Hello Barry I don't have any personal knowledge of Hydraulic Bank but a Google search brought up the fact that a soldier who died in WWI lived there and this came up on the Shropshire War Memorial web site run by Neil Evans so I contacted Neil and he sent me this reply:- "Back in 2006 when I started my research, one of the first places I visited was Priorslee. I live in St. Georges, which neighbours Snedshill. I was fortunate enough to know a chap who was born 1911, in Snedshill. His whole family were native of Snedshill. He passed away in 2009. The name Hydraulic Bank intrigued me, as I'd never heard of it, despite being local myself. My friend informed me Hydraulic Bank was near Snedshill Iron Works and near the brow of the hill on Canongate. I've looked up a few old maps and records. It looks like there were around half a dozen houses that made up the Hydraulic Bank address. The maps I've looked at indicate that there was indeed a row of houses at the top of Canongate, opposite an old Methodist Chapel. Behind the Chapel there were a few buildings, around 4 structures, I suspect that they're linked with the industry in the area. This link to a Google map http://goo.gl/maps/j2yk shows a row of five modern buildings (ten houses?) running parallel with Canongate and is I believe the rough location of Hydraulic Bank. The whole area of what is now Telford has undergone massive redevelopment in the last fifty years. The name Hydraulic Bank, may not have come directly from one industrial location. In the immediate area, were some old blast furnaces, Snedshill Iron Works, brick works, and many mine shafts. It is likely however that the name came from the Priorslee works, which consisted of 4 blast furnaces, and a Steel Mill. The location of this complex was opposite Priorslee Church (St. Peter), which is effectively in Snedshill. Telford's, Central Park, Business site now occupies the site of the old steel works. In the mid to late 1800's the area grew rapidly in size. All of which was down to the Lilleshall Company. The Lilleshall Company owned the land in the area and built several mines, blast furnaces, and industrial works. The need for jobs drew people in and The Lilleshall Company built virtually all the terraced houses in the area, as well as the church at St. Georges, St. Georges school, and even an employees hospital. It's possible the company built the houses at Hydraulic Bank. A book, Lilleshall Company Limited: a history 1764-1964, was/is available in most of Telford libraries, it's an excellent book. I believe one of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums has a large amount of records from the company. I hope I've been of use." Using the information above from Neil I think I can see the Hydraulic Bank houses on the 1902 Ordnance Survey map 1:2,500 scale which you can easily buy as the Oakengates (South) 1901 map in the Godfrey Series, see www.alangodfreymaps.co.uk To locate the houses they are 4 inches from the top and 7 inches from the right of that map, opposite the Methodist Chapel (Primitive). Whilst the properties are not named on this particular map it may be worth looking at a later edition to see if they are named there. If the houses did belong to The Lilleshall Company then there is a large deposit of material at Shropshire Archives as well as the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Library. Mike Shropshire, UK _____________________________________________ On 10/01/2011 21:10, Barry wrote: > My friend is trying to find out how the Hydraulic Bank coming up from > Oakengates to Priorslee got it's name. She also wants to try and find > something about an aerial ropeway from the Bank to the Snedshill Brickworks > -any ideas? > > Regards > > Barry >