofton for Kids’ project, funded by an award from the Association of Industrial Museum’s ‘New Stories, New Audiences’ grant programme and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Now three-quarters of the way through the project, we wanted to give you an update.

Classes from four local schools, St Katharine’s C of E Primary School, Great Bedwyn C of E School, Burbage Primary School and Easton Royal Academy, came to Crofton for a visit in the spring, where they had a tour of the station and met and chatted with volunteers about Crofton.

We then visited each school to talk more with the children and finalise their scripts, followed by each class spending a day at Crofton filming.

In addition, another volunteer designed a buildable working model of the station. The grant funded forty sets of the model, enough for two classes.

After the filming visits, we went into each school with a learning session involving the models.

The children saw demonstrations involving steam and vacuum, which demonstrate some of the scientific principles behind the engines, pump and boiler at Crofton, St Katharine’s School explored the station and how it works, Great Bedwyn delved into some of the people

developed by one of our volunteers, a retired physics teacher.

important in Crofton’s past (and present). Burbage looked at the history of the station and Easton Royal focused on the restoration of the canal and station and the future of Crofton. The children did a fantastic job with their videos, and over 85 children took part in the project.

One of our fantastic volunteers filmed and edited the footage together to create a video from each school, which are available on our website https://www.croftonbeamengines.org/about/videos/ and will soon be available via QR code on the Crofton intranet, so that visitors can scan and watch on site.

Autumn 2024

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Better understanding how the station works, the children then worked in pairs to build the model and see it in action.

The children were all invited to our June steaming, where we had a reveal event of the project. Multiple screenings were held throughout both days in the Side Boiler House of the four videos, interspersed with a chance for visitors to build the model.

Response to the videos and the models from our partners and the wider community has been positive and enthusiastic. The new learning session is now available for school or community groups to book.

The model was also featured at our August steaming, alongside some newly developed hands-on demonstrations of ways to lift water, including a lift pump, centrifugal pump, bucket and windlass, and Archimedes Screw.

In the coming months, we will be working on a few more resources, including some printed material featuring a new cross-section of the Crofton station, drawn by local artist Dru Marland, and a new transportable lock model which features a summit pound.

We are grateful for the Crofton volunteers who have

Georgian Lantern and Engine House Windows It is over 5 years since major work was carried out on the building fabric at Crofton Pumping Station with the help of National Lottery Heritage Funding.

supported this project with their time and expertise, as

Signs of wear and tear are now showing on the

well as our four partnering schools.

Georgian Lantern in the Boiler House and the windows of the Engine House.

A team of Crofton volunteers have been working hard repairing eight windows in the Beam Gallery that can be reached safely from the Beam Gallery flooring.

We have the Georgian skylight to be inspected and repaired and sixteen sash windows to be repaired which a contractor has started work on.

An appeal for £30,000 of funding is about to be launched to help pay for this work.

Watch This Space

Crofton for Kids

Autumn 2024

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Devizes Branch Update

On shore the wharf building has been given a bit of a facelift and has been given over to our care in order to promote its facilities to local groups etc..

So far to date we have a yoga group,park run pit stop,the “Copper Man” (look him up) and the local theatre use the Rennie room for rehearsals.

Another crowd pleaser gaining momentum is the museum tea room, along with a monthly jigsaw puzzle swap.

As the season comes to a close we are preparing for our Halloween and Santa trips.. mostly now

It hardly seems five minutes ago when I was writing

fully booked.

about all our plans for the KV this coming season…

It has been a busy, successful and diverse

and now its time to put the heating on along with

season this year…

woolly hats and there are pumpkins round every

Looking forward to next year.

corner!...How time flies!

Merry Christmas from Devizes

On the KV we have continued with all our public trips,with lots of interest generated, especially when they include several locks.

In July we supported the Devizes beer festival by manning a stall selling wine and soft drinks. Hard work but rewarding in lots of ways.

In August we spent a happy evening in the company of our local Gateway club,members and helpers.About 100 people attended and were treated to taster trips on the boat and a wharfside BBQ. At regular intervals through the year we played host to our local and very popular band,the Crofton Stokers,always well supported by loyal fans.

We still have some charters to complete before the end of the season,including using the boat as a venue for a local cub pack Christmas party.

