Remembering the ‘father of English canals’

SEPTEMBER 27, 2022, marked the 250th anniversary of the death of ‘the father of English canals’, engineer James Brindley. On that day, his last canal – the North Oxford – had reached just below Hillmorton Locks.

Local canal heritage group, the Old Mortonians, planned for years to mark the occasion but, according to chairman Ian Lauder, had various plans confounded by the Canal & River Trust.

He told us: “Last year we put forward a plan for a simple A2 size lectern style information board opposite the old arm that was where his canal had reached on the day he died. After making official application via the events officer early last year, attending site meetings and providing the local manager with every piece of information she requested, we paid for the lectern to be made.

“The information graphic was completed by Rugby Borough Council marketing department and we paid for it to be printed on an aluminium sheet. The mayor was booked to unveil it.”

But on September 12, the Old Mortonians received an email from

CRT stating that because they had not done an appraisal or obtained planning permission – which is not needed for a tiny A2 tourist information sign – they would not permit the society to go ahead with the unveiling of its new information graphic.

We have reproduced it here on this page so, suggests Ian: “People can stand at the spot and hold it up to read.”