Winter on the Water

It seems appropriate at this time of year to see what was happening in the James Smart empire. Trade went on. Whether it be coal, timber, sawdust or bricks Smart’s business continued. There was no time off for Christmas or New Year in the life of his captains and the weather often wasn’t kind either.

In December  1881, Captain William Pearce writes from Wolverhampton “’tis thick and freezing hard. I hope it will not last long”. And then ten days later from Bar Lock, Birmingham on behalf of himself and another Captain, J. Davis: both boats have good loads of coal but both boats have suffered damage in the fog, a smashed helm and a broken gunhole.

And of course, ice was an issue too, especially on the canal. Here’s an account from Captain H. Stephens in January 1893 from Gloucester Docks. “Still stuck with fifty other boats and ten trows. Ran the tug at it but it would not break.”.

And that wasn’t all. Captain John Webb writes from Stourport; “I sent a man out yesterday but I have not seen him since. I will  look for him again tomorrow but I don’t expect to find him. Please send another.”  Where and wither the man had gone, or why for that matter we know not. Was he the only other crew member? It does seem odd to request that James Smart supply another man all the way to Stourport from Chalford.

Freight and boats weren’t the only worry for James Smart at this time of year. At some point he had diversified into land and in 1894 was being pursued for both late payment of rent and violation of the Covenant. Charles Heaton writes to James Smart: That all hay, straw etc. shall be consumed on the land from which it issues. I visited two weeks ago and found no stock except two beasts and the straw lying in trusses as if for removal. This is in violation of our agreement.

On Candlemas day of 1893, Meadows, Captain of the Flora, a boat which regularly travelled between Bullo, Gloucester, Bristol, Newport and Cardiff, writes to James Smart from Saul Junction: “We have blown the main sail to pieces”.  “Newman will go to Stroud to collect another.” The Flora’s journeys must often have been perilous as only a year later we learn that she was wrecked against one of the piers of the Severn Railway Bridge.

A tough time for the water folk by all accounts.

COULDREY'S WHARF, CHALFORD (ABOVE CHAPEL LOCK), 1903 (CM.2315/28)