Regent's Canal Explosion

Reader's Letters & Queries: NarrowBoat, Summer 2012

I write to say how much I enjoyed Alan Faulkner’s article on the Regent’s Canal (Spring 2012 NB). I lived in Paddington, quite close to the Regent’s and Grand Union canals, and for many years worked in the St John’s Wood area where daily I would find myself in the Prince Albert Road or Outer Circle of Regent’s Park – both busy thoroughfares running parallel with the canal. To get from one to the other it would be necessary to use Macclesfield Bridge, at the north entrance to the park and opposite the beginning of Avenue Road. Macclesfield Bridge, originally called North Gate Bridge but renamed in honour of George Parker, 4th Earl of Macclesfield (1755–1842) who, as Alan Faulkner points out, was appointed director of the Regent’s Canal Co in 1812 and became chairman 4 years after that. It was at Macclesfield Bridge, or rather just below it on the canal itself, that in the early hours of 2nd October 1874 the barge Tilbury – being thi…