Traffic at Market Drayton

Picturing the Past: NarrowBoat, Spring 2025

Christopher M Jones

Chris M. Jones looks at four images that illustrate traffic around this small Shropshire town

Christopher M. Jones Collection Looking north from Newcastle Road Bridge 62 towards Betton Road Bridge 63, FMC's Gosport is seen passing Market Drayton Wharf and basin on a breezy summer’s day. This image was taken around the 1920s with the main set of wharf buildings visible known as Canal Mills and used by John Henry Jones, miller and corn dealer. The large warehouse next to the road-bridge was built about 1906 and was later turned into a mill. The wharf area known as Old Wharf had been occupied by many different traders over the years, such as George Lee, who sold coal, coke, lime, salt and breeze, although the largest was the Shropshire Union Railways & Canal Co through its local agent. Some railway traders also used the canal and took advantage of both modes of transport. Samuel Woodcock & Sons supplied coal, coke, breeze, lime and agricultural salt from Market Drayton station, but also advertised deliveries by canal, as did coal, lime and builders’ merchant …