Burleydam Women's Institute

A talk by Margaret Carding.

Burleydam W I was treated to a talk on a really local subject at the May meeting – the River Weaver. Mac Carding who lives in Audlem, had a very particular interest in the River Weaver as she was born at Acton Bridge and that swing bridge goes over the Weaver. Also, she had spent many years as a lockkeeper on the river, so she really knew her subject.

The Weaver rises at Stonehouse Farm at Peckforton and is only a trickle until it gathers waters as it flows downstream through Aston to Audlem and then through Nantwich, by which time it is a sizeable river. There is a ford at Aston which it used to be possible to go through in a car, and there were obviously other fords at Hartford and Winsford as well, before it reachs Northwich.

The Weaver eventually joined the River Mersey before the Manchester Ship Canal was built in the late 19 th century. The river is navigable up to Northwich and carried a lot of cargo on barges pulled by men, until towpaths were built to allow horses to be used. In the early 1700’s, a company was formed by local businessmen and in 1721 they petitioned the Government and an Act of Parliament gave them the powers to manage the river. So the river was dredged, widened and it’s meanderings straightened out in order to make it possible to get their goods to Liverpool and the docks more quickly. Later, they built docks on the river which is tidal as far as Pickering.

The vote of thanks was given by Jean who recounted her own connection with the river. The competition for a picture of the River Weaver was won by Caroline, 2nd Elizabeth, 3rd Chris. In the business meeting Jean reported on the recent Malbank Group meeting. Karen passed round the clipboard with coming events listed for member’s to add their names to Jean has offered to host a Zoom event of the National Federation AGM at the Albert Hall.

Next meeting is on June 2nd in the Community Room at 7.30pm when the speaker will be Tullis Matson ‘Putting Extinction on Ice’.

Visitors and new members always welcome or visit our website
http://www.burleydamwi.org and see all the things we are doing.