Waltham Town

WALTHAM TOWN LOCK

Lock	State	Date	Length	Length - Working Distance	Width	Fall	Removed or bypassed
Waltham Town Lock	Built	1768			13' 5''	4' 3''	1922
Waltham Town Lock (Brick and timber)	Report	1917			13' 5''
Waltham Town Lock (in present position)	Built	1922	90' 0''	87' 0''	16' 0''	4' 3''

On 12.1.1780 it was “Resolved that the following Locks be repaired with all convenient speed Viz. … Waltham Lock, 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). (It is possible that this was referring to Waltham Common.)

LMA ACC 2423/P547

The survey above, drawn in July 1867, shows an improvement under the River Lee Trust, which never happened. It does show however, that a new road (Lea Road), had already been built, in anticipation of the new cut. The survey also shows the old lockhouse just by the head of the lock.

On 26.10.1877 it was recommended “That a new lockhouse be built here facing the Lock and that the present one, which is condemned, be pulled down” (NA Rail 845/21) .

On 4.10.1878 "The brickwork of this (new lockhouse) is well executed, but the plastering and interior finishing extremely bad - Engineer to strongly remonstrate with the Contractor" (NA Rail 845/56)

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

In 1887 a new porch was added to the building.

18.3.1898 T Pollitt’s tender of £39 for building a scullery and wash house at the Lock house was accepted.

15.9.1899 “That a well be sunk at a cost of £6” (NA Rail 845/29)

Waltham Town lock in its original position,

c 1905

Daniel Ward and his wife Mary Ann lived in the lock house at Waltham Town from 1905 to 1920 Photo: Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills

In the 1922 improvements, the lock was moved from its original site and built to 16' width in its current position above Highbridge Street, to enable the hump-backed road bridge to be replaced by a flat deck. The former narrower location is still marked by the Conservancy lock house about 50 yards below the bridge, although all trace of the lock has gone. It was originally proposed that a new lock house would be built at the new location, but this was not done and the lock keeper continued to live in the original house.

LMA ACC 2423/P1608

The site plans for the old and the new locks are below

LMA ACC 2423/P1892

On 3.10.1930, it was reported that “a new brickbuilt lobby had been erected at Waltham Town Lock as a shelter for the Lock keeper, as the Lockhouse was some distance away from the Lock.”

The picture below shows Waltham Town Lock in the 1970’s,showing the lobby. In the foreground is the last barge horse to work on the Lee, owned by Mr Green of Holloway.