Autumn 2024

An exhibit in Devizes Museum

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Bradford on Avon Branch Updates This was a highly prestigious event for the Barbara Mac.The internationally acclaimed annual Jane Austen Festival held in Bath brings together Janeites, those who exhibit “the self-consciously idolatrous enthusiasm for “Jane” and every detail relative to her”.During the entire week, a range of options are on offer and our boat was chartered by Bath Theatrical Costme Hire to run two mega trips.

Dressed in their finery, guests arrived by train and were met by Peter Hughes, one of our Mates with a particular interest in canal and local history. Peter led an informal stroll to the boat via some key historical places in Bradford on Avon. Peter was praised for his relaxed, easy, conversational style of presentation. A glass of bubbles was served to our guests by suitably

With the guests now sipping Pimms we cruised to Avoncliff

attired crew, before afternoon tea was enjoyed. The

where they disembarked for views of the valley en route to

boat had been decorated with vintage crockery on specially made miniature tablecloths and hand made doilies, bunting, english lavender and floral garlands.

It looked stunning. Victoria and Nancy from the Canal Trust Cafe produced an absolutely sublime tea. One American lady commented: “I am a connoisseur of afternoon teas having participated in many locations

the neat little train station to take the train back to Bath. The crew were a Dream Team with everyone going above and beyond to ensure the trips were a triumph.

We have run 60 private charters of all sorts, together with our regular Wednesday and Saturday trips, a monthly Cream Tea Trip and trips to Dundas that appear as Spring Burst, Midsummer Day Dream or Autumn Colours depending on the time of year!

around the world, and I can tell you this is the best I have ever eaten”. What a richly deserved accolade.

26 of our crew of 42 have covered more than ten trips each and to them we say a massive thank you.

Dates have been reserved for 6 charters in 2025, including being used as a “water taxi” for a wedding. It goes without saying that the two coach companies who include a boat trip in days out will be back too along with further Jane Austen trips to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the author’s birth.

You just never know what’s around the corner when you volunteer on our boat.

Lesley Hooper Boat Manager

Autumn 2024

Barbara McLellan

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Work Experience at the Trust In July, KACT welcomed a sixth-form student for three days of work experience. Read Nola’s account of her time with us below: On my first day I was warmly welcomed by Terry and the other volunteers at the museum. Spending time at the museum gave me an insight into the deep history of the canals and the communities living on and around them. It was eye-opening to find out about the strong connections between different families living on the canals and the lifestyle that they had, especially the children whose lives greatly differ from those living in a modern village or town. The day also let me understand the skills needed to work with the public with multiple customers coming into the museum to enquire about the canal and the museum. Overall, the day gave me an amazing background into the canals

I also helped at the lock at the beginning and end of the

ready for my second day with the trust.

trip which was tiring but also very interesting as it

My second day was the highlight of my time, spending

allowed me to see first hand how it worked.

the afternoon helping on the Barbara McLellan boat. It was a busy trip with the boat turning on the aqueduct

My last day was with Bath and Bristol Branch at Kelston

with a beautiful view of the river Avon. On some of

lock. This was the most hands-on, where the work we

the quieter parts of the canal I was given the chance

did made a direct impact on the canal and specifically

to steer the boat with help from Ali, which was

the lock we were maintaining. We spent 5 hours around

surprisingly relaxing.

the lock with a break halfway for lunch in the sun. We removed weeds which would have damaged the lock over time. This was important for ensuring that it could be used in the long run. I was glad to be able to help and make a proper impact.

Overall, I had a lovely time with the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust. All the volunteers were very welcoming and it allowed me to see many different aspects of what the Trust do on and around the canal.

Nola Laidlaw

Autumn 2024

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Locks on the Canal Bradford Lock (14)

By Alison Cannon

The lock at Bradford-on-Avon is now one of the busiest in the UK; it came fourth last year in CRT’s national league table, with a whopping 6183 lockings.* The numbers are boosted by large hire boat companies in the vicinity, and also of course by KACT’s own trip boat, Barbara McLellan, which makes regular trips down through the lock to Avoncliff aqueduct and back.

The lock is no stranger to busy-ness. It was one of the first to be built on the canal, when digging began simultaneously here and at Newbury. A source of clay for lining the canal was found nearby, and the site would have been a hive of activity, with hundreds of men with picks, shovels and wheelbarrows.When completed, the lock was to be the deepest on the

passers-by lingering to watch the boats passing through.

Other buildings nearby are also rich with history. The wharfinger’s house, still standing proudly by the bridge, was set at an angle to afford maximum views of the canal.

