In case some of you wonder where I have been, I am printing
out the two letters I sent recently to all my friends telling
them of another proposed visit north of the border.
"I am off on the Mail Coach to Moffat in Scotland tomorrow
night" (20th January) "via Lancaster and Carlisle. I hope the
horses make it over Shap, in winter this can be very dodgy.
I will bwe returning on Thursday" (I didn't!) "to continue my
wanderings. Canal information for my mariner friends;
starting a walk up Dansie Street finishing with Dry Dock'
south-end and a visit to the Post Office."
"I bet you are all wondering what's happened to the 'Liverpool
Rambler'. Well just to put you all in the picture you will
remember I was going to Scotland on the Royal Mail Coach
on 20th January. This visit proved to be longer than intended,
for reasons I do not need to expound here ~ needless to say
the weather didn't help and our return journey was horrific.
Shap was snow-bound and the road between Lancaster and
Liverpool was virtually impassable with water filled ruts and
knee-deep mud. We had several changes of horses on route,
and to cap it all when we eventually reached our destination,
our daughter and son-in-law had gale damage to their home
and billeted themselves with us!"
We are now more or less straight and yesterday I went on
a long walk round the streets checking on who lived where.
Today, unfortunately, is appalling ~ the black, glowering
clouds over the Mersey Estuary of yesterday heralded
something out of the ordinary. I was not wrong, strong winds
and driving sleet and forced all but the foolhardy to retreat
indoors. I have decided therefore just to make a short
trip to the Liverpool Canal Basin to see GEORGE NUTTALL
and his agent THOMAS RIGBY who operate fly-boats from
there.
On arriving, the weather if anything, has taken a turn for the
worse and I am forced to spend the day in the office in the
Old Canal Warehouse. I have therefore decided to copy out the
timetable of Canal Packets which adorns one of the timber
clad walls of the building.
CANAL PACKETS
FROM THE LIVERPOOL CANAL BASIN, OLDHALL STREET ~ FROM
THE CANAL WAREHOUSE, WIGAN ~ AND FROM KNOTT MILL WHARF,
MANCHESTER.
SUMMER SEASON
On and after the 1st of May, a Packet Boat will leave
Liverpool for Wigan and Manchester, every morning
at a quarter past six.
Another Packet also leaves Manchester for Wigan and
Liverpool at the same hour.
The boat from Liverpool will arrive at Scarisbrick Bridge
at 11 morning, at Wigan at 3 afternoon, and at
Manchester at 8 evening.
The boat from Manchester will arrive at Wigan at 11, at
Scarisbrick Bridge at 3 afternoon, and at Liverpool
at 8 evening. Thus providing a daily communication
between the above places and Southport.
The extra boat will leave Liverpool for Bootle, Linacre, and
Crosby every day at 10 morning, 4 afternoon, and 7
evening, except on Saturdays and Sundays, on the
former of which days the packet leaves Liverpool at
10 mg. and 4 aft. and on the Sunday at 10 mg. and
8 in the evg.
WINTER SEASON
On and after the 1st of Oct. a Packet Boat leaves Liverpool
for Wigan every mg. at 8.
Another Packet Boat eaves Wigan for Liverpool every mg.
at 8, each arriving at their respective destinations at
5 in the evening.
A Packet Boat leaves OLD ROAN at 7 mg. every day
except Sunday, and arrives at Liverpool at 9 morning.
The same packet leaves Liverpool on return to OLD ROAN
at 4 evening.
A Packet Boat from Manchester to Wigan leaves Manchester
every day at 7 mg. arrives at Wigan at 12 at noon, and
departs thence at 2 aft. on its return to Manchester,
where it arrives at 7 evg.
Finding little else of interest to write in my note book, I
leave this dreary Warehouse, bid farewell to Messrs.
NUTTALL and RIGBY, and hurry home to get out of
the miserable weather. The driving sleet has now
turned to snow and with the wind, is drifting heavily.
Struggling through the detereorating conditions, I
eventually get to our door, and a welcome fire and
jug of ale.............
...........before I visit the Canal Basin and Docks again
to meet all the 'Carriers by land and Water', I will be
going to see my friend W. BANNING Esq., Liverpool's
Postmaster, and then continuing with my walks in the
DUKE STREET area.