Hi, Was Canal Walk at one time beside a canal? Thanks, Edna - Ottawa

Hi Edna, Yes, no - or maybe? The Portsmouth-Arundel Canal was opened in 1822. It ran more-or-less eastward across Portsea Island from the terminal Basins in Landport just north of the present Portsmouth & Southsea railway station and which were located, as far as I can make out, between modern Arundel Street & Church Path (drawing, Gates p. 27). To the east of Landport the canal crossed mainly open land and ended in Langstone Harbour (map, Gates p. 256). This 1833 map shows no hint of a path or road in the portion where Canal Walk now runs. The only nearby roads between Landport and Milton were three that crossed the canal at right angles. Canal traffic was "slight", and the "white elephant" that the canal quickly became was closed in 1831 (Stapleton p. 35). The portion west of modern Fratton railway station was sold to the Brighton and Chichester Railway in 1845 (Stapleton, ibid). Vestiges of the eastern portion, including parts of the sea lock, can still be seen, and in that portion "the towpaths and the canal bed may be traced easily" (Stapleton - again!). The first railway on Portsea Island, which provided a direct link with London, was opened in 1848 (Gates p. 51). The line then ended at Portsmouth & Southsea station. The portion from Fratton to the "Town" station used the line of the abandoned canal (Course p. 9). "In order to maintain its level the canal had run in a cutting, and although the ground was only about 21 feet above sea level the railway was constructed in the same cutting" (Course p. 9-10). Canal Walk existed by 1896: by then the area between Landport and Fratton had been extensively built on (OS Map). "On the map, both Canal Walk and Railway View run along [alongside?] the railway track. Beyond the railway line [to the east after it swings north] there is still [in 1896] a hint of what the area to the west had once been like - there are cottages, lanes, fields and brickworks" (Gunton). Construction of the railway followed years of controversy and of rivalry amongst competing companies. It was finally authorized by an act of Parliament which received royal assent in 1845 (Course, pp. 9-13). Discussion of the bill in committee demonstrated the vehement opposition of the military, represented by Col Williams of the Engineers, to any extension of the railway closer to Portsmouth Harbour: "The idea of a railroad being brought either into a dockyard or near it appears to me so monstrous that I cannot for a moment entertain it" (Course p. 11). Opposition to allowing railway access to commercial dockside facilities in Portsmouth was successfully mounted by the Board of Ordnance at different times in the 19th century. Indirectly it was this that allowed Southampton, where such opposition was not advanced, to develop into a major commercial port whereas Portsmouth languished in this respect, supporting only a fishing fleet and limited merchant shipping (Gawn p. 12). Given the name Canal Walk it seems that one could assume that the path developed during the time the canal was in operation (1822-1831) but with the limited sources I have here I can't substantiate this. In case anyone wants to follow up on any of this I give my sources: - Course: Portsmouth Railways, Edwin Course, Portsmouth Paper No. 6, Portsmouth City Council, 1972, 27 pages. - Gates: City of Portsmouth: Records of the Corporation 1835-1927, William Gates, Charpentier, Portsmouth, 1928, 339 pages. - Gawn: Some Solent Ships and Seamen, Peter Gawn, Local Studies News, Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Library Services, Autumn 2000, pages 11-13. - Gunton: Notes by M.J. Gunton on the back of OS Map. - OS Map: Old Ordnance Survey Maps: Central Portsmouth 1896, The Godfrey Edition, ca 1993. - Stapleton: The Portsmouth Region, Barry Stapleton & James Thomas, Alan Sutton, Gloucester, 1989, 265 pages. Best wishes, Peter Gawn (Canada). ----- Original Message ----- From: "Edna & Ken" <ekbrit@rogers.com> To: <ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, May 28, 2005 6:24 PM Subject: Canal Walk, Portsea > Hi, Was Canal Walk at one time beside a canal? > > Thanks, > > Edna - Ottawa >

