|
RAMMEY MARSH LOCK
|
Lock |
State |
Date |
Length |
Length - Working Distance |
Width |
Fall |
Removed or bypassed |
|
Rammey Marsh Lock |
Built |
1768 |
|
|
|
|
1864 |
|
Rammey Marsh Lock (in present position) |
Rebuilt |
1864 |
|
|
16' 0'' |
3' 3'' |
1902* |
|
Rammey Marsh Lock (Brick and
stone) |
Report |
1917 |
|
|
16' 0'' |
|
|
|
Rammey Marsh Lock |
Rebuilt |
1902* |
90' 0'' |
87' 0'' |
16' 4'' |
3' 3'' |
|
*Although this 1902 date is shown in
later records, there are no contemporary reports of the rebuild and the
present chamber bears an uncanny resemblance to the 1864 plans .
On 12.1.1780 it was
“Resolved that the following Locks be repaired with all convenient speed
Viz. …, Rammey Mead Lock ,Enfield Lock, Enfield Half Lock, Piggotts
Lock, Cooks Lock, Boltons Lock, Stonebridge Lock, Tottenham Lock, Lee
Bridge Half Lock, Hackney Marsh Brick Cistern Lock And It Is Ordered
that the Surveyor do repair the same as he shall find them absolutely
necessary” (NA Rail 845/5).
Despite the reference to
Rammey Mead Lock above, it is recorded as Terry’s Lock in the
survey of 1792. It then became Torry’s when it was ordered that it
should first be repaired with new gates and posts on 29.4.1795 and then
on 24.6.1795 it was decided that it should be replaced with a new lock.
(NA Rail 845/7).
(NA Rail 845/52)
It was then, successively
and irregularly, Jerry’s, Torry’s, and Jeves’s until 1810, when it took
the name of the nearby Newmans Weir. This lasted until 1828, when it
gained the name of the lock keeper, Mr Want. The plan below dates from
1843.
LMA ACC 2423/P1466
The lock was
built in its new position, widened to 16', using some Portland stone from the old Westminster Bridge
which had been replaced between 1854 and 1862 (NA
Rail 845/15). The
lock was officially opened on 10th September 1864. It was then
that it took its
name from the nearby marsh, though in the 1867 and 1868 Surveys by the
Trustees, it was still recorded as Want’s Lock.
LMA ACC 2423/P547
The old and new
positions of Rammey Marsh Lock, in a survey taken on 4th May 1864, showing the
start of the new channel to Newman's Weir.
The 1864 chamber, showing the position of
the Old Westminster Bridge stones. The bridge, dated 1835 was
brought here from the old lock. This chamber appears to be the
one that is there today, complete with the granite coping stones,
cast iron rubbing strakes and ladder
LMA ACC 2423/P111
The Westminster Bridge Portland stone
still forms part of the bridge abutment today.
The Conservancy lock house
was built after Walter Green gained the contract at £185/10/0 on
15.9.1876 (NA Rail 845/20).
In October 1877, “The new
lockhouse was being built”. (NA Rail 845/56)
On 4th October 1878
"The floor of the kitchen wants re-cementing." (NA
Rail 845/56).
On
20.4.1883 the new lock house was insured
for £250 (NA Rail 845/23)
LMA ACC 2423/026
Rammey Marsh Lock and
house (image date unknown)
The Conservancy house
was replaced by this bungalow in 1973. During the demolition and
construction work the lock keeper and his wife lived in a caravan on the
opposite bank.
The
chamber retains its
Victorian granite coping stones and the cast
iron lock furniture from that era. The 1835 bridge across the tail
meant that the gates could not be fitted with balance beams. For many
years it was the last lock on the Lee to be operated by ropes. The
gates were changed to hydraulic operation in 1995.