The Barge Inn was once stabling for Midland Railway horses, when for a couple of decades at the end of the nineteenth century the railway company also ran cargo

new canal – about 12ft 6in – and there were busy

boats between Bradford and Bath. The Canal Café is

wharfs both above and below it. The upper wharf

housed in what was the lock-keeper’s house, although his

dealt mainly in agricultural products, including barley

little office right next to the lock is long gone. The café is

for the town’s breweries. The lower wharf received

not, as you might imagine, a modern innovation: in the

coal from the Somerset Coal Fields, and stone from

1920s Elizabeth Andrews, the lock keeper’s wife, also ran

Bath.After the First World War it also received

a café here.Her husband George is in the picture

wounded soldiers on the boat Bittern, travelling up

(reproduced with permission from the Bradford on Avon

from their convalescent home at Avoncliff to refresh

Museum – check out their website for more historic

themselves in local hostelries. Rumour has it that, on

photographs).

return to Avoncliff, they were met by nurses bearing

An interesting feature of this picture is the chains hanging

stretchers to carry them home – not on account of

in loops from the centre of the gates to the bank. Why are

their injuries, but on account of the free beer they

they there? There was some debate on an internet

were given in Bradford!

discussion forum a few years ago, and no-one seemed to

Next to the lock was the gauging dock, where boats

know. If you can help, I should love to hear from you!

had to be measured to determine how low they sat in

Please email me at aecannon@yahoo.com.

the water from a given weight of cargo. Blocks of known weight were piled on, and the measurements recorded so when the boat returned loaded with goods the appropriate tolls could be levied.The blocks which were used for this are still there, now painted white and often used as seating from Autumn 2024

Alison Cannon * If you are interested to know which locks beat it, they are Hillmorton on the Oxford Canal, New Marton on the Llangollen, and Cholmondeston on the Shropshire Union.

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Jean Smith In Remembrance Jean Smith joined the local branch of the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust at Devizes in 1985 and was part of the team that secured a lottery grant of £27 million for the canal restoration. But it was the people that interested her most and she organised the roster for the K&A shop helpers at the Wharf Building. Jean was a major influence in getting Devizes its own trip boat, The Kenavon Venture.

Alongside her husband, Alan, she was one of the first and regular crew members on trips. Jean learned of a group of adults with special needs in the Devizes area, they were members of ‘The Kennet Gateway Club’. She attended their meetings as a helper and friend. She organised an

Jean promptly set to, not just cleaning but completely

annual ride on Kenavon Venture for them which

repainting one of the loos in our building. And during

continues today.

the visit, she guarded it carefully to ensure it was exclusively for the Princess.

Jean stayed on the committee for 35 years helping

When we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the

out whenever possible in a variety of roles. Who

reopening of the canal in 2015, our colleagues at

could forget her legendary tombola stalls and

Canal and River Trust worried about funding to buy

garden parties?

in catering for the many expected visitors.“Nonsense” said Jean, “we’ll do that ourselves”. She then

She also organised the buying and wrapping of

recruited an enthusiastic band of sandwich and cake

hundreds of happy children’s Christmas presents

makers who took over her house alongside Caen Hill

for the Kenavon Venture Santa trips.

and produced the most amazing buffet at an incredibly low cost. Drive, enthusiasm and

Our Trust President, Rob Dean, recalls: “Jean was

cheerfulness are what I really remember about Jean”

always someone you could rely on to get things done. With the greatest enthusiasm and the least

Jean sadly passed away earlier this year and will be

fuss. When the Princess Royal visited the Trust in

sorely missed by Devizes Branch, the crew of

Devizes in 2014, we were asked to reserve a loo

Kenavon Venture and the wider Kennet and Avon

for her possible use.

Canal Trust.

Autumn 2024

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Building The Canal - A History in Bricks written by Jamie Wright It is common to hear that when John Rennie started excavating at Caen Hill for the canal he found clay and realised that he could use it to make bricks, then establishing a brickyard that supplied bricks for the Caen Hill locks and possibly even sending two million bricks for the Bruce tunnel nineteen miles away. As often happens the story is more complex and the following article tries to show some of the complexities.

This is still work in progress. To make the article more readable the references are omitted but can be supplied should anyone want them. LJ Dalby's 1971 The Wilts and Berks Canal should be mentioned as an authoritative account of that canal's strategy to acquire bricks, and the numbers needed.

