Regent's Canal

Above: A busy scene at the western end of Maida Hill Tunnel around 1905, with Thomas Clayton (Paddington)’s steam tug Powerful and a train of empty open wide boats waiting for the tunnel to clear before passing through. Henry Odell, and later Thomas Clayton, held the contract to remove and dispose of Marylebone’s rubbish into the spent-out brickfields and gravel pits to the west of London until the 1930s when Marylebone Council started its own operation. To the right is Albert Odell’s wideboat Mildred. Albert Odell was Henry’s son and at least the third generation of Odell brickmakers from the Hillingdon area. Whilst the family had moved to the affluent Clifton Gardens area of Maida Hill by 1901, Albert’s business operations were still centred in the Hillingdon area. As Powerful had cabin accommodation she was registered, initially as Uxbridge 300 in August 1900 for Odell & Co of Yiewsley and subsequently as Paddington 235 in February 1914 for Thomas Clayton (Paddington) Ltd. London Metropolitan Archives

The Regent’s Canal runs from what is now the Grand Union Canal at Paddington to join the River Thames at Limehouse. Whilst it was only just over 8½ miles in length, it took just over 8 years to build. What was expected to be a simple straightforward project met with a series of problems and cost vastly more than the original estimate.

There had been several earlier plans to build canals into London but these really crystallised once the Grand Junction Canal’s branch from Southall to a basin at Paddington opened on 10th July 1801. In 1802 a canal from Paddington via Islington, Shoreditch and Bethnal Green to the West India Dock was promoted, but attracted strong opposition from landowners due to the route crossing land scheduled for development. With difficulties also over water supplies, no progress was made.

The original seal of the Regent’s Canal Company incorporated the Prince of Wales’ feathers reflecting patronage given by the Prince Regent, who became King George IV in 1820. Waterways Archive

The idea was revived in 1810 but taking a more northerly route to avoid built-up areas and running to the Thames at Limehouse. In 1811 John Nash, the celebrated architect who was laying out Marylebone Park at the time, became involved and he realised that the canal could become an asset to the park. This led to the plans being amended for the line to pass through the middle of the park where the ground was level, but later the authorities decided it had to be moved to the northern boundary, which involved a deep cutting. Nash enjoyed the patronage of the Prince Regent, later King George IV, and on 7th August 1811 the prince agreed that the waterway could be called the Regent’s Canal. On this basis the promoters applied for an Act of Parliament and this was obtained on 13th July 1812; it included powers to build a short branch canal to Aske Terrace in Shoreditch.

Victoria Park was opened in 1845, having been laid out by James Pennethorne who took over John Nash’s practice. It runs alongside part of the canal and also alongside a length of the Hertford Union Canal. This photograph was taken facing north on the eastern towpath looking towards Old Ford Lock, with the photographer’s back towards Old Ford Road and the junction with the Hertford Union Canal. The section of canal around Old Ford Lock had towpaths running on both sides and an identical entrance gate could be seen below the lock on the path opposite. Many of the lockside buildings remain at Old Ford and, combined with the greenery of Victoria Park, make it an attractive place to pass through today. London Illustrated Weekly

The shareholders met on 10th August when officers were appointed including James Morgan as the engineer. Several months later his duties were defined as having complete control of all the building work. The route was staked out from Paddington through Marylebone Park to Hampstead Road and early in October work started in the park with two directors, Sir Thomas Bernard and John Drinkwater, putting in the first spades. The main contractor was Hugh McIntosh who was also responsible for excavating a short branch to Cumberland Market, which was authorised at the eastern end of the park by a separate Act in 1813, and in January 1813 he also agreed to excavate the canal from Hampstead Road eastwards to a proposed tunnel at Islington.

Construction

Two months later work started on Maida Hill Tunnel under Edgware Road which, apart from the deep cutting through the park, was by far the largest task on the first section of the canal. Morgan was in direct charge but he called in some expert assistance as a spring of water and quicksands were encountered, causing delays and several casualties to the workforce. The 272-yard tunnel was completed in August 1814 at a cost of over £54 per yard and was quickly followed by the completion of the 53-yard Eyre’s Tunnel nearly 200 yards further east.

