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WARE TUMBLING BAY, WARE
HALFLOCK and WARE WEIR
|
Lock |
State |
Date |
Length |
Length - Working Distance |
Width |
Fall |
Removed or bypassed |
|
Ware Weir |
Extant |
1725 |
~ |
~ |
|
2' 9'' |
1857 |
12.5.1770 "...that
the keeper of Ware Weir do not any more shut the same Weir for the
purpose of making Flashes but when Mr Yeoman...or any person by his
appointment shall think it proper and order him to do so" (NA Rail
845/50)
On 29.4.1771, “the Ware
Weir be removed from the Place where it is now in to the most convenient
place just below the mouth of the Cutt in Amwell Marsh so as not to
fflood the Warehouses in Ware Town…” (NA Rail 845/4)
14.12.1791 “the Boarding of
the House at Ware Weir be repaired” (NA
Rail 845/6).
Between 1791 (the first recorded survey)
and 1825, the surveys all started at Ware Tumbling Bay and the weir
retained that title until 1907, when it became Ware Weir
 
LMA ACC 2423/P519
LMA ACC 2423/P588
The rather faint River Lee Trust sketch map
on the left is from
prior to 1868 and shows a proposed new channel and weir (which were
never built). It shows the location of the (ungated) Ware Half lock
and the old weir keeper's cottage, as does the slightly fuzzy post
1857 image on the right.
On 20.4.1883, the “old” weir-keeper's
cottage was insured for £100
(NA Rail 845/23).
In August 1886, a new weir keeper's
cottage was proposed. This is basically the cottage that stands
there today, though unfortunately derelict.
LMA ACC
2423/P025
In the 1792 survey, the Halflock was
called Crane Mead Lock and then in succession, the Weir, the Lock, the
Lock in the Cutt, the Cistern and finally in 1804 it again became the
Lock and retained that title until 1826. It was then the Halflock until
it was removed in 1857. However, in various census locations, Crane
Mead reappears.
29.6.1870 "Ware Half Lock was entirely
cut out....and a 20 feet waterway has been made of 2 feet greater depth
in addition to a 6 feet towpath" (NA
Rail 845/17)
Ware Weir Cottage, c. 1950
9.9.2020 Canal and River Trust have
commissioned an Historic Building Report on the Weir-keeper's House.
Click
here to access it.
Archaelogy South-East (It will
open in a separate document)
Ware Weir Cottage
|
Census/Date |
Name |
Title |
Wife |
Location given by
enumerator/Comments |
Source Reference |
|
1.2.1947 |
C J Parrott |
Weir keeper |
Appointed from Relief Lock keeper
ex Bow Locks at
£4.3.0 per week with uniform; £4.15.0 on 9.6.1948; £4.18.6 on
2.8.1950; Last recorded r.o.p £7.14.11 n.d. |
NA Rail 845/128 |
|
31.1.1947 |
D Linfoot |
Weir keeper |
Now receiving £4.3.0 per week.
Due to retire (aged 65 on 15.12.1946) after 13 year’s service.
