CRT/DDX/MISC/1
Photographs and newscuttings from the Philip Weaver collection showing various waterways, boats, trains and traction engines
Description
Over 500 photographs and cuttings from the Philip Weaver collection, including some that are historically significant, such as:
1-A picture of the inspectiion launch Alexandra, many of whose parts are in Ellesmere Port.
2-Cutting, letter and photographs relating to a replica of the Brunel designed silt dredger Bertha originally built for Bridgwater Docks at the entrance to the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal (the replica dredger is now in Eyemouth Maritime Museum).
3-A picture of the Thames & Severn Canal dredger Empress taken at Chalford - the only known picture of a dredger on this canal (a history of the boat on the T&S has been added as a digital asset).
4-Three photos of the interior of the closed Sapperton Tunnel, February 1955.
5-Pictures of boats made by Bathurst's on the Lower Avon Navigation in Tewkesbury.
6-Images of Scot II, lifebuoys and name badges of which are also located in the Salt Warehouse.
7-A picture of Queen Victoria's visit to the Manchester Ship Canal on Enchantress.
8-Photographs of the restoration of the FMC steamer President.
9-Photographs of narrowboats and butties and their tugs, including the tugs Active, Agate, Antelope, Bute, Fazeley, Fire Queen, Mayflower, Old Trafford, Primrose & Sharpness; the butties Admiral, Falcon, Havelock Raymond, Rea & Vienna; the steamers Countess, Cressy, Dragon, Emperor, Empress, Sabrina, Swan & Water Witch; the motor boats Crane, Peacock, Python, Regent Lady, Roger, Severn Carrier & Tweed; and Icebreaker 57.
10-Photographs of coasters, including Atalanta, Auld Reekie, Britannia, Clydeforth, Conway, Crescent, Davenham, Frances Poole, Jubilee, Lobol, Lux, Madge, Oswald, Raven & Syria.
11-Photographs of steam launches.
12-Photographs of pleasure steamers
There is also a set of photographs from the Birmingham Canal Navigations, mostly relating to Wyrley & Essington Canal locations, and a set of photographs showing the state of Claverton Pumping Station in 1954, before restoration. A number of other located canal scenes have been recorded.
Other photographs, not uploaded. are of steam trains and traction engines.
Date
19th century - 20th century
Reference code
CRT/DDX/MISC/1
Creator
Weaver, Charles Philip
Administrative / Biographical history
Predominantly C. Philip Weaver 1908- . Also material created by C. Rodney Weaver.
C.P. Weaver, generally known as Philip Weaver, was born in 1908. He lived at Corley, near Coventry, during the 1950’s, and then moved to 4 Queen’s Close, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, where he spent the rest of his life. He was an engineer by training, and in 1959 he was working as chief designer at Jaguar Motors. His interest in canals and inland waterways was begun in 1950, when he read Tom Rolt’s “Narrow Boat” during a stay in Middlesex Hospital. He became friends both with Tom Rolt, and later with Charles Hadfield, whom he met while on an inspection trip through Standedge Tunnel.
Weaver was actively involved in the Railways and Canals Historical Society. He acted as a researcher for Charles Hadfield on a number of occasions, in addition to carrying out his own research. His interest in canals was wide-ranging, but he was particularly fascinated by the more mechanical aspects, such as steam engines and pumping stations. His interests also extended to other forms of transport, including sea-going ships, steam locomotives, and of course cars.
In 1981 he was persuaded by Hadfield and Alan H. Faulkner to write “Steam on Canals”. His son and fellow canal enthusiast, C.R. Weaver (Rodney) was co-author.
Weaver finally stopped his researches when the Record Office moved to Kew, as the journey was difficult and accessing the records much more time consuming.
(Charles) Philip Weaver (1908-1999) was born in Brentford, Middlesex and explored the Grand Union Canal in the Colne valley in his youth, including a ride of a FMC steamer for Uxbridge. He later moved to Bath and Bristol, from which he explored the Kennet & Avon Navigation, including the pumping stations at Claverton and Crofton. He canoed through parts of the Sapperton Tunnel, on the Thames & Severn Canal, before its collapse in 1938.
After working as an engineer for the Bristol Aeroplane Company, in 1946 he moved to the motor industry in the West Midlands, and in 1950 began to explore and photograph the Birmingham Canal Navigations. In 1951 bought a cabin cruiser, Betty, which was moored at Hatton on the Grand Union Canal. After he joined the Railway and Canal Historical Society in 1954, he produced tour notes for their outings. Later he carried out fieldwork for Charles Hadfield, who was writing The Canals of the West Midlands, and drew maps of the Avon and Stratford canals. He was interested in canal water supplies and steam pumping engines, and wrote Steam on Canals (1983) with his son Rodney. He was technical consultant to the restoration of the Fellow Morton and Clayton narrow boat President between 1973 and 1978.
Joseph Boughey May 2020
