Weaver River Navigation Trustees

RAIL 883

1721-1948

Miscellaneous records of the Weaver River Navigation Trustees

WRN.

Public Record(s)

English

426 rolls and volumes

Topics

Canals and river transport

An Act which received the Royal Assent on 23rd March 1720 nominated and appointed certain persons therein named and their successors as Undertakers and Trustees for the purpose of "making the River Weaver alias Weever navigable for Boats, Lighters and other Vessels from Frodsham Bridge in the County of Chester to Winsford Bridge in the same County", and certain persons were appointed Commissioners to determine differences. The qualifications for serving as a Commissioner are set out in Section 3 of the Act.

Under a further Act dated 16th April 1734 the Undertakers and Trustees appointed under the first Act divested and discharged and certain other persons and their successors were appointed Trustees "to be elected in such manner and under such qualifications as by the former Act is prescribed for electing Commissioners". By virtue of Section 6 of this Act the Commissioners of Land Tax for the County Palatine of Lancaster were empowered to settle differences instead and in lieu of the Commissioners appointed under the first Act.

By virtue of Section 5 of the Weaver Navigation Act 1895, 38 Trustees were appointed and constituted by the name of the Weaver Navigation Trustees with perpetual succession and a common seal.

The Body passed to the British Transport Commission by virtue of the Transport Act 1947, but as shown below the records of this company are mainly in two separate collections:-

Extracts and Minutes and Reports

At the General Meeting of the River Weaver Navigation, held on 27th November 1947, the following minute of the Finance and Works Committee was approved:-

"That the Clerk of the Standing Joint Committee be invited to inspect the records and documents of the Trustees, some of which date back to 1721, with a view to preserving them in the archives of the County Record Office at Chester Castle".

At a meeting of the Finance and Works Committee of the Navigation on 18th December 1947 it was reported that:- "Representatives of the County Record Office have inspected all the ancient books and documents, and have selected all the minute books up to 1895 together with certain account books -" "Resolved, that the books and documents selected be preserved in the County Record Office at Chester, subject to them being available for use when required.