Ashton, Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canals
Little was known about the life of Thomas Brown (1772-1850) and the following events have been pieced together in attempt to illustrate some of his achievements. It is now known that in the 1790s and into the early 1800s that his career was inextricably linked, initially with the construction of the Ashton Canal and its several branches, and then with the construction of the Peak Forest Canal and Tramway. He acted as the surveyor for both the Ashton and Peak Forest Canal Companies and then as the resident engineer for the latter company working under Benjamin Outram who was the engineer. The Minute Books of the Peak Forest Canal Company makes many references to him.

Thomas Brown is unique in the history of the Peak Forest Canal as he was present at its inception, he cut the first clod, and he was present at the takeover of the Canal Company by the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway Company on the 25 Mar 1846. He was an experienced mine engineer, land surveyor and general engineer. He became a shareholder of the Peak Forest Canal Company, a member of the Committee and Sub-committee as well as engineer for the construction of Marple locks sometime after the resignation of Benjamin Outram in c.1801. His long association with the Peak Forest Canal Company came to an end on the 1 Jan 1847, when the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway Company amalgamated with other companies to form the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway Company.

It was his work as a surveyor and civil engineer that brought his name to prominence and it is for these two roles that he is best remembered. In the 1830s, more than thirty years after his appointment as the surveyor for the Manchester, Ashton-under-Lyne & Oldham Canal Company (Ashton Canal Company), the newly incorporated Macclesfield Canal Company appointed him as their resident engineer. In the intervening years Thomas Brown accomplished a great deal and there are many references to him in the Peak Forest Canal Company's records, such as the Proceedings of the sub-Committee, Committee and General Committee. Primarily, Thomas Brown was a businessman who was engaged in the everyday business of working coalmines, quarries and lime works. He also had interests in trading in stone, various minerals, clay, sand and earth. On the financial side he dealt in real estate and the stock of corporations (i.e. local authorities) and companies, such as railways, canals and docks. For instance, besides being the resident engineer for the Macclesfield Canal Company he was also a subscriber. He also possessed considerable personal estate as well.

On the 30 Aug 1791, the Manchester Mercury carried a notice about a Bill for the proposed Rochdale Canal that included a branch to or near Oldham from Manchester by way of Newton (Newton Heath), Moston, Failsworth and Chadderton. As a consequence of this, a fortnight later on the 13 Sep 1791, another notice was carried announcing a parliamentary petition for an independent Manchester, Ashton-under-Lyne and Oldham Canal and that there was to be a meeting as soon as particulars were prepared. On the 18 Oct and again on the 1 Nov 1791 the Manchester Mercury referred to this meeting and affirmed that the idea was well received and that £21,000 was subscribed on the spot. On the 22 Nov the Manchester Mercury reported that the amount required was raised and that plans and estimates were being prepared. Although there is no corroborative evidence, it is possible that Thomas Brown was involved with this work.

The Peak Forest Canal Company appointed Thomas Brown as their surveyor superintendent, bookkeeper and manager under their engineer's directions (that is, Benjamin Outram) for four days a week, to devote his whole time to Peak Forest Canal Company business. His remuneration was £315 per annum for himself and a Clerk from the 7 Jul 1794. Initially, he was on an 11-year contact but after 4 Dec 1805 he was retained as the engineer on a year-by-year contract until Marple locks, reservoirs and other works were completed. Thomas Brown was appointed resident engineer by Benjamin Outram who then gave him instructions about what was needed. In the case of the Peak Forest Canal Company, the management gave directions and instructions to their appointed engineer, Benjamin Outram.

He surveyed the route for the proposed Peak Forest Canal and in 1793 a complete set of plans, estimates and list of subscribers were deposited with the Clerk of the Peace for Cheshire and Derbyshire on behalf of the Peak Forest Canal Company by the Law Clerks, Worthingtons of Altrincham. The plans included 'a Railway or Stone Road to Loads Knowle', where the nearest limestone deposits were situated (NoteIt is uncertain as to whether one Clerk of the Peace served both counties or each county had its own clerk. Either way, there is now only one copy and this is at Derbyshire County Record Office. Its title is, 'Deposited Plan of the intended Derbyshire Canal, 1793'. The name Peak Forest Canal seems to have been adopted either in late 1793 or early 1794.).

The canal was to commence at Dukinfield, from the Tame Aqueduct of the Ashton Canal, and its line was through Dukinfield, Newton, Hyde, Werneth, Bredbury, Romiley, Marple, Disley and Whaley to terminate at Chapel Milton. From there a tramway was to complete the line to Loads Knowle. There was also to be a short branch canal to Whaley Bridge. At this time, the Whaley Bridge area was known as the township of Yeardsley-cum-Whaley in the county of Cheshire. His plan showed that the proposed canal and tramway cut through 183 plots of land that would require compulsory purchase. It also identified the location of minerals such as building stone, flag, slate and coal. Stone and flag, in particular, could be used during the construction stage and all the minerals could be exploited afterwards as sources of revenue in addition to the primary revenue source of transporting limestone and lime.