Waltham Town Lock

Census/Date	Name	Title	Wife	Location given by enumerator/Comments	Source Reference
n.d.	Michael Murphey	Temp Lock keeper	(living at 17 Lee Road, Waltham Abbey) £2.15.0 per week		LCB Records
9.6.1948	George Alexander	Lock keeper	£5.12.0 per week		LCB Records
2.10.1942	George Alexander	Lock keeper	Appointed ex Relief (recorded at Bow) at £3.15.0 with uniform		NA Rail 845/126
9.1942	L Ealey	Lock keeper	Transferred to Stonebridge “as a disciplinary measure”		NA Rail 845/126
1.4.1941	L Ealey	Lock keeper	£1.10 0 to £1.15.0		NA Rail 845/125
1.4.1939	L Ealey	Lock keeper	To £1.10.0		NA Rail 845/123
1.4.1938	L Ealey	Lock keeper	£1.7.0 to £1.9.0		NA Rail 845/122
1.4.1937	L Ealey	Lock keeper	£1.6s to £1.7s (inc house and garden)		NA Rail 845/121
23.9.1935	F W Webb	Lock keeper	Transferred to Hardmead Lock		LCB Records
15.2.1935 Webb returned to duty on 5.11.1934. He sued the driver Mr E Scott for damages (including the Board’s costs for his relieving keeper) but the judgment was given for the defendant with costs (NA Rail 845/119)
26.5.1934 F W Webb Knocked down by a motor car “he was guiding out of a car park adjoining a local public house…between 10.30 and 11pm….he was not on duty at the time” His wages not to be paid during the time of absence. (NA Rail 845/118)
4.5.1928	Frederick William Webb (32)	Lock keeper	"(son of one of our Blacksmiths), who has for the past year and nine months (12.7.1926) been working on one of our dredgers. He is...married, one child, served 3 years 8 months in the Army, was wounded and receives a life pension of 8/- per week.". Appointed at 26/- per week with house and uniform		NA Rail 845/112 LMA ACC 2423/025
9.3.1928	A Newton	Lock keeper	"...died at this lock house on the night of the 8th. inst."		LMA ACC 2423/025
3.8.1923 “now 64 years of age, had been off duty through illness for about 3 months….suffering from a “stroke”, now improving and might recover in time; that Newton had been paid his wages less State Insurance; another man had been doing duty…at cost of £3 17s 4d per week” “Resolved…that he be given a month’s notice…” (NA Rail 845/107) 7.8.1923 “Medical Certificate… now able to follow his occupation…notice rescinded” (NA Rail 845/107)
7.1.1921	A Newton	Lock keeper	39 years a barge master with Royal Gunpowder Factory, appointed		NA Rail 845/48
1.12.1920	Daniel Ward (78)	Lock keeper	Died this day. Old War Department pensioner. Employed 24 years by the Board		NA Rail 845/47
14.11.1919	D Ward	Lock keeper	26/- + house, garden, and uniform		NA Rail 845/46
1.12.1916	D Ward	Lock keeper	£2 war bonus		NA Rail 845/43
4.3.1915	D Ward	Lock keeper	+2/- per week		NA Rail 845/42
2.4.1911	Daniel Ward (67)	Lock keeper	Mary Ann	Lock House Waltham Cross Lock keeper Tea (sic) Conservancy	RG14PN7445 RG78PN359 RD132 SD7 ED2 SN6
20.10.1905	Daniel Ward	Lock keeper	Transferred from Waltham Common		Assumed
16.10.1905	William Clark (76)	Lock keeper	Died this day, been in the service of the Board from a boy. Leaves no dependants. £5 towards Funeral expenses		NA Rail 845/32
31.3.1901	William Clark (69)	Lock keeper	Wdr	5 Canward Lock keeper on River Lee	Ex/WalthamHC/1/24
5.4.1891	William Clark (60)	Lock keeper	Elizabeth	River Lee Wharf	Ex/WalthamHC/1/40
20.4.1883	William Clark	Lock keeper	30 years service (Previously at Enfield). 18/- per week		NA Rail 845/23
4.4.1881	William Clark (51)	Lock keeper	Elizabeth	River Lock House	Ex/WalthamHC/1/3
20.12.1878	Jonathan Stamp	Lock keeper	Death		NA Rail 845/21
14.1.1876	Jonathan Stamp	Lock keeper	Appointed at 16/- per week		NA Rail 845/20
Jonathan Stamp 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)
10.5.1872	Benjamin Clark	Lock keeper	Appointed at 16/- per week (Transferred to Pond Lane date n.k)		NA Rail 845/18
2.4.1872	John Chandler	Lock keeper	Drowned		NA Rail 845/18
* In a minute of 12.4.1872 it was recorded that “J Chandler, the Lock keeper at Waltham, was accidentally drowned by falling into the lock on the night of Tuesday the 2^nd instant. The weather was very stormey (sic) with much rain and very dark and no one about and although his wife missed him soon after 9 o’clock in the evening his body was not recovered until 6 o’clock on the following morning. He has left a widow (Anne) and three small children (John, 4, Elizabeth 2, and a baby) without any provision whatever and has been in the service of the Board during the last five years, over 4 years at Hertford at 13/- a week and during the last 10 weeks (months) at Waltham @ 16/-a week. His character was good always industrious, sober and very trustworthy.” It was recorded “that a sum of £10 be granted to the widow of Chandler, who was drowned at Waltham Lock …and also that the funeral expenses not exceeding £5 be paid by the Board.
26.5.1871	John Chandler	Lock keeper	Appointed from Hertford at 16/- per week		NA Rail 845/18
26.5.1871	Robert Herrington		Earning 16/- per week. Transferred to Old Ford		NA Rail 845/18
2.4.1871	Robert Herrington (33)	Lock keeper	Eliza	Lock House River Lee	Ex/WalthamHC/1/29
1.1.1868	Robert Errington (sic)	Lock keeper	Appointed at 16/- per week		NA Rail 845/16
14.12.1867	Francis Hornsby	Lock keeper	Died*		NA Rail 845/16
* “Widow Hornsby Donation. The Clerk reported that the Rev’d J Francis of of Waltham Cross had returned £5.17.4 of the £10 placed in his hands for the relief of the widow of Francis Hornsby late lockkeeper at Waltham Lock on the ground of the immorality of the family.” (NA Rail 845/16)
8.4.1861	Francis Hornsby (39)	Lock keeper	Martha	River Lee bank	Ex/WalthamHC/1/3
17.11.1855	William Curtis	Lock keeper	12/- per week		NA Rail 845/14
21.10.1854	William Curtis	Lock keeper	12/- per week		NA Rail 845/14
30.3.1851	Joseph Curtis (20)	Lock keeper	~	Highbridge St	Ex/WalthamHC/1a/20
7.6.1841					No Census Record

This site was last updated 03-Mar-2021