On
4.10.1878 a comment was recorded about the
Old Tumbling Bay at Rammey Marsh: "Board should be careful over their
rights over this Bay and not allow of too much interference on the part
of the Government" (NA Rail 845/56)
An example of mild discord between
the Conservancy and the Gunpowder Mills shows in the following exchange
of correspondence:
From the Engineer, Mr Child, to the
board "18th December 1886 Rammey Marsh Weir - I beg to submit the following
correspondence...if such interference is to be permitted we must not be
surprised if we have some barges sunk and heavy claims for damages made.
To Col Noble RGP Factory: "Dear Sir It
is reported to me by our lock keeper at Rammey Marsh that the water in
his upper pool was falling below head level....on going to the weir he
found the gates being drawn by your man (Squires) who stated that he had
received instruction to draw them. Would you be good enough to inform me
by whose orders and under which authority this was done."
To J Child, Enfield Lock. Dear Sir,
The gates of the weir you refer to have been drawn by my order and under
my authority. Yrs faithfully, M H Noble.
(LMA ACC 2423/003)
You can almost hear the "So?" at the end.
Rammey Marsh Lock
|
Census/Date |
Name |
Title |
Wife |
Location
given by enumerator/Comments |
Source Reference |
|
23.4.1947 |
A J Lowe |
Lock keeper |
Appointed at £5 p.w. Last recorded r.o.p. £7.18.11 plus on call
allowance 5/- n.d. |
LCB Records` |
|
1.4.1938 |
R Hobbs |
Lock keeper |
£1.12.0 to £1.14.0 |
NA Rail 845/122 |
|
1.4.1937 |
R Hobbs |
Lock keeper |
£1.11s to £1.12s (inc house and
garden) |
NA Rail 845/121 |
|
2.12.1927 |
R J Hobbs |
Lock keeper |
Board’s steersman appointed at
£1.11.0 per week including house and uniform |
NA Rail 845/111 |
|
4.11.1927 |
William Edward Campkin (66) |
Lock keeper |
Died 3.11.1927 in Tottenham
Hospital where he was operated on for an internal complaint, leaving widow and
2 grown up daughters. Mrs Campkin granted 5/- pw pension |
NA Rail 845/111
LMA ACC
2423/024 |
|
23.7.1920 |
W Campkin |
Lock keeper |
Plus 5/- per week for looking
after weir as well as lock |
NA Rail 845/47 |
|
14.11.1919 |
W Campkin |
Lock keeper |
26/- + house, garden, and uniform
|
NA Rail 845/46 |
|
15.2.1918 |
W Campkin |
Lock keeper |
21/- per week |
NA Rail 845/66 |
|
9.2.1917 |
William Campkin (54) |
Lock keeper |
Of 23, New Road, Ware, appointed |
NA Rail 845/44 |
|
1.12.1916 |
I regret to report the death of
Thomas Flack, late lock-keeper at this lock on the 25th November
aged about 88 years; also that of his wife who was found burned
to death on the morning of the 24th. November aged about 89
years. The chair in which she had apparently been sitting
was nearly burned up and where she fell near the door the floor
was burned away also part of the door. It is a
wonder the whole house was not destroyed.. The verdict at
the inquest was "Accidental death". |
LMA ACC 2423/015 |
|
4.3.1915 |
Thomas Flack |
Lock keeper |
+2/- per week |
NA Rail 845/42 |
|
1912 |
T Flack (84) |
Lock keeper |
33 years at Rammey Marsh |
NA Rail 845 |
|
22.4.1911 |
Thomas Peter Flack (82) |
Lock keeper |
Ann |
Rammey Marsh Lock |
RG14PN7434 RG78PN358 RD132 SD6 ED27 SN418 |
|
31.3.1911 |
|
Assistant |
Boy found to assist Flack at 14/-
per week |
NA Rail 845/38 |
|
17.2.1911 |
Thomas Flack (83) |
Lock keeper |
Unable to work for some weeks due