The account of Rennie ‘discovering’ clay is quickly dispelled. The will of John Painter, a brickmaker of Rowde (the parish that Caen Hill lies in), was proved in 1676, in 1710 John West leased a brick kiln, tile house and cottage in Rowde and Robert West was listed as a brickmaker of Devizes in the Universal Directory of Trade for 1781-8. Brick making was well established when Rennie arrived, and potentially the West family had been brickmakers there for most of the 18th century.

However, a kiln could produce only about half a million bricks a year - a ten day cycle of loading, firing, cooling and unloading. A kiln held about 20,000 bricks, with no firing in winter - and this would barely build three locks each lock on the Wilts and Berks canal needed 180,000 bricks. Clearly several kilns were needed, preferably spread along the length of the canal.

The details of how Rennie solved this problem are still unclear but now we have some light on the area between Burbage and Kintbury.

Elaine Kirby, archivist for the K&A, managed to spot two pages of Rennie’s notebook that mentioned bricks and these show that he was buying bricks from established brickyards. On 21 December 1795 Hutchins ‘contracted to make a[nd] deliver 1,500,000 statute best bricks a[t] 34/6 to be delivered at any place between little Bedwin a[nd] the Coppice at Froxfield.’ The Coppice at Froxfield is likely to have been Brick Kiln Copse, where the Hopgrass Brick Kiln was located. The Hutchins family were local brickmakers: in 1732 Thomas Hutchins and another rented a brick kiln at Leigh Hill from Lord Bruce, while Edward Hutchins of Marlborough was a brickmaker in 1791-98, and various Hutchins of The Green, Marlborough were brick and lime burners until at least 1853. A second, undated entry by Rennie read ‘Agreed with Hawkins - Great Bedwin for 100,000 Bricks to be delivered at Great Bedwin Church Lock at 34/ p[er] 1000...’ Since Robert Hawkins’s will of 1766 the Hawkins family is known to have used a kiln at Brail Farm, they were named several times in the 19th century, and as late as 1939 CW Hawkins and Sons of Great Bedwyn were brickmakers. Both Hawkins and Hutchins were being paid a commercial price of 34s or 34s 6d per thousand for their bricks. The 9s 0d per thousand for large and 8s 6d per thousand for small bricks reveal a different arrangement.

Rennie agreed the price with Messrs Day, Jupse and

Brickyards open before 1810 and their links to the K&A plotted on Rennie’s 1810 map. The canal is shown in red.

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Wilson in December 1795 adding the company finding all material, they digging the clay and making the bricks. katrust.org.uk | 17

The quantity was left vague at three or four million bricks,

Much of this activity was soon after the start of work on

and this seems a fairly typical sub-contracting

the canal at Newbury (October 1794), showing the

arrangement, probably with the canal company providing

necessity of planning in advance for the vast number of

the yard and fuel and a brickmaker providing and

bricks needed.

organising a work force. The agreement was reached at

Before October 1808 any bricks being sent from Caen Hill

Kintbury, and presumably the bricks were to be made

to the Bruce tunnel would have been double handled

there as two large yards were shown south of the village

before being unloaded at Pewsey and it seems more

on the 1877 OS map.

likely that bricks from the Bedwyn area were used.

An example of the canal company running a brickyard

Similarly it is likely that the engine house at Crofton was

was revealed by a court case concerning the theft of coal.

constructed from locally made bricks although it is

In October 1808 an employee of the canal gave a

accepted that, without scientific analysis of the bricks and

statement that he surreptitiously followed a wagon, as

the clays used, this is speculation.

theft was suspected, while conveying Coal from the Company’s wharf at Pewsey to their Brick Kilns [at Dodsdown]. When opposite the prisoner Batt’s cottage, she three times carried as much Coal as she could conveniently hold in her Arms into the cottage. The verdict is likely to have been guilty with an unknown sentence, but Dodsdown Brickyard was twice called their, ie the canal company’s, yard.

