William Ockenden has been described as a Dutch engineer who worked on three eighteenth century Irish navigations: the Mallow to Lombardstown canal, the Kilkenny/Nore navigation and the Limerick Navigation [Park Canal section], all of them notably unsuccessful.
It seems likely that he was English, not Dutch, but may have lived in Ireland before inheriting property in England. But was he an engineer or a mill-owner and MP? Were there one or two William Ockendens at the time?
Here is some information and some speculation. I would welcome more of the first.
Posted in Built heritage, Canals, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Historical matters, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Shannon, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged Blackwater, Kilkenny, Limerick, Lombardstown, Mallow, Nore, Ockenden, Park Canal, Shannon
A gentleman has mooted the propriety of forming a steam-ship canal from Kilkenny to the tidal water of Innistiogue, and he has lodged £400 in the Provincial Bank as a beginning, and as an earnest of his good faith. His name is not given, why we cannot say; but of the fact that the money is actually lodged, we have been assured by the respectable manager of the bank, Andrew M’Kean Esq.
This half anonymous character is to be regretted; and we trust the promoter will not hesitate to announce his name at once, and set the project fairly before the public. Men do business now-a-days with their eyes well open. It is computed that £320000 would be sufficient for the completion of the undertaking. The distance is only thirteen miles. The promoter calls upon eight hundred men in the counties of Kilkenny, Waterford, and Wexford to come forward with £400 each, or else raise the money in £5 shares.
Dublin Evening Packet and Correspondent 27 August 1850 quoting the Kilkenny Journal. From the British Newspaper Archive run by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited, in partnership with the British Library.
[NB I have not been able to find any later notice of the development of this proposal. Further information will be welcomed]
Posted in Ashore, Canals, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Historical matters, Ireland, Non-waterway, Sources, Unbuilt canals, waterways
Tagged canal, Innistiogue, Kilkenny, Nore, Provincial Bank, steam, tidewater
Dublin to and from Waterford
CALLING AT ROSS AND GRAIGUE
The Public are respectfully informed that the Boats of the BARROW NAVIGATION COMPANY call regularly each week to and from the above-mentioned Towns, say on the Mornings of MONDAY and THURSDAY, at Three o’Clock, making TWO deliveries weekly at each end.
The Company having selected Men of the besst characters as Masters of their Boats, they engage the safe delivery of all Goods forwarded, and hope by moderate charges and dispatch to give satisfaction.
GOODS FOR ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND to be forwarded by these Boats, should be directed to the Agents of the Company.
Goods can be forwarded by careful carriers to the following towns, viz:
For further particulars, apply to the Company’s Agents
Mr JOHN KELLY, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin
Mr JOHN M’DONNELL, Custom-House Quay and Lower Thomas-street, Waterford
Mr M W CARR, New Ross
Mr M RYAN, Graigue
Or to the Secretary of the Company, P D LaTOUCHE, Esq, Castle-street, Dublin
Waterford Chronicle 4 November 1854
Posted in Built heritage, Canals, Economic activities, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Roads, Sources, Suir, waterways, Waterways management
Tagged Ballyhack, barge, Barrow, boats, Borris, canal, Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Dublin, Dungarvan, Dunmore, Enniscorthy, estuary, Graigue, Graiguenamanagh, Grand Canal, Inistiogue, Innistiogue, Ireland, New Ross, Nore, Operations, Suir, Thomastown, Tramore, Waterford, waterways, Wexford
In February 2012 Waterways Ireland published a study of the River Barrow called The Barrow Corridor Recreational, Tourism and Commercial Product Identification Study. I’ve devoted a lot of time to the document and I confess that, although I’m in favour of WI’s conducting these studies, I found this one rather disappointing. The principal problem, as I see it, is that the document just doesn’t hang together: it is not clear how the recommendations derive from the analysis. I also thought that its recommendations on navigation were weak, suggesting a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of the Barrow.
I haven’t finished putting my thoughts on the subject together because I want to do the study justice, but I have put up six pages about the report, linked from an overview page here. I need to give the navigation page a little more thought; when it’s finished I’ll link it to the overview page and mention the matter here.
Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Natural heritage, Non-waterway, Operations, Politics, Restoration and rebuilding, Scenery, Steamers, Suir, waterways, Waterways management, Weather
Tagged Barrow, boats, canal, floods, flow, Grand Canal, Ireland, Nore, Suir, vessels, waterways, Waterways Ireland