Our waterways have been used to transport cargoes and people for millennia. One of the first documented in England was the Fossdyke Navigation. Generally agreed to have been 'canalised' by the Romans in AD 120. Many other rivers were used in a similar way over the centuries, but it wasn't until the Bridgewater Canal was built, in 1761 by the Francis Egerton (3rd Duke of Bridgewater) that the 'Canal Age' was born.
Until the Canal Age, rivers were gradually 'canalised', but usage was limited by many factors including regular damage of flash locks by flood, low water levels and they quite simply didn't reach inland far enough.
The first true canal, Bridgewater Canal, was built as a narrow beam and for narrowboats, originally known as starvationers which were the boats used in the underground canals at Worsley. It seemed sensible to James Brindley to build the canal with narrow locks and bridges to save costs on materials. He was not to know of the divide this would cause when wide-beam canals were built. Wide-beam boats could carry more and the additional costs involved for building were soon outweighed by the increase in cargo sizes carried.
The growth of canal building boomed from the 1760's and significantly increased productivity as well as pushing the industrial revolution. There were many land, mill and mine owners who were seriously considering a canal to aid their businesses but were hesitant to build. It was the almost immediate success of Francis Egerton's Bridgewater Canal that kick-started canal building on a massive scale.
By early mid 1800's, almost every town had at least one canal. The bigger towns were built around canals which became the life-blood of industry which meant jobs and wealth. The Golden Age of Canals was at it's height in the 1850's and there was a network of over 5000 miles.
It wasn't long before progress and innovation began to take a serious effect on the canals of Great Britain. Railway transport also began to boom. Goods could be carried much faster and in greater quantities to almost anywhere in the country. Instead of several days to travel from, say Bristol to London, rail transport did it in a single day.
Into the early 1900's. many canals continued to maintain profitable levels of business and even increased in usage and demand especially during the two world wars.
After world war 2, further decline set in and the incredibly cold winter of 1962/1963, with canals frozen solid, pretty much put an end to most canal cargo carrying. By this time the immense network had reduced to almost half of what it was, 2775 miles.
Many canals were filled in and built over. New roads and railways cut through many canals, isolating big sections.
The 1970's brought a revival and many canals underwent restoration over the following decades. Many canals that had pretty much died were brought back to life. Lock flights and aqueducts were restored. Today, the canals and navigable river network provide a rapidly growing tourist industry. Narrow Boat holidays are growing at an amazing pace fuelled by the Covid 19 epidemic and the risk of travelling abroad. Almost 450 miles of canal have been restored and more are still underway.
As well as the tourist boom, there are an ever-growing number of full-time live aboards. Living on a narrow-boat or wide-beam boat is for many, a more affordable lifestyle whilst for others a much preferred one.
Many live-aboards, cruise the network whilst others remain in a marina or permanent mooring. There are a growing number of business afloat, some of which move around whilst other are static.
These engineers played a significant role in the development of the canal system in Britain during the Industrial Revolution. Their innovations helped to transform transportation and infrastructure in the country.