Dear Peter, That's excellent -- now we're all experts on Canal Walk. Much appreciated. Edna - Ottawa ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Gawn" <pgawn@dccnet.com> To: "Edna & Ken" <ekbrit@rogers.com>; "Portsmouth Gosport List" <ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 8:58 PM Subject: Re: Canal Walk, Portsea Hi Edna, Yes, no - or maybe? The Portsmouth-Arundel Canal was opened in 1822. It ran more-or-less eastward across Portsea Island from the terminal Basins in Landport just north of the present Portsmouth & Southsea railway station and which were located, as far as I can make out, between modern Arundel Street & Church Path (drawing, Gates p. 27). To the east of Landport the canal crossed mainly open land and ended in Langstone Harbour (map, Gates p. 256). This 1833 map shows no hint of a path or road in the portion where Canal Walk now runs. The only nearby roads between Landport and Milton were three that crossed the canal at right angles. Canal traffic was "slight", and the "white elephant" that the canal quickly became was closed in 1831 (Stapleton p. 35). The portion west of modern Fratton railway station was sold to the Brighton and Chichester Railway in 1845 (Stapleton, ibid). Vestiges of the eastern portion, including parts of the sea lock, can still be seen, and in that portion "the towpaths and the canal bed may be traced easily" (Stapleton - again!). The first railway on Portsea Island, which provided a direct link with London, was opened in 1848 (Gates p. 51). The line then ended at Portsmouth & Southsea station. The portion from Fratton to the "Town" station used the line of the abandoned canal (Course p. 9). "In order to maintain its level the canal had run in a cutting, and although the ground was only about 21 feet above sea level the railway was constructed in the same cutting" (Course p. 9-10). Canal Walk existed by 1896: by then the area between Landport and Fratton had been extensively built on (OS Map). "On the map, both Canal Walk and Railway View run along [alongside?] the railway track. Beyond the railway line [to the east after it swings north] there is still [in 1896] a hint of what the area to the west had once been like - there are cottages, lanes, fields and brickworks" (Gunton). Construction of the railway followed years of controversy and of rivalry amongst competing companies. It was finally authorized by an act of Parliament which received royal assent in 1845 (Course, pp. 9-13). Discussion of the bill in committee demonstrated the vehement opposition of the military, represented by Col Williams of the Engineers, to any extension of the railway closer to Portsmouth Harbour: "The idea of a railroad being brought either into a dockyard or near it appears to me so monstrous that I cannot for a moment entertain it" (Course p. 11). Opposition to allowing railway access to commercial dockside facilities in Portsmouth was successfully mounted by the Board of Ordnance at different times in the 19th century. Indirectly it was this that allowed Southampton, where such opposition was not advanced, to develop into a major commercial port whereas Portsmouth languished in this respect, supporting only a fishing fleet and limited merchant shipping (Gawn p. 12). Given the name Canal Walk it seems that one could assume that the path developed during the time the canal was in operation (1822-1831) but with the limited sources I have here I can't substantiate this. In case anyone wants to follow up on any of this I give my sources: - Course: Portsmouth Railways, Edwin Course, Portsmouth Paper No. 6, Portsmouth City Council, 1972, 27 pages. - Gates: City of Portsmouth: Records of the Corporation 1835-1927, William Gates, Charpentier, Portsmouth, 1928, 339 pages. - Gawn: Some Solent Ships and Seamen, Peter Gawn, Local Studies News, Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Library Services, Autumn 2000, pages 11-13. - Gunton: Notes by M.J. Gunton on the back of OS Map. - OS Map: Old Ordnance Survey Maps: Central Portsmouth 1896, The Godfrey Edition, ca 1993. - Stapleton: The Portsmouth Region, Barry Stapleton & James Thomas, Alan Sutton, Gloucester, 1989, 265 pages. Best wishes, Peter Gawn (Canada). ----- Original Message ----- From: "Edna & Ken" <ekbrit@rogers.com> To: <ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, May 28, 2005 6:24 PM Subject: Canal Walk, Portsea > Hi, Was Canal Walk at one time beside a canal? > > Thanks, > > Edna - Ottawa >

