Rammey Marsh

RAMMEY MARSH LOCK

Lock	State	Date	Length	Length - Working Distance	Width	Fall	Removed or bypassed
Rammey Marsh Lock	Built	1768					1864
Rammey Marsh Lock (in present position)	Rebuilt	1864			16' 0''	3' 3''	1902*
Rammey Marsh Lock (Brick and stone)	Report	1917			16' 0''
Rammey Marsh Lock	Rebuilt	1902*	90' 0''	87' 0''	16' 4''	3' 3''

*Although this 1902 date is shown in later records, there are no contemporary reports of the rebuild and the present chamber bears an uncanny resemblance to the 1864 plans.

On 12.1.1780 it was “Resolved that the following Locks be repaired with all convenient speed Viz. …, Rammey Mead Lock ,Enfield Lock, Enfield Half Lock, Piggotts Lock, Cooks Lock, Boltons Lock, Stonebridge Lock, Tottenham Lock, Lee Bridge Half Lock, Hackney Marsh Brick Cistern Lock And It Is Ordered that the Surveyor do repair the same as he shall find them absolutely necessary” (NA Rail 845/5).

Despite the reference to Rammey Mead Lock above, it is recorded as Terry’s Lock in the survey of 1792. It then became Torry’s when it was ordered that it should first be repaired with new gates and posts on 29.4.1795 and then on 24.6.1795 it was decided that it should be replaced with a new lock. (NA Rail 845/7).

(NA Rail 845/52)

It was then, successively and irregularly, Jerry’s, Torry’s, and Jeves’s until 1810, when it took the name of the nearby Newmans Weir. This lasted until 1828, when it gained the name of the lock keeper, Mr Want. The plan below dates from 1843.

LMA ACC 2423/P1466

The lock was built in its new position, widened to 16', using some Portland stone from the old Westminster Bridge which had been replaced between 1854 and 1862 (NA Rail 845/15). The lock was officially opened on 10th September 1864. It was then that it took its name from the nearby marsh, though in the 1867 and 1868 Surveys by the Trustees, it was still recorded as Want’s Lock.

LMA ACC 2423/P547

The old and new positions of Rammey Marsh Lock, in a survey taken on 4th May 1864, showing the start of the new channel to Newman's Weir.

The 1864 chamber, showing the position of the Old Westminster Bridge stones. The bridge, dated 1835 was brought here from the old lock. This chamber appears to be the one that is there today, complete with the granite coping stones, cast iron rubbing strakes and ladder

LMA ACC 2423/P111

The Westminster Bridge Portland stone still forms part of the bridge abutment today.

The Conservancy lock house was built after Walter Green gained the contract at £185/10/0 on 15.9.1876 (NA Rail 845/20).

In October 1877, “The new lockhouse was being built”. (NA Rail 845/56)

On 4th October 1878 "The floor of the kitchen wants re-cementing." (NA Rail 845/56).

On 20.4.1883 the new lock house was insured for £250 (NA Rail 845/23)

LMA ACC 2423/026

Rammey Marsh Lock and house (image date unknown)

The Conservancy house was replaced by this bungalow in 1973. During the demolition and construction work the lock keeper and his wife lived in a caravan on the opposite bank.

The chamber retains its Victorian granite coping stones and the cast iron lock furniture from that era. The 1835 bridge across the tail meant that the gates could not be fitted with balance beams. For many years it was the last lock on the Lee to be operated by ropes. The gates were changed to hydraulic operation in 1995.

On 4.10.1878 a comment was recorded about the Old Tumbling Bay at Rammey Marsh: "Board should be careful over their rights over this Bay and not allow of too much interference on the part of the Government" (NA Rail 845/56)

An example of mild discord between the Conservancy and the Gunpowder Mills shows in the following exchange of correspondence:

From the Engineer, Mr Child, to the board "18th December 1886 Rammey Marsh Weir - I beg to submit the following correspondence...if such interference is to be permitted we must not be surprised if we have some barges sunk and heavy claims for damages made.

To Col Noble RGP Factory: "Dear Sir It is reported to me by our lock keeper at Rammey Marsh that the water in his upper pool was falling below head level....on going to the weir he found the gates being drawn by your man (Squires) who stated that he had received instruction to draw them. Would you be good enough to inform me by whose orders and under which authority this was done."

To J Child, Enfield Lock. Dear Sir, The gates of the weir you refer to have been drawn by my order and under my authority. Yrs faithfully, M H Noble. (LMA ACC 2423/003)

You can almost hear the "So?" at the end.