to illness, now out again, but engineer felt he should be
replaced. |
NA Rail 845/38 |
|
24.7.1908 |
T P Flack |
"In reference to the letter from T P
Flack, Lock-keeper at Rammey Marsh Lock, dated June 27th. last,
handed to the Chairman on the Survey, in which he states he was
promised 2/- per week extra in 1883 for attending to the
new weir. I made all the plans for this weir and carried
out the works, but never heard one word about this alleged
promise and do not believe any promise was made" C N Tween |
LMA/ACC 2423/011 |
|
31.3.1901 |
Thomas Flack (72) |
Lock keeper |
Ann |
Lock House River Lee |
Mx/Enfield/28/18 |
|
5.4.1891 |
Thomas R Flack (62) |
Lock keeper |
Ann |
Rammey Marsh Lock |
Mx/Enfield/22/56 |
|
20.4.1883 |
T Flack |
Lock keeper |
22 years service (previously at
Picketts Lock. 16/- per week |
NA Rail 845/23 |
|
4.4.1881 |
|
|
|
|
No Census
Record |
|
19.7.1878 |
Thomas Flack |
Lock keeper |
Appointed |
NA Rail 845/21 |
|
4.2.1876 |
James Dunn* |
Lock keeper |
Appointed at 16/- per week |
NA Rail 845/20 |
|
*James Dunn was
formerly captain of a Government Gunpowder Barge working for the
Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey and was in receipt of a pension
and had a Good Conduct Certificate (NA Rail 845/20) |
|
14.1.1876 |
William Walland |
Lock keeper |
Dismissed for gross
insubordination |
NA Rail 845/20 |
|
14.2.1873 |
William Walland (48) |
Lock keeper |
Appointed at 16/- per week |
NA Rail 845/19 |
|
1873 |
John Want (77) |
Lock keeper |
Retired 31 1.1873 after 55 years
service. Granted 10/- per week pension. (Died 22.5.1874)
|
NA Rail 845/19
NA Rail 845/20 |
|
2.4.1871 |
John Waul (72) |
Lock keeper for Lee C.B. |
~ |
Rammey Marsh Lock (R. Lee) |
Mx/Enfield/15/57 |
|
17.11.1855 |
John Want |
Lock keeper |
14/- per week |
|
|
20.1.1855 |
"A petition from the widow (Sarah) of the late
William Champness, lock keeper at the Waltham Common Lock
(sic) lately deceased for a pension....she be allowed 6/- a
week and also that Mr Beardmore be authorised to make such an
allowance as he may think reasonable for fixtures not exceeding
Five Pounds" |
NA Rail 845/14 |
|
21.10.1854 |
William Champness |
|
14/- per week |
NA Rail 845/14 |
|
16.2.1847 |
Henry Parker |
Lock keeper |
Appointed |
NA Rail 845/12 |
|
19.1.1847 |
John Flack |
Lock keeper |
see below |
NA Rail 845/12 |
|
Mr Griggs reported
that “ John Flack the Lock keeper at Want’s Lock does not
personally perform the duties of a Lock keeper and that frequent
complaints have been made by the Barge owners and their servants
of his constant absence and want of attention. Resolved that
John Flack be dismissed and another Lock keeper be appointed” |
|
19.5.1846 |
John Flack |
Lock keeper |
Appointed at 14/- per week |
NA Rail 845/12 |
|
19.5.1846 |
Thomas Want |
Lock keeper |
Died |
NA Rail 845/12 |
|
19.10.1840 |
Thomas Want (89) |
|
see below |
NA Rail 845/12 |
|
“….requesting
permission for his son to assist him in his duties in
consequence of his great age 89 years having been read.
Resolved that his request be granted and that his son be allowed
for the present to do the duties and that an allowance of 5/-
per week be paid for such assistance” |
|
20.4.1824 |
William Champness |
Lock keeper |
|
NA Rail 845/9 |
|
24.2.1813 |
Thomas Want |
|
Received £2. 2s. compensation for injury received by explosion
on 27.11.1811 at the Gunpowder Mills, Lower Island |
W Winters p74 WARGM records |
|
