General Carrier's Horsekeeper

[Goodenough]

Hello

Looking at my late mother's birth certificate I see that my grandfather, who was Joseph Sowter and who lived at 6 Kingston Row, was a "General Carrier's Horsekeeper".

I had always assumed that each bargee had his own horse which obviously he looked after as his livelihood depended on it. The job description above seemed to suggest that grandfather was employed as a sort of stable hand working, not for himself, but for a carrying company. And presumably also there must have been stables close to Kingston Row and the nearby basin.

Does anyone have any background information either on who the carrier's might have been or what the situation and duties of a Horsekeeper were? For instance would he have been paid sufficient enough to rent the cottage in Kingston Row or did the cottage go with the job.

Peter in sunny Devon

 

[mikejee]

Are you aware that , although no 6 Kingston row is no longer there, 1-4 are and are listed buildings. The position of no 6 (opposite 1-4 is in red on the c1955 map below

 

[Goodenough]

Thanks for that, Mikejee

I didn't know no 6 had been demolished nor even where exactly it was so your input is very valuable.

Peter in sunny Devon

 

[Astoness]

numbers 1 to 4 kingston row are fine buildings...i was down that way some time back taking photos of them

lyn

 

[Goodenough]

Hi Lyn

Living in Devon I am unable to visit Kingston Row which I would love to do. I have looked at pictures on Google Earth and on Flickr and the whole area looks fascinating.

Peter in sunny Devon

 

[Astoness]

Hi Lyn

Living in Devon I am unable to visit Kingston Row which I would love to do. I have looked at pictures on Google Earth and on Flickr and the whole area looks fascinating.

Peter in sunny Devon

peter you should be able to see 1 to 4 on google earth...the longboat pub as was is very close by on the canal...i used to go there a lot in the 70s...think its called the flapper now or something like that


lyn

 

[Goodenough]

Hi Lyn

Yes, I found nos 1 - 4 on Google Earth

Peter in Devon [night time, no sun now]

 

[Heartland]

Kingston Row was close to the Crescent Wharves which were canal carriers depots from the mid 1790's. A number of canal carriers companies were based there until the 1850's then the numbers dwindled. Picton had base there, but there was also the Shropshire Railway & Canal Co who carried extensively on the routes to Liverpool and Manchester. Their premises were later occupied by Fellows, Morton & Clayton.

 

[Goodenough]

Interesting that the Shropshire Railway and Canal Co carried extensively on routes to Liverpool and Manchester. My late mother married a man called John O Hodgkins, at the tender age of eighteen, while she was still living at Kingston Row. The interesting part is that he originated from the Wirral and I have often wondered whether he was a boatman whom she had met on one of his trips to Birmingham.

 

[Heartland]

Yes the SURCC were established carriers on the waterways during the railway age. Their carrying routes were first confined to the Shropshire Union network, but grew to include the West Midlands and the Potteries. By then the London & North Western Railway Co owned the Shropshire Union and it was they who appointed G R Jebb to be the canal engineer for that company. Jebb also, subsequently, became engineer for the Birmingham Canal Company and it was he who improved and redesigned the SU wharves at the Crescent. The BCN was then "controlled" but not owned by the LNWR

 

[MariaHall]

G R Jebb also designed the Boatman’s Rest at the Top Lock in Old Birchills, Walsall

 

[Pedrocut]

It is 4 years since Goodenough's query, and if he is still on the Forum I have discovered some information from 1932 concerning Ernest Sowter of 6 Kingston Row. Please contact by the private mail service.

 

[Goodenough]

It is 4 years since Goodenough's query, and if he is still on the Forum I have discovered some information from 1932 concerning Ernest Sowter of 6 Kingston Row. Please contact by the private mail service.

Hi Pedrocut. I'm afraid I haven't looked at the B H F recently and failed to see your post. You say you have information about Ernest Sowter who was my uncle [my mother's brother]. I would love to know what you have found. Regards, Peter

 

[brummy-lad]

On this street view image, the building behind where No. 6 would have stood has a No. 41 high up on the wall, any thoughts as to what that relates to? perhaps an old house numbering system?

 

[Morturn]

On this street view image, the building behind where No. 6 would have stood has a No. 41 high up on the wall, any thoughts as to what that relates to? perhaps an old house numbering system?

Would it be canal piece of company property, they tended to number things.

 

[brummy-lad]

Would it be canal piece of company property, they tended to number things.

Good shout that, it could be part of the Cambrian Wharf complex.

 

[Heartland]

No 41 is a canal cottage number and is numbered in the BCN Cottage numbering scheme. Horses were provided for assisting craft on Farmers Bridge Locks, this was in addition to the carriers themselves, although details have been rather sketchy