By now most of the excavation to Hampstead Road had been completed and only minor works remained, including building a stop lock at Paddington where the canal joined the Grand Junction. The works, however, had cost far more than the estimate, partly due to the change of course through the park and the deeper cutting, partly due to cost of land being considerably more than budgeted and partly due to the cost of the Cumberland Market branch, which had not been included in the original estimate.

With the experience gained at Maida Hill, Morgan made a start on the proposed tunnel at Islington in September 1814 and a year later 660 yards had been successfully completed. Meanwhile some minor work had been carried out at Limehouse but major problems had arisen in trying to obtain some of the land east of Hampstead Road. The money was now rapidly running out and this forced virtually all the work to come to a stop at the end of September 1815.

Protracted discussions now took place as to how to deal with the situation which was going to involve an approach to Parliament for powers to raise more money. Meanwhile Morgan was allowed to build the stop lock at Paddington and, after negotiations with the Grand Junction, the 2¼-mile stretch of the canal to Hampstead Road and the 1,230-yard Cumberland Market branch were opened for traffic on 12th August 1816.

Eastwards from Hampstead Road brought the company into contact with William Agar, a landowner who was to cause it endless troubles over the years, motivated by Agar’s desire to obtain more and more money for his land. Part of the argument centred round the exact route the canal was to take through this land, and the company’s third Act, primarily designed to raise more money, contained clauses to try and resolve the route.

With extra funding now in prospect, work resumed on Islington Tunnel in August 1817 after a 2year stoppage, and in January 1818 George Roe started excavation from Limehouse northwards to Mile End. In March, McIntosh’s tender to excavate what was originally to have been a barge basin at Limehouse, but which had grown to a four-acre ship basin, was accepted, and revised terms were also agreed for him to resume excavation eastwards from Hampstead Road. The 960-yard Islington Tunnel was completed in September 1818 at a cost of just under £45 per yard.

Hard to think of it as the same place today, but this is the junction of the Regent’s Canal and the Paddington Arm of the Grand Junction (Grand Union) Canal at what is now called Little Venice. In Shepherd’s 1828 view, we see the towpath bridge and the Grand Junction Canal’s toll office on the left, with the canal to Paddington Basin in the right foreground. The entrance to the Regent’s Canal is beneath the bridge on the middle right. Alan Faulkner Collection

A deviation from the original plan was to abandon the proposed branch to Aske Terrace and to substitute a branch to City Road, east of Islington Tunnel. This provided much better access to the city. The changes were sanctioned by the company’s fourth Act of Parliament which also included powers for the company to operate a ship dock.

Contracts to continue the canal northwards from Mile End to Cambridge Heath and then on to the Rosemary Branch were awarded to George Roe in May 1818 and January 1819 respectively and these were followed by agreements with various contractors covering building the locks – that were to be twinned – and the bridges. The final excavation contracts were from the Rosemary Branch westwards to Islington Tunnel, and for the City Road Basin, and these went to McIntosh in September 1819. Both were soon completed, enabling the canal to be ceremoniously opened throughout on 1st August 1820.

Water Supply

The problem of obtaining a guaranteed supply of water remained. The easiest source would have been from the Grand Junction, but at the time its supplies were insufficient for the needs of the new canal, particularly as it had become an important supplier of drinking water to the area around Paddington.

An early proposal was for the company to build a reservoir at Finchley and although the land was purchased the springs were found to be totally inadequate. As a result the directors were attracted to a locking system that used hardly any water in the process – William Congreve’s hydro-pneumatic lock. This comprised two lock chambers, each completely filled by an inverted caisson supported on a cushion of air and carrying a depth of water sufficient to float boats. The caissons had guillotine gates at each end so as to admit boats, were counter balanced, and were linked by an air pump enabling one to be raised as the other was lowered. The only loss of water was through leakage, but the design was such that this was small.

REGENT’S CANAL PEOPLE 

John Nash (1752–1835) 

Born in Cardigan, he became an architect, trained by Sir Robert Taylor. He set up in practice in 1793 where he was extremely successful and enjoyed the patronage of the Prince Regent. He was one of the main promoters of the canal and served as a director from August 1812 until his death. At one time he and his wife held very large shareholdings in the venture. He was particularly involved with what became the Cumberland Market branch and was responsible for developing the land around the basin there for wharves and other purposes. He died aged 83 at East Cowes Castle, Isle of Wight.

