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Does anyone know this ice breaker location


canalboat

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3 hours ago, Neil2 said:

It was me and this was it http://maps.nls.uk/view/101593011

Is it still there?

Yes it is - I'm going blind in my old age............

I wanted to check the Footpath that goes directly from the footbridge over the railway to the canal bridge where I will start the search.
I am imagining a young boater hearing an elder mumble "Hangman's Bridge" as they went under the canal bridge, not realising they were nodding toward the footpath.

Anyway, I like that story and it fits.

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OK Sherlocks, taking in all you have all said, this is what I think.
In this map, the bridge which took the tramway from the quarry is still there today. At that time, it had a direct footpath from what the photographer thought was Hangman's Bridge - the footbridge over the railway.  So the canalbridge could easily be thought to be called that by canal people.
That particular canalbridge was not built until early 1900s. The men are not wearing ex-army greatcoats so it was before WW1.
Looking northwest, there are still trees on the towingpath side and the other side would have been a tramway with no vegetation.
And, as there are no identifiable buildings, the only way the person who handwrote the location on the back of the pic could know where it was, is that they were either on the boat or someone who was on the boat (or the photographer) told them where it was.

Please pick holes in that theory but I think we have the location.

Scan_20171015.jpg.40d32b9ca507a9ad57be04efe13060ce.jpg

Edited by canalboat
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hartshill.jpg.ac98bf2c4ddc2a53dd30c17b8415bd0a.jpg

I think that I can see a bridge hole through the bush which could be Apple Pie Lane Bridge and a building to the left which could be Hartshill Wharf. The line of trees seems to stop at the bridge which would fit with the present view although the house on the bridge would have to be later than the photo.

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11 minutes ago, Richard West said:

hartshill.jpg.ac98bf2c4ddc2a53dd30c17b8415bd0a.jpg

I think that I can see a bridge hole through the bush which could be Apple Pie Lane Bridge and a building to the left which could be Hartshill Wharf. The line of trees seems to stop at the bridge which would fit with the present view although the house on the bridge would have to be later than the photo.

Yes I think there's far more evidence to suggest the location is just before Apple Pie Lane bridge than near that old tramway bridge.  

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Went to have a look today at the suggested location on the previous map but it definitely can not be it because the distance between bridges was too short and anyway, the non-towing path bank was about 20 feet high. So walked the towing path both ways and spoke to local boaters.  One thought he had heard talk of Hangman's something but was not sure.  Anchor Inn staff merely commented " could be anywhere".  I started thinking of the hand-written phrase used "Bridge(s) length from Hartshill" and imagined what that would mean from an old time boater- I concluded that he would most likely be referring to Hartshill Wharf so I went to the bridge before it.  Got quite excited at the tree line which had the right number of huge evergreens in exactly the right place. The off-side was at canal level and the wharf building and its chimney was to the left of the next bridge-hole. The canal towing-path side was slightly curvey but there was clear evidence that its route had been slightly altered at some stage which put a slight curve where our photo makes it look straighter. Only disappointment was that I couldn't get to where the photo must have been taken from so I couldn't get the angle. Then the wind got up, a chunk of tree hit the car roof - so I went home...... All very interesting though. Its been a long time since I did something totally pointless,

Scan_20171016.jpg.6256c4f3882bd8961fe041b0f52d6344.jpg

Edited by canalboat
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Have been trying to find out how old the yard is, but all i can find is mention of a fire and documents being lost.

I know the canal used to run under the house that is now built into the bridge, next to the water point, i think they used to load boats from above, the chap that lives there will show you the basement if you get chatting to him.

 

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Thinking about dating this, i am sure that telegraph poles used to run all the way up that stretch, i have seen old photos of telegraph poles running through Nuneaton and hartshill, plus there is one left standing near tuttle hill moorings, this photo has none so i must have been early 1800s ?

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27 minutes ago, Dave Payne said:

 

Thinking about dating this, i am sure that telegraph poles used to run all the way up that stretch, i have seen old photos of telegraph poles running through Nuneaton and hartshill, plus there is one left standing near tuttle hill moorings, this photo has none so i must have been early 1800s ?

According to this site,  the trunk network (connecting major towns together, rather than local lines from the exchange to subscribers (customers) began to be installed from 1990 to 1895.

http://www.britishtelephones.com/histuk.htm

http://home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/history-of-communication-in-the-uk-11364195554753

Therefore it is unlikely that there would have been telegraph poles before then, unless used for a long distance telegraph service, which began in 1837.

http://ethw.org/Telegraph

 

Edited by cuthound
To add the last sentance.
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You guys are really trying hard, many thanks.  And quite a coincidence you mentioning telegraph poles because I just found this on Nuneaton Family History Society website.

There was a great frost in 1909 and the Coventry Canal froze over completely. This scene is at Hartshill and it looks as though a great many people have been enlisted to rock the boat backwards and forwards to break the ice in order to open up a channel for canal traffic. (What would "health and safety" people make of this today!!) The ropes indicate there are two horses being used to tow the barge along. Many thanks to Ray Butler who has kindly written with these observations. (Jean Lapworth Collection)59e4d745095d7_icebreakerathartshill1909.jpg.8a553550727645acf4b138023c97648e.jpg

 

SORRY - I CAN't FIND OUT HOW TO DELETE THIS MAP

Scan_20171016.jpg

Edited by canalboat
trying to delete the map
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Yep, I've been watching that slowly deteriorate since 1992, when I first noticed it. 

Although it must have been there when I first travelled the Coventry in 1973, but I didn't see notice it then.  Perhaps there were more back then?

Gradually more insulators fall off it and the cross bars get more wonky.

Another reminder of the past is the old Great Central Line railway signal, a lonely centinal standing in a field on the North Oxford between Braunston and Hillmorton.

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19 hours ago, Dave Payne said:

 

Thinking about dating this, i am sure that telegraph poles used to run all the way up that stretch, i have seen old photos of telegraph poles running through Nuneaton and hartshill, plus there is one left standing near tuttle hill moorings, this photo has none so i must have been early 1800s ?

Presumably you mean early 1900's..?

 

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8 minutes ago, Dave Payne said:

mid 1800s maybe then?

As I said in post #62, the trunk telegraph network began in 1837 and the trunk telephone network was installed between 1890 & 1895. What is not clear is whether either followed the canal near Hartshill.

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15 minutes ago, Dave Payne said:

mid 1800s maybe then?

I doubt it.

I reckon the camera capable of taking that picture - it's an action shot, bear in mind, - would not have been around until the 20th Century.

For my money the photo was taken between WW1 and WW2 but it's only an "educated" guess.

BTW one guy seems to be wearing wellies - does anyone know when they became widely available?

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10 minutes ago, Neil2 said:

BTW one guy seems to be wearing wellies - does anyone know when they became widely available?

Originated with the Duke of Wellington from the 1840s. Rubber wellies date from the 1850s, but were popularised in World War 1.

Does that help?

(info from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellington_boot)

 

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22 minutes ago, cuthound said:

As I said in post #62, the trunk telegraph network began in 1837 and the trunk telephone network was installed between 1890 & 1895. What is not clear is whether either followed the canal near Hartshill.

Post 63 shows them, apparently at hartshill, i am putting my money on the photo being took from bridge 32.

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