From the outset there was always a good working relationship between the Ashton and Peak Forest Canal Companies and this was exemplified in Jan 1803 when it was announced that,

However, the Ashton Canal Company was not prepared to extend this friendship too far when, on the 3 Oct 1803, it was determined that boats belonging to the Peak Forest Canal Company were to pay the Ashton Canal Company ¼d for every lock passed through when assistance was given by a lock keeper. More critical than this friendship between the two companies, was the failure of the Ashton Canal Company to appoint an engineer. The exact reason for this will probably never be known.

On the 31 Jul 1792 the Ashton Canal Company placed an advertisement in the Manchester Mercury.

While the company did not appear to have any difficulty in attracting contractors to cut the canal, it was unable to find an engineer and the hard-pressed, James Meadows Sr, acted as the engineer. James Meadows' first appointment with the Ashton Canal Company was as a bookkeeper and afterwards he was appointed as the principal agent and engineer. He held these two posts until his death in the 2 May 1831. However, how his position as engineer was affected when Benjamin Outram was appointed as engineer is unknown. After his death, the posts of principal agent and engineer were separated. On the 4 Nov 1805, James Meadows Sr became the joint principal agent for the Ashton and Peak Forest Canal Companies. His salary was £630 per annum paid equally by the two companies (i.e. £315 each).

In 1793 progress on cutting the Ashton Canal was progressing but key appointments were still needed. On the 27 Aug 1793 the Ashton Canal Company placed yet another advertisement in the Manchester Mercury.

This advertisement seemed to be a request for a resident engineer but the company was still without an engineer. As far as the latter was concerned, it was not until 1798 that this particular problem was finally resolved when the Ashton Canal Company appointed Benjamin Outram as their engineer who, in turn, appointed Thomas Brown as his resident engineer to oversee day-to-day construction work. Outram's appointment took effect around the middle of 1798 and on the 21 Jun 1798 their Minute Book states,

Prior to his appointment as engineer, Outram's relationship with the Ashton Canal Company was as a contractor. The first known reference to Benjamin Outram in their Minute Book appears in Sep 1798 but there is no mention of Thomas Brown.

Around this time, the Ashton Canal Company was also actively promoting good relations with rival canal companies and they were looking forward to collaboration with the Peak Forest, Rochdale and Huddersfield Canal Companies.

Marple Lime Works and Hyde & Haughton Colliery
Concurrently with his canal building activities, Thomas Brown was collaborating in private business ventures and a reference to this was the partnership of Messrs Wright and Brown. The 'Wright' in this partnership was Nathaniel Wright who lived at Brabyns Hall, Marple.

Meanwhile, Samuel Oldknow was a promoter and proprietor of the Peak Forest Canal Company and he established a lime works at Marple, close to the top lock, where he could receive supplies of limestone and coal by way of the Peak Forest Canal. Some of the coal to fire these kilns was supplied from the nearby Hagbank (or Hag Bank) Pit at Disley, which was situated on the offside of the canal. Coal was also supplied by canal from a pit on the offside of the canal at Bankend Bridge. Coal was mined in Marple as well and birth, marriage and death registrations record coal miners living in Marple. Oldknow's interest in his lime works was, however, to wane and by 1805 it was reported that his lime-burning business was in decline. By 1808 the situation had worsened and Oldknow blamed the poor trading conditions on the Napoleonic war.

By 1811, Oldknow's interest in the lime works had ended and he leased it to Messrs Wright & Brown and this included kilns, lime sheds, the basin by top lock and other appurtenances. However, he did not sell the lime works, so he would have still received a rent from it. Oldknow died in 1828 and, as he was deeply in debt to the Arkwright family of Cromford, the whole of his estate around Marple and Mellor became their property.

Adjoining the lime works, to the south, a mineral mill was built and, under the direction of Thomas Brown, a warehouse was built next to this by the canal. It is understood that this warehouse opened on the 1 Aug 1800 and its purpose was in connection with the upper terminus of the Marple Tramway that was built to by-pass the unfinished Marple locks. Afterwards, it became a corn mill for a while and then it was sold to the mineral mill. The mineral mill was subsequently operated by Messrs J & M Tymm.

For how long Messrs Wright and Brown operated Marple Lime Works is uncertain but in 1834 a John Clayton & Company was operating it. John Clayton was the half-brother and successor of Samuel Oldknow.

