The plaque is located near Lock 13 on the Caldon Canal at Cheddleton. It commemorates the re-opening of the canal to navigation.
The plaque is inscribed as follows;
'THE CALDON CANAL WSA RE-OPENED TO
NAVIGATION ON 28TH SEPTEMBER 1974 BY
MRS.G.OXFORD ON BEHALF OF
STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL AND BY
COUNCILLOR H. SMALLWOOD M.B.E. LORD MAYOR OF
STOKE-ON-TRENT IN THE PRESENCE OF
SIR FRANK PRICE CHAIRMAN OF
BRITISH WATERWAYS BOARD.'
Photographs showing work being done to restore the canal and the unveiling of the plaque (slide 10) can be seen at the following link. (
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"The Caldon Canal was built between Etruria and Froghall in 1776 at a cost of £23,560 and was intended to carry limestone from the quarries at Cauldon Low to Stoke on Trent. A tramway, included in the cost, was built from the quarries to the canal.
In 1801 a branch was constructed to Leek and the canal extended from Froghall to Uttoxeter. At the same time Rudyard Lake was constructed.
By the 1950s traffic had virtually ceased and in 1960 a closure notice was displayed at Etruria. Following representations to British Waterways Board the Caldon Canal was classed as a remainder waterway in 1968. This meant that British Waterways were not bound to maintain the canal to a navigable standard but it would not be closed.
In 1968 an agreement was reached between Stafford County Council, Stoke on Trent City Council and British Waterways Board to restore the canal. Thus in 1974 the Caldon Canal was reopened at a cost of £100,000.
The Caldon Canal is widely seen as one of them most interesting waterways in the country. It is very much a canal of contrasts, beginning in the centre of the Potteries but also passing through remote countryside on the summit level and the Churnet Valley." Source: (
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Mrs G. Oxford was the representative of Staffordshire County Council.
Mr Harry Smallwood M.B.E was a Labour Councillor and Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent from 1974 to 1975. The position of Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent is largely ceremonial. The role of Lord Mayor is decided upon by a vote amongst the elected councillors of Stoke-on-Trent City Council; the candidates are also selected from the councillors. (
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"Sir Frank Price was born in a Hockley slum in 1922 Price was elected a Labour councillor for St Pauls Ward in 1949, became chairman of the powerful Public Works Committee, Lord Mayor in 1964, Leader of the Council and an Alderman in 1958. From 1959 he worked for about ten years for Murrayfield, a property development company which bought and sold properties in northern towns and cities that were “ripe for redevelopment”. His serial career in public service involved being Chairman of Telford New Town and Chairman of the British Waterways Board." Source: (
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