Canals of Birmingham

[Richard Dye]

Below is a photo of vehicles assembled on Worcester Wharf. I am guessing that the photo may have been taken from about the position of the red arrow on the e1880s map, though the photo would seem to come from around the time of WW1. On two of the vehicles company names can be read .
On the horse drawn cart can be seen J.Graham & Sons No.8. This (from 1913 Kellys) would be Thomas James Graham & Sons, cement & plaster manufacturers, dealers in hair, lathes, whiting, salt bath bricks, hardeners' potting sands, glass sands etc, and hired sack contractors; Worcester Wharf, Bridge St.
On the nearest motor vehicle can be read Greave. this would be Greaves, Bull & Lakin Ltd, cement manufacturers, Worcester Wharf, Bridge St


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Mike, looking at your map, it shows Worcester Wharf as a very large, massive place. What would they do there that needed it to be so large? Just curious…

 

[mikejee]

It was the Birmingham terminus of Birmingham Canal and was, as far as I know only concerned with transport on the canal. Remember that at first there were no railways and roads were not particularly good, and could only take individual small loads. Initially the cargoes were largely coal, timber and agricultural products, though the Worcester Porcelain works were also users. Indeed, the porcelain works continued using the canal up till the 1960s, though would not have used the wharf that late in time. The Worcester wharf did contain a timber yard and speciofic areas leased by coal merchants, anothe rlater cargo was salt fromthe Droitwich salt works

 

[Richard Dye]

It was the Birmingham terminus of Birmingham Canal and was, as far as I know only concerned with transport on the canal. Remember that at first there were no railways and roads were not particularly good, and could only take individual small loads. Initially the cargoes were largely coal, timber and agricultural products, though the Worcester Porcelain works were also users. Indeed, the porcelain works continued using the canal up till the 1960s, though would not have used the wharf that late in time. The Worcester wharf did contain a timber yard and speciofic areas leased by coal merchants, anothe rlater cargo was salt fromthe Droitwich salt works

Thank you, that makes sense. I am watching a series on railways in the UK and they talk about the impact of the railways on the canals.

 

[Lloyd]

Barges on the canals replaced packhorses and later wagons (which could carry more) on the roads. Railways replaced them for the same reasons, and later still lorries on tarmac roads did the same. Aircraft can now carry loads further and faster still. What comes next, in the future?

 

[Richard Dye]

Barges on the canals replaced packhorses and later wagons (which could carry more) on the roads. Railways replaced them for the same reasons, and later still lorries on tarmac roads did the same. Aircraft can now carry loads further and faster still. What comes next, in the future?

So very true!
Also the impact on the way of life for the populace is quite startling. Particularly rail ways that brought the country much closer together physically and allowing goods and services to be no longer local giving birth to holiday/seaside destinations.

 

[devonjim]

It was the Birmingham terminus of Birmingham Canal and was, as far as I know only concerned with transport on the canal. Remember that at first there were no railways and roads were not particularly good, and could only take individual small loads. Initially the cargoes were largely coal, timber and agricultural products, though the Worcester Porcelain works were also users. Indeed, the porcelain works continued using the canal up till the 1960s, though would not have used the wharf that late in time. The Worcester wharf did contain a timber yard and speciofic areas leased by coal merchants, anothe rlater cargo was salt fromthe Droitwich salt works

Remember back in 1970's a timber yard at Digliss Dock, is this the same. I had the "Fink/Fan trusses" for our bungalow made there.