Eating out and the Long Arm of the Law.

 We had a good nights sleep and the day dawned fine and dry. We finally got going about 09:45 and pottered through Alrewas to come to Bagnall Lock just as a hire boat was entering.

I was taken with the weather vane of the old school as we passed. AD 1855. The pigeon just made it better.

The weather vane says 1855 but it was 29th May 1855 that the foundation stone was laid after a procession of the children and the vicar with flags around the village. The stone states 'This stone was laid by Mrs. J. Levett, Wichnor Lodge, 29th May 1855. Rev. R.K. Haslehurst, Vicar, Ewan Christian Esq., London Architect, Mr. Thomas Andrews, Barton, Builder'. It is also interesting to note that the sale of the old school was advertised in April, before the stone had been laid. It had the master's house with two school rooms attached and a playground.

The lock landing for the Bagnall Lock is not anywhere near lined up to give a straight entry to the lock. It ids no wonder that so much damage has been done to the knuckle, and on the other side where boats bounce off I suppose. Mind you it looks like the original stone work has been shuttered by bricks that have taken the brunt of it.

The cavenous shed at Fradley Marina was open today and they had a curious looking 'trolley' to bring boats up and doen. It is certainly looking much busier, and at Common Lock we crossed with a boat that was just dropping down to enter, maybe they were waiting for him!

On the bank there was the first swan I have seen sitting. Not much of a nest though, and I couldn't see any eggs. I have seen my first swallow of the season though that was at Branston Lock. Last year we saw our first ducklings on 1st April. I wonder if that will be so this year?

There were boats coming and going with odd delays at the locks. I think the lock keepers will start their season here next weekend.

We moored up by the 'Laughing Duck' and decided to go to the Canalside Bistro, past the Swan for a bite to eat before travelling onwards. It rained whist we were eating but has been pretty good after we set off again.

This is the crane that was rescued from Horninglow Basin in 1977. There is also the pillar of another crane next to it.

We pottered on to moor just above Woodend Lock with a view of the new woodland planted by HS2 with soil salvaged from the mature woods, some of the trees were brought to that just look like masts at the moment

After my post regarding the beer theft a name came up when I looked further. Joseph Oldham was born in Wellesbourne Warwickshire in 1806. The first time I can find his name is in 1844 when he is 37 and a police constable for the Trent and Mersey Co. We was living at the Wharf in Kings Bromley and seemed to be have been very active in the area. He was described as 'indefatigable' by one judge when he caught a boat crew stealing barley from a consignment from Gainsborough to Horninglow on a wide beam boat owned by Smiths of Horninglow. The judge also praised him for the 'audacious detection of these robberies which are not only frequent but almost daily occurrences'. He apprehended robbries who had broken in to a canal warehouse in Atherstone and stole brandy and drapery and cloth after catching up with them in Handsacre. The theft of nails and a plank along with 60lbs of iron from a railway bridge repair near Wychnor too. There was more theft of barley and of beer too. He was assaulted by a boatman when he was stationed at Sandon Lock to supervise the chaos following a stoppage there with everybody arguing about whose turn it was. Two of the boat captains were arguing and when Joseph intervened he was set upon by one of them. Non of the other boatmen would come to his assistance. He was also responsible for the apprehension of  boatman William Ellis, alias Lambert who was wanted for the theft of a large quantity of barley from a boat at Chester. It turns out that this fller was one of those convicted of the murder of Christina Collins who is remembered at Stone after her body was discovered in the water near the aqueduct near Rugeley in 1839. He was condemned to death with two others. They were hung but he got off at the lat minute, following the priest sermon, the taking of the sacraments and actually on the way to the gallows!

By 1862 Joseph Oldham was a Wharfinger at Kings Bromley. He late moved to Riley Hill towards Kings Bromley and was then declared to be a retired policeman, a timber dealer and at the end, aged 86 a framer! As a policeman he had worked for the Trent and Mersey Canal Co and the North Staffordshire Railway Co.