The Story Of The Canal - Stone, UK - UK Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

STONE TOWN INFORMATION

THE STORY OF THE CANAL

In 1755 a group of Liverpool merchants and a group of Staffordshire potters and landowners had sponsored James Brindley to carry out a survey to build a canal to link them both. However the scheme was shelved until Josiah Wedgwood and his partner and Liverpool merchant Thomas Bentley resurrected the interest in the canal in 1764

On 30th December 1765 a meeting-of interested parties and landowners was held at Wolseley Bridge and it was agreed to apply for the necessary Act of Parliament to construct a canal to link the Trent and Mersey rivers.

After opposition from the river navigations, the packhorse owners and Waggoner's, the Act was passed on 14th May, 1766, The first committee meeting of the new Grand Trunk Canal Company was held at the Crown Inn, Stone on 10th June 1766, At this meeting James Brindley Was appointed surveyor general, John Sparrow clerk and Josiah Wedgwood treasurer.

Work began on the Stone section in June 1771 and required the construction of 4 locks.

The traders and landowners greeted the arrival of the canal in Stone with enthusiasm as it was regarded as being a great economic advantage to the town. This was reinforced by the Canal Company when at its meeting in April 1767 it decided to locate its headquarters in Stone. These were located in the building that was later known as Westbridge House that stood on the site of the present Westbridge Park. (They remained in Stone until the Canal Company were taken over by the North Staffordshire Railway and were transferred to Winton Square in Stoke.

THE CANAL ARRIVES IN STONE

The opening ceremony for the Stone section proved to be a little too enthusiastic as one newspaper account from November 1771 records : "The extraordinary rejoicings on the evening of the 12th instant for the arrival of the boats up the canal at Stone ended with great damage by the repeated firing of the cannon. One of the locks and a bridge fell in and much damaged another by which accident the boats were not able to return. The damage is computed at £1,000."

The opening of the canal resilted in a major expansion in the town. For example a new warehouse and ancillary buildings were built alongside the Stafford Street Wharf and an arched entrance meant that boats could enter straight into the warehouse. This warehouse forms part of the Moorings Apartments.

The result of the canal on the town's economy is reflected in this quote from "The Topographer - June 1789."
"The town is in a much more flourishing state than formerly owing to the great navigation that pass by it. It consists of one principal street, which is now a pretty good one, with a new market place, and one of the leading inns upon this extensive road. The market town of Stone in particular soon felt comfortable change, which from a poor insignificant place is now grown neat and handsome in its buildings, and, from its wharves and busy traffice, wears the lively aspect of a little sea port."

RANGELEY & DIXON

Rangeley rand Dixon were iron founders and operated from a small foundry at the rear of Mansion House in Lichfield Street. Originally advertised as pump manufacturers of "patent roller pumps" the company also cast the mileposts for the canal one of which can be seen below Star Lock and bears the inscription R&D 1819. The company ceased trading in 1829.