Just realized I left out a bit of information, namely the purpose of the canal. According to Pigot's 1830 Directory p. 205 the Portsmouth and Arundel Canal "is of considerable benefit to the trading community here [Portsea]; it was opened on the 28th May, 1823; at the distance of about 21 miles it joins Langstone harbour, which the barges cross by means of a steam-vessel, built for the purpose of towing them: on this canal barges will pass from Portsmouth to London, a distance of 117 miles, without transhipping their cargoes, in four days." This sounds like a quote from the promotional prospectus for the canal. The "considerable benefit" obviously didn't materialize since the canal closed in the following year. I imagine the expansion of the railway network and developments in shipping technology - steam engines, iron hulls - outweighed the potential benefits of the canal. The 1896 Ordnance Survey map, incidentally, shows houses only on the north side of Canal Walk, facing south across the Walk to the canal - or the railway. Peter. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Edna & Ken" <ekbrit@rogers.com> To: "Peter Gawn" <pgawn@dccnet.com>; "Portsmouth Gosport List" <ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 7:43 PM Subject: Canal Walk, Portsea > Dear Peter, That's excellent -- now we're all experts on Canal Walk. > > Much appreciated. > > Edna - Ottawa > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Peter Gawn" <pgawn@dccnet.com> > To: "Edna & Ken" <ekbrit@rogers.com>; "Portsmouth Gosport List" > <ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 8:58 PM > Subject: Re: Canal Walk, Portsea > > > Hi Edna, > > Yes, no - or maybe? > > The Portsmouth-Arundel Canal was opened in 1822. It ran more-or-less > eastward across Portsea Island from the terminal Basins in Landport just > north of the present Portsmouth & Southsea railway station and which were > located, as far as I can make out, between modern Arundel Street & Church > Path (drawing, Gates p. 27). To the east of Landport the canal crossed > mainly open land and ended in Langstone Harbour (map, Gates p. 256). This > 1833 map shows no hint of a path or road in the portion where Canal Walk now > runs. The only nearby roads between Landport and Milton were three that > crossed the canal at right angles. > > Canal traffic was "slight", and the "white elephant" that the canal quickly > became was closed in 1831 (Stapleton p. 35). The portion west of modern > Fratton railway station was sold to the Brighton and Chichester Railway in > 1845 (Stapleton, ibid). Vestiges of the eastern portion, including parts of > the sea lock, can still be seen, and in that portion "the towpaths and the > canal bed may be traced easily" (Stapleton - again!). > > The first railway on Portsea Island, which provided a direct link with > London, was opened in 1848 (Gates p. 51). The line then ended at Portsmouth > & Southsea station. The portion from Fratton to the "Town" station used the > line of the abandoned canal (Course p. 9). "In order to maintain its level > the canal had run in a cutting, and although the ground was only about 21 > feet above sea level the railway was constructed in the same cutting" > (Course p. 9-10). > > Canal Walk existed by 1896: by then the area between Landport and Fratton > had been extensively built on (OS Map). "On the map, both Canal Walk and > Railway View run along [alongside?] the railway track. Beyond the railway > line [to the east after it swings north] there is still [in 1896] a hint of > what the area to the west had once been like - there are cottages, lanes, > fields and brickworks" (Gunton). > > Construction of the railway followed years of controversy and of rivalry > amongst competing companies. It was finally authorized by an act of > Parliament which received royal assent in 1845 (Course, pp. 9-13). > > Discussion of the bill in committee demonstrated the vehement opposition of > the military, represented by Col Williams of the Engineers, to any extension > of the railway closer to Portsmouth Harbour: "The idea of a railroad being > brought either into a dockyard or near it appears to me so monstrous that I > cannot for a moment entertain it" (Course p. 11). Opposition to allowing > railway access to commercial dockside facilities in Portsmouth was > successfully mounted by the Board of Ordnance at different times in the 19th > century. Indirectly it was this that allowed Southampton, where such > opposition was not advanced, to develop into a major commercial port whereas > Portsmouth languished in this respect, supporting only a fishing fleet and > limited merchant shipping (Gawn p. 12). > > Given the name Canal Walk it seems that one could assume that the path > developed during the time the canal was