James Morgan (1773–1856)

Born in Wales, he became an architect and engineer and was a close associate of John Nash. He was involved in the early planning for the canal, was appointed its engineer in August 1820 and was responsible for acquiring most of the land needed and for all the construction works. He eventually resigned in September 1835 but agreed to see the work on Brent Reservoir through to completion. He died at Hammersmith and is buried in Brompton Cemetery.

John Drinkwater (1762–1844)

He was the most active of all the directors and, in effect, served as the managing director. Born in Lancashire he joined the army in 1777 and was involved in the siege of Gibraltar between 1779 and 1783, eventually acquiring the rank of Colonel. In 1811 he was appointed to serve as comptroller of army accounts, a position he held until the office was abolished in 1835. He was involved with the canal from the very beginning, was appointed as a director in August 1812 and served until June 1836. In 1830 he produced a compendium of the canal, setting out its history to date. He died in June 1844 near Leatherhead.

Hugh McIntosh (1768–1840)

Born in Nairn, Scotland, he started work as a navvy on the Forth & Clyde Canal but quickly became a contractor in his own right, specialising in canal and dock work. He was responsible for the bulk of the excavation of the canal from Paddington to the Rosemary Branch, for City Road Basin, for Limehouse Basin, ship entrance channel and ship lock, as well as Commercial Road Locks and several bridges. He died in August 1840 at Wakefield and is buried in the family vault in Poplar.

George Parker, 4th Earl of Macclesfield (1755–1842) 

Appointed as a director in 1812, he became Chairman in 1816, holding the position until his death. He was also Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire. In 1820 the iron column ornamental bridge in Regent’s Park was named Macclesfield Bridge in his honour.

Sir Thomas Bernard (1750–1818) 

Educated at Harvard, America, he was called to the bar in 1780 and was also a banker. He served as the company’s chairman from 1812 to 1815 and, with Drinkwater, officiated at the ceremony in Marylebone Park when construction work began. Later he was involved in the endless negotiations with William Agar. He was a philanthropist; Bernard Street in the West End is named after him. 

 

Bust of John Nash at All Souls Church, London. David Castor

John Drinkwater

Sir Thomas Bernard

The activity on the towpath in July 1876 beneath Gloucester Avenue Road Bridge, over the Cumberland Market branch, generated a considerable crowd up on the bridge. The onlookers are standing on one of two footpaths added in 1835 to the original 1814 bridge structure. By the time of the photograph, traffic across the bridge had increased so much that a newer wider bridge was needed, and the narrowboat appears to be delivering a load of bricks, presumably for use in this work. Camden Local Studies Library

In June 1814 the company authorised a trial lock to be erected at Hampstead Road, but what in theory seemed an ideal situation proved in practice to be very different. It was not until March 1816 that the construction work was finished, and a series of operating problems followed. Finally in July 1818 the idea was formally abandoned; instead the building of conventional locks at the twelve sites was authorised.

Another early proposal had been to draw water from the Thames and pump it up to the canal at Paddington. This was now adopted jointly with the Grand Junction, which was experiencing problems over the quality of the drinking water it was supplying. In exchange for receiving the Thames water, the Grand Junction would supply the Regent’s from its existing sources. A pumping station was built at Chelsea equipped with two Boulton & Watt steam engines, a pipeline was laid through Hyde Park to Paddington and pumping started shortly after the canal was opened.

This sufficed for several years but in 1833 it was decided to build a reservoir on the River Brent at Hendon to enhance supplies. This was completed in November 1835 and it was extended, doubling its size, three years later.

Traffic and Extensions

Once the canal was open the company began a programme of improvements. Traders applied to build a series of wharves alongside the canal and these were usually agreed, provided that a lay-by was constructed so that barges at the wharf would not obstruct the canal and that the excavation work was carried out under strict conditions to ensure no water would be lost.

In addition several private docks were built, such as William Horsfall’s basin at Maiden Lane in 1822 and John Edwards’ Wenlock basin parallel to the City Road Basin in 1826. Another improvement was to install vertical rag-stone walling along both sides of the canal to protect the banks and to increase the cross-sectional area of the waterway. After various trials, a rolling programme started in 1832 and went on to cover most of the canal.

