The making of the Canal

 

It was in 1765 that the engineer James Brindley and pottery manufacturer Josiah Wedgwood met at The Leopard public house in Burslem and resolved to build a canal to take production from the potteries to Runcorn before meeting the Port of Liverpool to ease the distribution of their wares.

This is a local section of it showing on the left the "Homes Ashore" from the late Victorian era the Lock and with it the lockkeepers cottage as we exit the city region to the countryside of Cheshire.

Sadly we lost The Leopard which goes back to the Eighteenth Century to a catastrophic fire on Saturday afternoon but it was here on Market Street, Burslem that one of the most important drivers of industrialization in this region that lent the unofficial nick-name "The Potteries" was born.

The canal in Autumn

Weather was rather good this week so I've been out around the local canal exploring the nearby meadowland where I noticed this enjoyable view come together.

Often when you look at a scene you tend to notice just the main objects but often it is the details that make it and here it is the reflections of the sky and part of the tow path that adds to the overall picture.

It is still very busy on the canal so apart from those boats moored up no doubt taking advantage of local facilities such as shops and a post office you will see others going through like this on going towards Kidsgrove.

The boat decoration is a bit sparse compared with many but the floral display at the front  is a very nice touch.