Career John Hore

1 career

1.1 kennet navigation
1.2 avon navigation
1.3 stroudwater navigation
1.4 chelmer navigation
1.5 other works

career

hore recorded working millwright, possibly in relation family business. in 1718, however, appointed survey , engineer river kennet make navigable reading newbury.

kennet navigation

the 23-mile (37 km) section of river reading newbury has gradient of 66 inches per mile (1.1 metres per kilometre), requiring locks traverse terrain. kennet navigation act (1715) had allowed construction begin, although straight away navigation proprietors saw huge expense in employing unskillful person[s] ; ten locks built @ mills on stretch of river severe lack of engineering experience meant quality of work undertaken poor , progressed @ unacceptable rate, hore appointed engineer , surveyor. hore s father, proprietor of waterway, had hand in arranging son s employment on project.

hore recognised inappropriate nature of solution, proposing more locks , artificial cuttings dug. subsequently employed on salary equivalent £9,000 in 2016 plus expenses, responsibility of delivering 18.5 miles (29.8 km) of navigable waterways, 11 miles (18 km) of new cuttings.

work on navigation began in 1719, although local opposition following year threatened works—mayor of reading robert blake led 300-strong mob along town s recorder burghfield construction damaged; blake owned wharf near junction of kennet , river thames, , feared trade adversely affected new waterway. further setbacks came following winter, when extraordinary floods damaged works. in march 1721, extension original timescale granted. following july, hore reported progress being made:

the screw hore refers archimedes screw, used in lock excavations remove water. despite referring brick locks in padworth field, of hore s locks in area—from aldermaston tyle mill—were turf-sided.

garston lock 1 of 2 remaining turf-sided locks on canal, although has been reduced in dimensions since original building

hore s specifications canal defined cutting widths of 54 feet (16 m), depth of 5 feet (1.5 m). navigable sections of river 70 feet (21 m) wide. vast majority of hore s locks turf-sided (a framed chamber built within sloping sides covered in vegetation); hore influenced turf locks on wey navigation , exeter canal, predated hore s project 70 , 150 years respectively. small number of locks built brick. hore s lock dimensions substantial, width of 19 feet (5.8 m) , length of 114 feet (35 m) allow barges carrying loads of on 100 tons.

hore s work completed in 1723 (with towing path usable following year), providing navigable waterway wharves , basins @ aldermaston , newbury. kennet navigation opened on 1 june 1723 @ cost of approximately £40,000 (equivalent £5,747,000 in 2016)—although speculated cost of towpath cost further £30,000 (equivalent £4,294,000 in 2016). after canal s opening, hore retained salary , appointed surveyor of works , wharfinger @ newbury lifelong position. however, navigation proprietors (appointed in 1720) dismissed hore in 1724—he had incurred significant costs landowners in 1720s, , unable account these expenses governing body. despite agreeing reimbursement of £840 (equivalent £118,000 in 2016), proprietors failed pay this—and further expenses—to hore. hore took organisation arbitration in 1731, , 1734 salary reinstated , increased £100 (equivalent £15,000 in 2016).

hore returned kennet after reinstatement , found in extremely poor condition after few years of neglect. approached lady forbes, widow of 1 of navigation s proprietors, began taking interest in navigation s management , ensured funds available necessary repairs. hore oversaw work, , 1740 had established carpentry @ navigation s centre point in aldermaston. restored navigation, tolls increased £2,000 per year (equivalent £265,910 in 2016), annual porterage of 10,000 tons.

hore retired role surveyor on kennet in 1761. in 1967, locks widened cater larger newbury barges carried substantial cargoes newbury thames.

avon navigation

in march 1725, 2 years after opening of kennet navigation, hore employed ralph allen in direction , chief management of construction of avon navigation near bristol. brought in implement 1712 act obtained bath corporation, allowed provision navigable waterway hanham bath. hore given salary of approximately £9 per week (equivalent £1,291 in 2016), , given budget employ assistant—mr downs—on £1 weekly salary (equivalent £137 in 2016) responsibility on project in hore s absence. hore s salary on avon project cover expenses, may explain significant increase remuneration on kennet navigation—hore possibly wanted avoid similar situation arose on personal expenses in years before beginning avon navigation. in addition downs, hore s chief mason, edward marchant, paid £2 per week (equivalent £287 in 2016) pro rata.

upon surveying waterway, hore found gradient less half of kennet in berkshire, leading far fewer engineering problems. numerous mills operational on stretch of avon, leading hore require locks overcome change in water level resulting mill weirs. 5 locks built overcome changes of no more 6 feet (1.8 m), although requirement of 600-yard (550 m) cutting near weston meant weston lock needed depth of around 9 feet (2.7 m).

building commenced in mid-1725. hore experienced few set-backs, including compulsory purchase of land @ sydenham mede near keynsham, , documentation suggests still involved in engineering on kennet @ newbury. upon construction of keynsham lock, flooding caused further delays, annoyance of navigation committee. result of this, proprietors thomas warr attwood, ralph allen , alderman francis bave wrote hore, threatening give more autonomy marchant should hore not expedite work:

the committee urged hore purchase screw engines kennet project, justifying appears speediest method complete lock work. hore subsequently came against problems, landowners, committee themselves, in november 1725 asked hore reconsider location of wharves on navigation, though @ behest of landowners. within week, committee order project put on hold allow hore , downs submit detailed plans of canal between swineford , bath. on resuming project, hore did not come across major set-backs , construction finished completion of quay in bath in december 1727; navigation construction cost £12,000 (equivalent £1,638,000 in 2016). navigation did not include tow path, however, disputes arose on land ownership.

hore s locks on avon totalled six, smaller dimensions on kennet. however, masonry-walled, , catered larger cargoes on kennet—closer 140 tons. after completion of quay @ bath in 1729, tolls on navigation began averaging less £1,000 per year (equivalent £147,000 in 2016).

stroudwater navigation

in similar circumstances becoming employed on avon navigation, hore approached gloucestershire organistation view linking stroud river severn making river frome navigable. hore deemed waterway unsuitable such project, instead designing twelve-lock, 8.5-mile (13.7 km) canal framilode wallbridge. canal, have catered 60-ton boats, cost £20,000 (equivalent £2,592,000 in 2016) construct. bill put before parliament, supplemented evidence presented commons , lords hore in february , march 1730. although act passed in may 1730, met opposition number of millers on river have seen changes in water powering mills. these millers given rights on water usage, allow them shut navigation 2 months per year. this, coupled fact act allowed river made navigable (and not construction of separate canal), meant hore s recommendations never realised.

chelmer navigation

hore surveyed river chelmer in 1733 intention of creating river navigation. proposed 2 solutions providing 14-mile (23 km) link between maldon , chelmsford—making river navigable , cutting new canal. although cost of creating new canal—£12,800 (equivalent £1,951,000 in 2016)—was 30% more expensive working on river, hore recommended implementation. work on stroudwater, plans not adopted.

other works

in 1833, hore worked on ornamental canal , basin (highlighted) @ shaw house in hometown of newbury

in 1733, hore appointed james brydges, 1st duke of chandos, work on grounds @ shaw house estate in newbury. garden featured ornamental canals, fed nearby river lambourn, though duke employed hore combine canals, enlarging them single canal basin , cascade.