Pension 11s.11d per week with lump sum £93.3.6d |
NA Rail 845/128 |
|
1.4.1938 |
D Linfoot |
Weir keeper |
£1.6.0 to £1.8.0 |
NA Rail 845/122 |
|
1.4.1937 |
D Linfoot |
Weir keeper |
£1.3s.6d to £1.6s (inc house and
garden) |
NA Rail 845/121 |
|
25.5.1935 |
Alfred Frank Linfoot |
Temp Lock keeper |
Finished of own accord |
LCB Records |
|
26.2.1935 |
Alfred Frank Linfoot |
Temp Lock keeper |
Appointed at 27/- per week |
LCB Records |
|
D Linfoot may have started here replacing Gold (13 years service
- see above), but there is no contemporary record. Was
Alfred Frank Linfoot (b.22.7.1917) his son? |
|
19.1.1934 Gold had left the
sluices open all night and drained the river above to a foot
below bottom level., stranding barges and wasting an “enormous
volume” of water. “Further employment of this weir keeper would
be dangerous; …that he had given trouble before…lately become
absolutely unreliable” “Dismissed forthwith” (NA Rail 845/118) |
|
20.2.1931 |
W Gold |
Weir keeper |
+ 2/6 per week |
NA Rail 845/115 |
|
16.5.1930 |
W Gold (56) |
Weir keeper |
Appointed at 21/- per week plus
house and uniform |
NA Rail 845/114 |
|
16.5.1930 |
James James |
Weir keeper |
Died 8.4.1930 |
NA Rail 845/114 |
|
25.3.1927 |
James James (69) |
Weir keeper |
Appointed at 18/- per week with
house and uniform |
NA Rail 845/111 |
|
25.3.1927 |
A Chapman (74) |
Weir keeper |
Resigned with 7/- per week
pension
(Died aged 80 on 3.6.1933) |
NA Rail 845/111
(NA Rail 845/117) |
|
20.6.1924 |
A Chapman |
Weir keeper |
“was unable to carry out his
duties and it would be necessary to appoint a new man” (matter
adjourned) |
NA Rail 845/108 |
|
9.5.1924 |
Abraham Chapman (71) |
Weir keeper |
Appointed ex Ponders End |
NA Rail 845/108
|
|
12.4.1924 |
W Phillips |
Weir keeper |
Resigned. Vacated cottage
19.4.1924 |
NA Rail 845/108 |
|
30.4.1920 |
W Phillips |
Weir keeper |
Claimed compensation for
non-issue of uniform in 1919…informed that the uniform was on
order and would be issued during the next few weeks |
NA Rail 845/47 |
|
17.4.1920 Letter received from
Ware UDC asking if the Board have any objection to the weir
keeper at Ware Weir acting as steamroller driver occasionally.
Resolved that “Weir keeper Phillips be allowed to act…as
steamroller driver, provided his work…is not interfered with…and
that he does not wear the Board’s uniform during the performance
of his work for the Council” (NA Rail 845/47) |
|
14.11.1919 |
W Phillips |
Weir keeper |
18/- + house, garden, and uniform
|
NA Rail 845/46 |
|
15.2.1918 |
W Phillips |
Weir Keeper |
13/- per week |
NA Rail 845/66 |
|
6.10.1916 |
William Phillips (25) |
Weir keeper |
Soldier discharged for rupture
from 4th Beds Regiment, appointed at 10/- per week
with house and uniform |
NA Rail 845/43 |
|
14.7.1916 |
Thomas Rock |
Weir keeper |
Died on 30th June but his goods
have not yet been removed from the cottage |
LMA ACC 2423/15 |
|
30.6.1916 |
I regret to report that Thomas Rock and
his wife have been taken to the Infirmary and both are in a very
serious state of health. They were allowed to live in the
Weir keeper's house rent free on condition they attended to the
Weir. |
LMA ACC 2423/15 |
|
22.5.1914 |
- as the Amwell Magna Fishery Co's lease
of the cottage expires on 24.6.1914, the occupant of the
cottage, Thomas Rock, asks to be allowed to stay on. The
Amwell Magna Company pay us £20 per annum for the cottage and we
pay Rock £5 a year for attending to the weir. Rock, who is
72 years of age (and his wife 75) offers to hire the cottage at
4/- per week and will also attend the weir. He is very old
for the job, but I think he might be allowed to remain for a
time. |
LMA/ACC 2423/014 |
|
2.4.1911 |
Thomas Rock (68) |
Water Bailiff |
Sarah |
Tumbling Bay Cottage, Ware |
RG14PN7477 RG78PN363 RD133 SD3 ED1 SN159 |
|
5.4.1891 |
Thomas Rock (44) |
River keeper |
Sarah |
Lea side |
Great Amwell/6/39 |
|
22.4.1881 |
John Wells |
Tumbling Bay keeper |
Drowned |
NA Rail 845/22 |
|
4.4.1881 |
John Wells (68) |