Rammey Marsh Lock

Census/Date	Name		Title	Wife	Location given by enumerator/Comments	Source Reference
1964	Leonard A Marklew		Lockj keeper	Margaret A		Enfield Pollong Lists
1957	Arthur J Lowe		Lock keeper	Rose		Enfield Polling Lista
1954	Arthur J Lowe		Lock keeper	Rose		Enfield Polling Lists
23.4.1947	A J Lowe		Lock keeper	Appointed at £5 p.w. Last recorded r.o.p. £7.18.11 plus on call allowance 5/- n.d.		LCB Records`
1945	Charles Wiltshire		Lock keeper	Alice M		Enfield Polling Lists
1.4.1938	R Hobbs		Lock keeper	£1.12.0 to £1.14.0		NA Rail 845/122
1.4.1937	R Hobbs		Lock keeper	£1.11s to £1.12s (inc house and garden)		NA Rail 845/121
2.12.1927	R J Hobbs		Lock keeper	Board’s steersman appointed at £1.11.0 per week including house and uniform		NA Rail 845/111
4.11.1927	William Edward Campkin (66)		Lock keeper	Died 3.11.1927 in Tottenham Hospital where he was operated on for an internal complaint, leaving widow and 2 grown up daughters. Mrs Campkin granted 5/- pw pension		NA Rail 845/111 LMA ACC 2423/024
23.7.1920	W Campkin		Lock keeper	Plus 5/- per week for looking after weir as well as lock		NA Rail 845/47
14.11.1919	W Campkin		Lock keeper	26/- + house, garden, and uniform		NA Rail 845/46
15.2.1918	W Campkin		Lock keeper	21/- per week		NA Rail 845/66
9.2.1917	William Campkin (54)		Lock keeper	Of 23, New Road, Ware, appointed		NA Rail 845/44
1.12.1916	I regret to report the death of Thomas Flack, late lock-keeper at this lock on the 25th November aged about 88 years; also that of his wife who was found burned to death on the morning of the 24th. November aged about 89 years. The chair in which she had apparently been sitting was nearly burned up and where she fell near the door the floor was burned away also part of the door. It is a wonder the whole house was not destroyed.. The verdict at the inquest was "Accidental death".					LMA ACC 2423/015
4.3.1915	Thomas Flack	Lock keeper		+2/- per week			NA Rail 845/42
1912	T Flack (84)		Lock keeper	33 years at Rammey Marsh		NA Rail 845
22.4.1911	Thomas Peter Flack (82)		Lock keeper	Ann	Rammey Marsh Lock	RG14PN7434 RG78PN358 RD132 SD6 ED27 SN418
31.3.1911			Assistant	Boy found to assist Flack at 14/- per week		NA Rail 845/38
17.2.1911	Thomas Flack (83)		Lock keeper	Unable to work for some weeks due to illness, now out again, but engineer felt he should be replaced.		NA Rail 845/38
24.7.1908	T P Flack		"In reference to the letter from T P Flack, Lock-keeper at Rammey Marsh Lock, dated June 27th. last, handed to the Chairman on the Survey, in which he states he was promised 2/- per week extra in 1883 for attending to the new weir. I made all the plans for this weir and carried out the works, but never heard one word about this alleged promise and do not believe any promise was made" C N Tween			LMA/ACC 2423/011
31.3.1901	Thomas Flack (72)		Lock keeper	Ann	Lock House River Lee	Mx/Enfield/28/18
5.4.1891	Thomas R Flack (62)		Lock keeper	Ann	Rammey Marsh Lock	Mx/Enfield/22/56
20.4.1883	T Flack		Lock keeper	22 years service (previously at Picketts Lock. 16/- per week		NA Rail 845/23
4.4.1881						No Census Record
19.7.1878	Thomas Flack		Lock keeper	Appointed		NA Rail 845/21
4.2.1876	James Dunn*		Lock keeper	Appointed at 16/- per week		NA Rail 845/20
*James Dunn was formerly captain of a Government Gunpowder Barge working for the Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey and was in receipt of a pension and had a Good Conduct Certificate (NA Rail 845/20)
14.1.1876	William Walland		Lock keeper	Dismissed for gross insubordination		NA Rail 845/20
14.2.1873	William Walland (48)		Lock keeper	Appointed at 16/- per week		NA Rail 845/19
1873	John Want (77)		Lock keeper	Retired 31 1.1873 after 55 years service. Granted 10/- per week pension. (Died 22.5.1874)		NA Rail 845/19 NA Rail 845/20
2.4.1871	John Waul (72)		Lock keeper for Lee C.B.	~	Rammey Marsh Lock (R. Lee)	Mx/Enfield/15/57
17.11.1855	John Want		Lock keeper	14/- per week
20.1.1855	"A petition from the widow (Sarah) of the late William Champness, lock keeper at the Waltham Common Lock (sic) lately deceased for a pension....she be allowed 6/- a week and also that Mr Beardmore be authorised to make such an allowance as he may think reasonable for fixtures not exceeding Five Pounds"					NA Rail 845/14
21.10.1854	William Champness			14/- per week		NA Rail 845/14
16.2.1847	Henry Parker		Lock keeper	Appointed		NA Rail 845/12
19.1.1847	John Flack		Lock keeper	see below		NA Rail 845/12
Mr Griggs reported that “ John Flack the Lock keeper at Want’s Lock does not personally perform the duties of a Lock keeper and that frequent complaints have been made by the Barge owners and their servants of his constant absence and want of attention. Resolved that John Flack be dismissed and another Lock keeper be appointed”
19.5.1846	John Flack		Lock keeper	Appointed at 14/- per week		NA Rail 845/12
19.5.1846	Thomas Want		Lock keeper	Died		NA Rail 845/12
19.10.1840	Thomas Want (89)			see below		NA Rail 845/12
“….requesting permission for his son to assist him in his duties in consequence of his great age 89 years having been read. Resolved that his request be granted and that his son be allowed for the present to do the duties and that an allowance of 5/- per week be paid for such assistance”
20.4.1824	William Champness		Lock keeper			NA Rail 845/9
24.2.1813	Thomas Want			Received £2. 2s. compensation for injury received by explosion on 27.11.1811 at the Gunpowder Mills, Lower Island		W Winters p74 WARGM records

This site was last updated 04-Feb-2024