A further reference to one of the company’s brickyards is from slightly earlier, in 1795/6. A notebook listed To Cash Received ... for Workmen by Day on Mirreldown ... for the Canal Companeys Brickyard. Entries were madebetween November and April, totalling over £274, and payments were for both digging and burning clay. Mirreldown or Mirldown is in Little Bedwyn parish and the notebook is the earliest reference to a brickyard there. However the yard was shown on OS maps from 1873 to 1961, and a kiln survives there, as far as the author knows the only such survival in the county (but on private land). Also in Little Bedwyn was a brick kiln at Chisbury, the only kiln possibly active in the area with no known connection to the canal. It was shown on a map of Chisbury manor in 1719 and mentioned in the enclosure of 1722 but there are no later references and it may have closed by the time of the canal’s arrival. These various sources show Rennie’s strategy to obtain bricks along a particular stretch of the canal: he used existing commercial sources, he apparently took over existing yards subcontracting the brick making and he possibly set up at least one new yard.

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A page from Rennie’s notebook katrust.org.uk | 18

The Canal Taverners Boat Club The beginning: Towards the end of 1988 a small group of boaters some of whom were Kennet & Avon Canal Trust members used to go to the Canal Tavern, Bradford on Avon for a quiet Sunday lunchtime pint (Wadworth’s 6X of course).

They generally talked about the increasing number of boats using the Western end of the K&A canal. As members of the K&A Trust they realised that the Trust had no mandate to speak solely on behalf of boaters and so it was suggested that they form a Boat Club.

They believed that as boaters this would give them a voice in promoting boating interests, and by giving them a legitimate reason for being in the Canal Tavern it would keep them out of trouble with their wives when they arrived home late for their Sunday lunch.

So after several weeks of discussion and consuming many pints of 6X they decided to call the Club the

A Few Highlights:

Canal Taverners, the objectives of the CTBC were

Barton Farm Swing bridge/Meadows Footbridge: At the

determined to be: Social, including imbibing 6X To promote and support any measure which will improve navigation and boating activities.

beginning of the nineties when the number of boats using the canal increased it soon became apparent that the swing bridge to Bradford on Avon Sewage Works which was rarely used by vehicles, was causing considerable difficulties and some danger to users.

The landlord of the Canal Tavern gave them permission

It was suggested by the CTBC that the bridge should be left

to hold meetings in the Dundas Bar on any Wednesday

in the open position and that an up and over footbridge

evening and so on Wednesday 20th March 1989 the

should be provided for pedestrian access to the non-towpath

CTBC was founded. Motto, ‘Panic Slowly’.

side of the canal which would give vehicle drivers access to swing the bridge allowing them entry to the sewage plant.

As the canal opened up to through navigation in the

After much correspondence and a meeting between the

early nineties more and more boats were using the

Club, Wessex Water and BW it was agreed by Wessex

canal, so much so that by the mid-nineties the Club’s membership rapidly increased from approximately eight in the beginning and settled at around 70 members.

Water that they would provide a footbridge at a cost of £35.

In November 1992 Dr John Meadows the Club’s No.1 (Club parlance for Chairman) broke the tape at the opening ceremony which included a towpath champagne celebration organized by Wessex Water.

Sadly Dr John Meadows who was a canal enthusiast and who along with a few other enthusiasts brought about the formation of the CTBC died on 24 March, 1993. katrust.org.uk | 19

Following his death permission was given for the Club to name the bridge in his memory. At a ceremony on Sunday 25th April,1993 his daughter Sylvia witnessed by over 80 people unveiled a plaque naming the bridge Meadows Bridge, a fitting tribute to the memory of Dr John and his wife Meg who, some years earlier, was taken ill at the Swing Bridge and died.

The Royal British Legion: For several years, the Club successfully gave members of the Royal British Legion, who were convalescing at Somerset Legion House, Weston Super Mare a day out on the K&A canal, starting with a cruise aboard club members own boats, a visit to the Canal Tavern and ending with a meal prepared back on-board the boats.

The Taverner Magazine:

These included the Annual Dinner, a boat trip on the

The Taverner was produced all through the nineties by

Bridgwater/Taunton Canal, Boules Competition, several

Robert Coles and his wife Pat. Their arrival at the

planned and impromptu BBQ’s.

Club’s monthly meetings with copies of the Taverner

Club members also attend the Bristol Harbour Festival,

was greeted with great excitement as members eagerly

Newbury Boat Festival, Wilts & Berks Canal Trust BBQ and

looked to see if they were included in its pages or to see what controversial opinion Robert had expressed regarding BW’s latest actions or proposals. Robert

the Carol Service at Dundas and some interclub events.