Lock keeper |
Mary |
Amwell End Lock, Crane Mead |
Great Amwell/5/58 |
|
11.7.1877 |
John Wells |
Lock keeper |
To Hardmead Lock to look after
lock until house is ready for occupation |
NA Rail 845/21 |
|
1.10.1874 |
Letter from John Wells:" Gent.n I beg
respectfully to offer myself as a candidate for the appointment
lately held by Mr Dye of this town. I have for many years
been connected with the Water Traffic and hand you herewith a
list of Gentlemen and Traders to whom I am well known and who
have kindly appended their signatures as a recommendation for
the appointment. I hope you feel disposed... (attached was the
following) Gent.n We the undersigned do hereby strongly
recommend applicant John Wells of this place for the appointment
of Water and Lock Inspector for the River Lea Coy. in place of
Mr Dye who we are informed is about to leave. We have
known him many years and believe he will use every endeavourto
give you satisfaction if appointed". This letter was signed by
Hy Page,Chas Cass, Jno Hammond, W Page, Jos Jones, John
Williamson, Nath Cobham, John White, Hy Wilkins, C Albany |
NA Rail 845/55 |
|
2.4.1871 |
John Dye (53) |
Labourer on river |
Sarah |
Lock House Gt Amwell (nr Crane
Mead) |
Great Amwell/5/38 |
|
8.4.1861 |
John Dye (43) |
New River Labourer |
Sarah |
Ware Lock |
Great Amwell/5/6 |
|
21.4.1859 |
Smith |
Lock keeper |
Transferred to Stanstead Lock |
NA Rail 845/15 |
|
19.4.1856 |
John William Smith |
Lock keeper |
Transferred from Edmonton Lock to Ware
(sic) |
NA Rail 845/14 |
|
19.4.1856 |
Henry Smith |
Lock keeper |
Transferred from Hardmead Lock house (sic)
to Edmonton Lock |
NA Rail 845/14 |
|
21.11.1855 |
Henry Smith |
Lock keeper |
14/- per week (or Hardmead Lock) |
NA Rail 845/14 |
|
21.10.1854 |
Henry Smith |
Lock keeper |
14/- per week (or Hardmead Lock) |
NA Rail 845/14 |
|
30.3.1851 |
Susan Smith (46) |
Lock keeper |
Widow |
Amwell End |
Great Amwell/4/1 |
|
7.6.1841 |
William Smith (35) |
Lock keeper |
Susan |
Amwell End |
Great Amwell/6/11 |
|
18.5.1830 |
William Smith |
Lock keeper |
Appointed at Ware Halflock |
NA Rail 845/10 |
|
18.5.1830 |
Edward Chamberlain |
|
Transferred to Limehouse as Collector |
NA Rail 845/10 |
|
20.6.1826 |
Edward Chamberlain |
Keeper at Ware |
“To look after Mrs Hadsley’s Lock
at 4/- in advance of his present wages” |
NA Rail 845/10 |
|
21.6.1825 |
Edward Chamberlain |
Lock keeper |
Transferred from Old Ford |
NA Rail 845/9 |
|
21.6.1825 |
Benjamin Cock |
Lock keeper |
Resigning |
NA Rail 845/9
|
|
26.8.1801 |
Benjamin Cock |
Lock keeper |
Appointed |
NA Rail 845/7 |
|
1.8.1801 |
William Harris |
Lock keeper |
Resigned |
NA Rail 845/7 |
|
27.5.1801 |
William Harris |
Lock keeper |
Appointed |
NA Rail 845/7 |
|
* “This trust
having dismissed Bernard Resson from its service as Lock keeper
at Ware Tumbling Bay on Account of his great age and inability
to discharge his Duty and taken into Consideration his long
service of Forty years and upwards. It is resolved and ordered
that the Surveyor do continue to employ him in the service of
this Trust to instruct his Successor and in any other business
within his power until further order herein” (NA Rail 845/7) |
|
9.4.1801 |
Bernard Resson |
Lock keeper |
Be discharged because of his “age
and infirmity” (*see above) |
NA Rail 845/7 |
|
26.7.1779 |
William Rosson |
|
Ware Weir for 8/- per week and
Ware to Stanstead at £25 per year |
NA Rail 845/5 |
|
18.12.1775 |
William Resen |
|
Look after Ware to Stanstead at
£25 per year. Agreed
for the term of three years |
NA Rail 845/5 |
|
14.1.1772 “William
Rosson the Person who hath hitherto lookt after Ware Weir now
attended concerning him looking after the said Weir and the
Locks and Navigation to the Cistern in Amwell Marsh exclusive
for nine shillings a week….” (NA Rail 845/4)
|
|
1.7.1767 |
William Rosson |
Keeper of Ware Weir |
Paid 6/- per week |
NA Rail 845/4 |
|
c1761 |
Bernard Resson |
|
Appointed |
NA Rail 845/7 |
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