PRESS RELEASE
Issued: 8 July 2013
Unique collection joins national archive
An amazing and unique collection of notices from the Trent & Mersey Canal have been
donated to Canal & River Trust’s Waterways Archive at Ellesmere Port.
The notices, which mostly cover the period of 1785 to 1813, cover rates and charges,
instructions to employees and to boaters, byelaws, crime and crime prevention, and 'public
relations.'
The collections has been donated to the archive by the Railway & Canal Historical Society
– who, when they heard that someone wished to dispose of some Trent & Mersey Canal
notices which they had inherited, decided to buy them in order that that they could become
available to anyone interested in canal history. After the purchase had been negotiated,
the notices were donated to the Canal & River Trust’s Waterways Archive at Ellesmere
Port.
Archivist Linda Barley said: “This is a remarkable collection which will deepen our
knowledge of the rules and regulations which governed every aspect of canal life during
these years. The collection is currently being digitised and will be available to view online
when our new image website goes live at the end of the year.”
In total there are 115 notices, of which nine are duplicates, ranging in size from 7½x6
inches up to 22x17½ inches. They are glued on hand-numbered pages bound in a cloth
cover, but this must have been an official compilation because the last page contains a
printed index.
With three exceptions — one from each of 1776, 1777 and 1818 — the period covered is
from 1785 to 1813.
Canal & River Trust, Toll House, Delamere Terrace, London, W2 6ND
T 0203 3204 4429 E press.office@canalrivertrust.org.uk W www.canalrivertrust.org.uk Twitter @CanalRiverTrust
Patron: H.R.H. The Prince of Wales. Canal & River Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales
with company number 7807276 and registered charity number 1146792, registered office address: First Floor North, Station House, 500
Elder Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 1BB
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Peter Brown from the Railway and Canal Historical Society said: “Its purpose is a mystery,
as most of the notices were out of date by the time they were brought together. We are
delighted that this material is able to become part of the national archive.”
The Railway & Canal Historical Society is for everyone with an interest in the history of
transport in Britain — not just inland waterways and railways, but also tramroads, roads,
coastal shipping and pipelines etc, as no form of transport should be considered in
isolation. In particular, it encourages quality research and publication. For further
information about the Society, see its
website: www.rchs.org.uk.
The National Waterways Museum, at Ellesmere Port, is home to the national collection of
historic working boats, some of which visitors can get on-board to explore and find out how
working boat people used to live. The Museum also has a trip boat, hands-on exhibits,
films, touch-screen displays, stables, a blacksmith, docks, pump houses, workers cottages
and gardens, an archive, a soft play area, Museum shop and cafe.
ENDS.
Notes to editors:
For further media requests please contact:
Oliver Briscoe, Marketing Manager, National Waterways Museum, Canal & River Trust
0151 373 4395
Oliver.briscoe@canalrivertrust.org.uk