in operation (1822-1831) but with > the limited sources I have here I can't substantiate this. > > In case anyone wants to follow up on any of this I give my sources: > - Course: Portsmouth Railways, Edwin Course, Portsmouth Paper No. 6, > Portsmouth City Council, 1972, 27 pages. > - Gates: City of Portsmouth: Records of the Corporation 1835-1927, William > Gates, Charpentier, Portsmouth, 1928, 339 pages. > - Gawn: Some Solent Ships and Seamen, Peter Gawn, Local Studies News, > Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Library Services, Autumn 2000, pages > 11-13. > - Gunton: Notes by M.J. Gunton on the back of OS Map. > - OS Map: Old Ordnance Survey Maps: Central Portsmouth 1896, The Godfrey > Edition, ca 1993. > - Stapleton: The Portsmouth Region, Barry Stapleton & James Thomas, Alan > Sutton, Gloucester, 1989, 265 pages. > > Best wishes, > Peter Gawn (Canada). > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Edna & Ken" <ekbrit@rogers.com> > To: <ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Saturday, May 28, 2005 6:24 PM > Subject: Canal Walk, Portsea > > > > Hi, Was Canal Walk at one time beside a canal? > > > > Thanks, > > > > Edna - Ottawa > > > > > > >

My grandmother was born at No 24 Canal Walk in 1899. Two years ago when I visited Portsmouth I tried to visit as many addresses as I could to see where my folk had lived. I found Canal Walk right beside the railway line and of course the house had been replaced by a new house. I wondered what had happened to the canal so thanks to all those who emailed in replies. Cheers, Margaret from Fremantle, West Oz. Researching: Barnes: Surrey Brown: East Ham and Upminster Evans: Cirencester and Letcombe Regis Hayes: West Ham, Malta, Egypt Jenkins: Portsmouth Teall: Cirencester Thompson: Portsmouth, India and Canada >From: "Edna & Ken" <ekbrit@rogers.com> >Reply-To: ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT-L@rootsweb.com >To: ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT] Canal Walk, Portsea >Date: Sat, 28 May 2005 21:24:01 -0400 > >Hi, Was Canal Walk at one time beside a canal? > >Thanks, > >Edna - Ottawa > > >==== ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT Mailing List ==== >Visit the knightroots website at www.knightroots.co.uk > >============================== >Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the >areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. >Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx >

Canal Walk -- must have passed there on the train last May '04 (London> Portsmouth) but then I was not looking into canals. Thanks to all. Edna - Ottawa ----- Original Message ----- From: "Maggie Brennan" <john_margaret45@hotmail.com> To: <ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 10:49 AM Subject: RE: [PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT] Canal Walk, Portsea My grandmother was born at No 24 Canal Walk in 1899. Two years ago when I visited Portsmouth I tried to visit as many addresses as I could to see where my folk had lived. I found Canal Walk right beside the railway line and of course the house had been replaced by a new house. I wondered what had happened to the canal so thanks to all those who emailed in replies. Cheers, Margaret from Fremantle, West Oz. Researching: Barnes: Surrey Brown: East Ham and Upminster Evans: Cirencester and Letcombe Regis Hayes: West Ham, Malta, Egypt Jenkins: Portsmouth Teall: Cirencester Thompson: Portsmouth, India and Canada >From: "Edna & Ken" <ekbrit@rogers.com> >Reply-To: ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT-L@rootsweb.com >To: ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT] Canal Walk, Portsea >Date: Sat, 28 May 2005 21:24:01 -0400 > >Hi, Was Canal Walk at one time beside a canal? > >Thanks, > >Edna - Ottawa > > >==== ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT Mailing List ==== >Visit the knightroots website at www.knightroots.co.uk > >============================== >Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the >areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. >Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > ==== ENG-HAM-PORTSMOUTH-GOSPORT Mailing List ==== Treat others as you wish to be treated yourselves, with respect Visit the knightroots website at www.knightroots.co.uk ============================== View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find marriage announcements and more. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx