Hulme Lock Cottage

During the summer work progressed to the stage where all the walls of the cottage have been capped with blue brick, and Dennis our brickie has left us to finish off the less visible sections.

An application has been made to the Mersey Basin Trust "Really Big Project Scheme" for a grant to install safety fencing around the site. The decision is made in November.

In September Cheshire CC provided funds for the rebuilding of the bread oven, making good what is already there. This work was carried out by a contractor specialising in historic restoration of old buildings.

Other work at the site as included more excavation on the backyard area with spoil being used to backfill behind some of the cottage walls. During the summer work progressed to the stage where all the walls of the cottage have been capped with blue brick, and Dennis our brickie has left us to finish off the less visible sections.

An application has been made to the Mersey Basin Trust "Really Big Project Scheme" for a grant to install safety fencing around the site. The decision is made in November.

In September Cheshire CC provided funds for the rebuilding of the bread oven, making good what is already there. This work was carried out by a contractor specialising in historic restoration of old buildings.

Other work at the site as included more excavation on the backyard area with spoil being used to backfill behind some of the cottage walls.

Mersey Basin Clean-up

Sunday 10th October 1999: For this year’s event the assistance of Waterway Recovery Group North West and the St.Helens Ranger Service were enlisted to run two sites.

Site No.1 was at Penkford Bridge, where we did our usual clean-up job of removing vegetation and rubbish from the canal and surrounding area. This involved strimming the grassy banks, clearing the footpath of unwanted vegetation and then getting into the water to remove rubbish, reed and to clear the water channel of thick weed. A skip (courtesy of St.Helens MBC) was filled and topped off with a supermarket trolley which had managed to find its way to the canal from Sainsburys.

Site No. 2 was at Newton Common Lock where the surface of the ground above the lock chamber was levelled off in preparation for future excavation.

At lunch time the site was visited by the Mayor of St.Helens, Cllr. Pat Jackson who was delighted to join in the fun, pick up a shovel, put on a hard hat and start to fill a barrow, much to the delight of everyone. She spent time chatting to volunteers, encouraging them to keep up the good work, as well as stating that she would like to see the canal restored to its former glory. This may not be too far off if all goes to plan and St.Helens MBC restore this section of canal with funds that have been set aside for this purpose. Her visit ended with our Chairman presenting her with a SCARS mug as a souvenir of her visit, and as a thanks for the time she gave and the interest she showed.

Our presence at this prominent site generated plenty of interest, with local residents and passers-by coming round to have a look at our display of old photograph, some of them bringing us pictures that they had.

Many thanks to all who helped to make this event a success, and to everyone who has turned out during this period. Anyone wanting details of future work parties please contact me on tel. 01744 731746.