Sad to say the world has changed and the Canal Taverners Boat Club is now no more, the decision has

certainly had the knack of ruffling the feathers of BW’s

been taken to close the club. The amount left in the kitty

local management.

will be shared between the Wilts & Berks Canal Society

Eventually Robert and Pat bowed out and the Taverner was taken over in the year 2000 by John Richardson ably assisted by Hazel Yates Jones. The magazine

and the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust. The Canal Taverners Burgee will be laid up in the K & A Trust Archive.

then had a different format and is issued three times each year and includes articles written by Club members, items of interest about the Kennet & Avon Canal, British Waterways (Canal & River Trust) and many more.

Other Activities:

The previous words have been gathered together from various members and sources. I pay homage to the members past and present who made boaters from all along the K & A and beyond welcome a wonderful friendly club for likeminded boaters.

Elaine Kirby K&A Trust Archivist.

The Canal Taverners Boat Club was a very socially active club with activities arranged throughout the year.

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News from the Nivernais

By Mary Ranger "Rain, rain go away, come back another day!"

This year the very wet weather has dominated and dictated the boating season with numerous closures to navigation due to flooding. It is true that the particularity of our canal is that it is, in effect, the river Yonne canalised and consequently more susceptible to changes in water levels than a "pure" canal.

However, a prized member of our association who is also unique in being our only member who works for the V.N.F.(Voies Navigables de France who run our inland waterway system here), commented that such a situation has never been previously observed where the canal has been closed four times over periods of several days if not weeks. It was necessary to stop navigation in April, May, June and October and, as I write the canal is still closed creating many

logistical dilemmas for the hire boat companies, hotel boat managers as well as private boat owners hoping to reach home ports or even just a port before the winter.

This has obviously had repercussions on the statistics of the average number of boats passing through the locks during the season which has plummeted to an average of 7! And, another consequence is the poor time but also the poor image of canal holidays experienced by holiday makers and then the very poor season for all the restaurant owners and other businesses found along the canal banks.

Let's hope for more sunshine next year but not a heatwave either!

Despite the inclement weather, Les Amis have been keeping busy participating in the annual general meetings of our partener associations including "Autour du canal de Bourgogne" katrust.org.uk | 21

who continue to agitate to maintain this canal open

During the year, some members manned the

to navigation.

association's stand at the annual "festival du port " in

We equally have the opportunity to regularly

Mogennes and later at Vandernesse for th"fete de la

partake of the meetings initiated by V.N.F.

Nature", both events held on the neighbouring canal

to inform all users of water levels, work being

de Bourgogne.

undertaken, innovations, etc. in our area and discuss and present ideas and problems from our

One of our regular "conseils d'administration", open

side.

to all members and always followed by a picnic-meal,

In March twenty of our members, ably assisted by

was held in a local old restored windmill but , unlike

the local fishermen and the heritage association of

the rain, the wind was not present that day depriving

the village Mailly le Chateau, made up a working

us of the amazing scene of the old sails whirling

party to clear the banks of the canal of vegetation

around to a background of several slower moving

thereabouts followed by a well earned picnic.

blades of the new modern enormous windmills.

Many years ago, a British artist living on his boat here painted several very attractive watercolor

In September, the annual "journées du patrimoine"

scenes of the canal which inspired a small booklet

are celebrated nationally with many buildings and

of information promoting the canal. Les Amis have

varied sites being opened up to the public over the

republished it and presented it publically this year

weekend. Les Amis gave a conference in Mailly le

on the occasion of the annual Epiphany

Chateau followed by a visit to the exhibition of the

celebrations where the "galettes des rois",a flaky

"flottage du bois" based in Clamecy, the original hub

pastry tart with an almond creamy filling were

of the

much appreciated by all.

huge log collecting and organising for sending this wood for heating to Paris over the centuries. There is

Our annual general meeting this year was held on

an excellent exhibition of this trade in the Clamecy

the ex_working "péniche", the Ysaline now

museum.

converted into a café- theatre moored in Auxerre, and which our association supports. Following our

The life of our beautiful canal seems to swing

meeting, we continued in our gastronomic vein and

between years of drought and lack of water or

enjoyed a tasty meal in a restaurant on the quay in

excessive rainfall and flooding but at least, the

Auxerre before taking a digestive walk to the first

problem of excessive invasive weed growth was kept

lock on the Nivernais, "le Batardeau" to look at the

at bay this year. There is always a silver lining to

new weir and " rubber balloon" weir and the

the clouds!

exhibition of the previous weir installation.

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