At Islington Tunnel long delays were occurring as barges had to be man-handled through. In 1824 a steam tug was introduced that hauled itself through using a rope laid on the bed of the canal. The system was progressively improved and eventually self-propelled tugs were introduced, not only at the tunnel but at other locations such as from Hampstead Road to Paddington and beyond.

Likewise a number of improvements was carried out at Limehouse Basin. Initially a series of jetties was built out from the Horseferry Road to enable ships to load and unload. As early as the end of 1822 a small extension was excavated close to Commercial Road Locks and this was a prelude to a rolling programme over the years with a major extension to the north in 1841 and to the east starting in 1848. In 1849 a new barge lock was opened to speed up this traffic and there was a short-lived link to the adjacent Limehouse Cut in 1853 but this had to be closed in 1864.

A much larger entrance lock was opened in 1869 capable of admitting ships up to 350ft in length and 60ft beam and ten years later major extensions were made in the south and the east, increasing the water area of what was becoming known as Regent’s Canal Dock to over 10 acres. This enabled the original ship lock to be closed. By 1900 the north, south-east and south quays had been reconstructed, the dock had been dredged to provide a 28ft depth of water, and developments were now centring more on the provision of warehouses round the dock.

A busy scene at Walker’s Purfleet Wharf at Camden Town in 1911. This wharf lay by a small basin just above Hampstead Road Locks and was one of the first to be built on the canal, being opened in 1816. Today it is known as Dingwall’s Dock. Alan Faulkner Collection

Elsewhere the Hertford Union Canal had been promoted by Sir George Duckett and opened in 1830. It ran from the Regent’s at Old Ford north-eastwards for almost 1¼ miles through three locks to join up with the River Lee. It was not successful, was closed in 1848 and was eventually bought by the Regent’s in September 1854 for £6,850, although further monies were needed to reopen it and put it back into navigable condition.

Railway Schemes

As the canal formed an arc around the north of London it was inevitable it would become involved with the railways, and from 1835 a series of schemes was put forward. These were usually to cross over the canal, such as the line into Euston station, but several planned to use part of the route of the canal. For instance in 1874 a line was proposed from St Pancras and Kings Cross alongside the canal to the Thames and a Regent’s Canal & Dock Co was incorporated to acquire the canal and build the line. The promoters, however, could not raise the monies required and the new company was dissolved two years later.

A similar scheme emerged in 1882 when the Regent’s Canal City & Docks Railway Co was incorporated to take over the canal and build a series of railways between Paddington and the Hertford Union Canal to enable a line to reach the docks. The canal was acquired but once again the additional money needed could not be raised. A series of Acts followed – the new company changed its name to the North Metropolitan Railway & Canal Co in 1892 and gradually reduced the scope of the plans until 1900 when the railway powers were finally given up and the canal company was renamed The Regent’s Canal & Dock Co.

20th Century Developments

In the 20th century, developments at Limehouse centred on building warehouses such as the Edward and Alexandra warehouses in 1902 and 1905 respectively on the east quay, Medland Wharf on the south-west quay, and Bergen Wharf on the west quay in 1922, the latter reflecting the trade with Norway. Against this, in 1918 work started on filling-in the old barge dock to the north and in 1924 the barge entrance lock was sealed off.

Whilst traffic levels had remained healthy, the First World War caused a significant reduction, although some was recouped in the 1920s. But early in 1926 negotiations started with the Grand Junction Canal over a possible merger, and terms were agreed in April 1927; later the three Warwick canals were included in the merger. Bills were lodged in Parliament and received Royal Assent in August 1928, with the Regent’s Canal & Dock Co being required to change its name to the Grand Union Canal Co.

The newly merged company went on to actively promote trade both through the dock and on the canals, a large fleet of canal boats was built up in the 1930s (Summer 2009 NB), and a shipping company was established in 1937. The Second World War again affected the dock, and traffic on the canal was also rapidly falling off with competition from road transport and with the closure of canalside businesses.

A particularly steep drop in traffic at the dock in 1968 led to it being closed to general shipping in 1969, but the north quay continued to be used for the export of scrap metal for another 10 years. Meanwhile a new link had been opened to the Limehouse Cut in 1968. Barge traffic was also continuing to decline rapidly; one of the last regular contracts was taking milk powder to Glaxo at Greenford, but this finished in 1973. This all represented a low spot in the canal’s history.

