Everything Changes.

There was rain through the night but when I got up it had stopped, and I began to think we could have moved on today after all. By the time we were ready to head out to the shopping centre it was leathering it down and I felt vindicated even though it resigned me to shopping.

Whilst poking about on the net I came across this picture of working going on at the lock at Blowers Green in 1934. At the top left you can see the lock keepers cottage and even then it was covered in ivy!

Here we are moored at The Waterfront near Merry Hill,. The hire boat astern arrived in the rain about 18:00 last night and was gone again this morning before 08:00. It is hard to believe the changes in the area.

This is the Round Oak Steel Works with the canal running from the middle of the bottom of the picture. At the time of the Industrial Revolution most of the iron made in the world was produced within 20 miles of this spot. Round Oak Works started in 1857 and lasted until 1882. Where we are moored is just to the right of the bridge at the top left. The wides here were wharves for the works. The actual shopping centre is just off the picture to the top left.

A little greener these days, and a good mooring with the weather like this and the pubs closing at 22:00.

My reward for going shopping was a trip to the home of my most favourite beer, The Delph Brewery of Batham's Beers and the brewery tap  The Vine or perhaps better known as the Bull and Bladder. You can see that very little has changed from this 1920 that shows the old butchers shop that was on the premises too.

Daniel Batham bought the place in 1905. It was nearly sold on as it suffered very much from subsidence from the local mining. He kept it and rebuilt it and it was completed in 1912. Until 1951 the brewery only brewed traditional Black Country milds and occasional specials. They leased the Swan in Chaddesley Corbett and the locals didn't really take to the beer and demand something different. A pale beer was brewed for them and this went on to become the bitter that I love today. At the top of the pub is a quotation from Shakespeare's 'Two Gentleman of Verona'.

There is some lovely tile work in the passageway too.

As we walked back to the boat in the torrential rain we walked over the top of the Black Delph Locks. The original locks went off to the left under the bridge. The 'new' flight with side pounds and waterfall by-washes would be a tourist attraction anywhere else.