The History of the Basingstoke Canal by Glenys Crocker
(First published by The Surrey & Hampshire Canal Society Ltd in 1973. Second Edition published 1977)

Back to Contents page Chapter 1: Hampshire in the Canal Age Chapter 2: The Building of the Canal Chapter 3: The Canal's Fortunes Chapter 4: Why the Canal Failed Chapter 5: Speculation, 1866-1923 Chapter 6: Success and Decline, 1923-1947 Trade below Woking Second World War Defences Chapter 7: Recent History

6: Success and Decline,1923-1947 TRADE BELOW WOKING In 1923 William Carter sold the Canal to Alexander John Harmsworth, whose family had been connected with it since the 1840s. He ran a successful business until his death in 1947, but traded only on the lower reaches of the Canal, below Woking. The main trade was in coal and timber from the London Docks. Harmsworth built up trade to reach its second highest peak of 31,577 tons in 1935. The following year, coal traffic ended when the Woking Gas Works ceased producing its own gas, and from then on, traffic dwindled. Timber traffic continued until 1947, when Harmsworth died. Above Woking, the only traffic was connected with the barge building and repair business which Harmsworth had developed at Ash Vale, and with pleasure boating.

In 1932 part of Greywell Tunnel collapsed. There had been a fall in the 1870s caused by a small pond above the tunnel near its western end, the drainage culverts from which had become blocked. Repairs had been made, and the pond drained, but after the long years of neglect, the trouble recurred. [more on the tunnel] This time, the opportunity was taken to sell off portions of the Canal west of Greywell. The wharf at Basingstoke was sold in 1936, and is now the site of a bus station. SECOND WORLD WAR DEFENCES The Canal had a very different potential use in the Second World War. It formed part of a line of defences, built in the summer of 1940 before the Battle of Britain, to harass the enemy and protect London and the industrial areas in the event of invasion. The line ran from near Middlesborough in Yorkshire to the Wash and Cambridge, then east of London and to Maidstone, and across southern England to Bristol. Remains of the defences can be seen along the Canal in the Crookham and Dogmersfield areas. There are pill-boxes, concrete tank-traps, and, until the towpath was upgraded, the remains of 4-foot wooden posts set in concrete at close intervals along the towpath. NEXT - 7: Recent History BACK

Last updated April 2000