Into the Leisure Era

The basic structure of the canal has survived relatively intact. In the 1930s that part of City Road Basin south of the road was filled in, and in the 1970s there were proposals to fill in the rest. In the event only a short section north of the road was involved and the rest remains open today. The nearby Wenlock Basin also survives and is used for moorings, albeit the basin is now much narrower. Several smaller basins have been filled in but Kingsland Basin has survived as a mooring. The biggest loss was in 1940 with the closure and subsequent filling-in of the Cumberland Market branch to enable redevelopment of the land round the terminal basin.

Whilst groups had been formed to promote the canal, access to the water was not easy, with much of the waterway being hidden away behind commercial buildings. St Pancras Cruising Club had been formed in 1963 but pleasure traffic was slow to develop as initially the locks had to be worked under supervision to safeguard against flooding in this heavily built-up area. In 1974 one chamber of each of the duplicated locks was converted into a weir that would pass flood water, enabling boaters to be permitted to work the locks themselves.

In 1968 Westminster City Council took the lead by opening up a stretch of the towpath in Regent’s Park to the public. Other councils followed, enabling the entire towpath to be made available by 1982. Between Maida Hill and the Hertford Union Canal the towpath has been used for high voltage electricity cables buried beneath the surface and kept cool by water circulated from the canal. This involved concrete slabs being used to surface the towpath, making it ideal for cyclists and walkers who now make full use of it. Today the route is promoted as the Jubilee Green Way.

Meanwhile wholesale redevelopment of derelict wharves and canalside buildings has led to the canal often being made a positive feature and this process is continuing. On the former railway land north of Kings Cross, a major urban regeneration project by developers Argent is underway involving a large new shopping centre beside the canal and a new home for London’s University of the Arts. Likewise above Mile End Lock, Queen Mary, University of London, now has a prominent site beside the canal.

On 30th July 1900 it changed its name to The Regent’s Canal & Dock Co, having abandoned its idea to build a series of railways. Waterways Archive

In 1892 The company restyled itself The North Metropolitan Railway & Canal Co. Waterways Archive

The seal of the Regent’s Canal City & Docks Railway Co, established in 1882 with ambitious plans to build a series of railways linking with the canal. Waterways Archive

Nine pairs of narrowboats, mostly from the Associated Canal Carriers fleet, waiting to load in Regent’s Canal Dock in the mid 1930s. Tony Smith Collection

A riveted iron barge, well loaded with timber, enters one of the twin City Road Locks in 1938 whilst an empty wooden barge waits to descend in the parallel lock. City Road pumping station, by then redundant, stands beside the locks. Waterways Archive

In what appears to be a classic case of male chauvinism, three men watch the barrel-laden horse-boat Avon (ex John Walley) being laboriously bow-hauled out of the chamber of Hampstead Road Lock No 1 at Camden by the boat lady. The painted sign ‘W&A Gilbey’ on the building behind gives a hint to the domination that this wine and spirits company had in the area, providing both canal and rail trade via its own goods sidings which ran over the canal from Camden Goods Station. Opposite is the newly developed L&NWR interchange warehouse, straddling a dock using an iron girder framework with rail over the dock (often called “Dead Dog ‘Ole”) and goods transferred through trapdoors. The footbridge above the lock takes the towpath over the canal to avoid the dock entrance. London Metropolitan Archives

At Limehouse, part of the dock was filled in to enable the Limehouse Link road to be built underneath, dockside land has been redeveloped for housing and a very much smaller entrance lock was opened in 1989. In 1994 the dock was opened up as Limehouse Basin Marina.

In this new role the canal and the dock should have an assured future.

Clouds of smoke and steam billow from the western end of the 960-yard Islington Tunnel as the steam-powered cable-drawn tug emerges, with taught cable just visible to the right. Little has been written about this strange craft, which can be seen in action in a Pathe News clip (goo.gl/GltFC). Ladders were kept at both ends of the tunnel adjacent to signal lamps, to assist navigation control after dark. The men standing at the tunnel mouth probably include the tunnel keeper and boatmen waiting to board their craft as they emerge behind the tug. The cable haulage system was discontinued in March 1921 but had to be re-introduced in July 1924 following a tragic accident. It was finally done away with in December 1927 when new diesel tugs were introduced. London Metropolitan Archives