The land surrounding the Peak Forest Canal in Hyde was rich in coal deposits, particularly between the canal and the river Tame and up the other side of the valley in the township of Haughton. Initially there were many shallow pits and drift mines in the locality, which exploited natural outcrops of coal but when these became exhausted deeper pits were sunk to exploit even richer coal seams. Prominent among these were Hyde & Haughton Colliery (adjoining the Peak Forest Canal at Hyde Change Bridge), Peacock Pit, Kingston Colliery, Broomstair Colliery and Haughton Colliery at Glass House Fold. Both Broomstair and Haughton Collieries were on the Lancashire side of the river Tame. It is known that Thomas Brown and William Clayton worked Hyde & Haughton Colliery (better known as Hyde Lane Pit). At this time a Joseph Holford was the manager and a Charles Ogden was the collector. Brown and Clayton leased it from the Clarke family who were the landowners. They also leased Peacock Pit, which was situated alongside the canal a short distance to the south of Hyde Lane Pit as well as Haughton Colliery in Glass House Fold which included Dans Wood Drift Mine. George Hyde Clarke presented Thomas Brown with a silver cup in appreciation of his management of these pits.

An examination of the 1816/17 Commercial Directory of 'Merchants, Manufacturers, Tradesmen, &c', for the Manchester area makes a connection between Wright, Brown and Clayton. Under the heading of 'Coal Dealers', Messrs Wright, Brown, and Clayton had premises at Aytoun St (then Ayton St). As we have seen, Thomas Brown and William Clayton were the lessees of Hyde Lane Pit, Peacock Pit and the mines at Glass House Fold and a good outlet for some of the coal they mined would be from their Aytoun St premises. The Wright referred to is Nathaniel Wright who was Thomas Brown's business partner at Marple Lime Works.

His Good Relations with the Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canal Companies
It has been possible to explore the kind of relationship that Thomas had with the Proprietors of the Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canals. It is clear that they held him in high regard and this is reflected in presentations that the two companies made to him. The Peak Forest Canal Company presented him with two silver tureens, complete with ladles, and the Macclesfield Canal Company presented him with four silver side dishes, complete with covers.

His Terms of Employment with the Peak Forest Canal Company
He was under contract to the company from the 8 Sep 1794 until the expiry of his contract on the 27 Mar 1805. After this date he was the Consulting Engineer on a yearly contract until the 4 Jun 1812. From the 4 Jun 1812 until 1846 he was a member of the canal company's General Committee, Committee and Sub-Committee in his own right as a company shareholder. He was also the Company Consulting Engineer.

His Personal and Real Estate and similar matters
With regard to Thomas Brown's holding of personal and real estate, this consisted of a variety of land and buildings either owned individually or jointly with William Clayton.

In the late 1820s Thomas resided at Sidney St, Chorlton Row (off Oxford Rd), and by 1841 he had moved to 16 Ardwick Green, Chorlton-on-Medlock, which was in Allerton Place. No. 16 was one of a row of three large houses called Allerton Place on the south side of Ardwick Green close to Kay St and Rusholme Rd and backing onto Barlow St. He also owned 'Mow Hole' at Higher Disley, Cheshire. This was originally his late father's property and it is where Thomas was born and raised.

Thomas Brown and Benjamin Outram worked together on the Peak Forest Canal and it is reputed that they jointly designed Marple Aqueduct (or 'Grand Aqueduct'). Benjamin Outram and William Jessop were partners in Benjamin Outram & Company, which changed its name to the better-known Butterley Company in 1806. William Jessop was undoubtedly one of the most experienced engineers of his generation.

William Crosley Sr was unable to persuade William Jessop to be the surveyor for the Rochdale Canal Company and subsequently John Rennie, a London surveyor and engineer, was appointed to the post. Rennie oversaw two unsuccessful attempts to get Bills for the construction of the Rochdale Canal through Parliament in 1792 and 1793. William Crosley Sr actually carried out the survey for the deposited plans under the direction of Rennie but after that Rennie seems to have faded away from the scene. Afterwards, Jessop went over the line of the canal with Crosley and it appears almost as though his subsequent appointment as engineer was by default; so much did the Rochdale Canal need his services.

From the foregoing it will be seen that these men all knew each other and they frequently worked together but it also becomes clear that Thomas Brown never gained the eminence of his contemporaries in canal construction. It may be that he had no wish to do so because of his other business interests and commitments. Taking the era of 'Canal Mania' to lie between 1789 and 1805, a good measure of an engineer's eminence was the number of times that appearances were made before Parliamentary Committees. In this respect, relative appearances were William Jessop (27 times), John Rennie (16 times), Robert Whitworth (7 times), Samuel Bull (6 times), Robert Mylne (6 times), Benjamin Outram (4 times), Thomas Brown (once) and Thomas Telford (once).

The career of Thomas Brown with regard to Canal Construction - a Timeline

Thomas Brown | the Man
Although no details of his education are known, the foregoing shows that Thomas Brown was a naturally gifted man whose abilities ranged from mathematical and surveying skills, through civil engineering and supervising to that of a businessman. However, some aspects of life are beyond human control and so it was with Thomas Brown whose long life was tinged with some sadness and misfortune. It is practically impossible for us to look back from the 21st century and think in the way that people did in those days. One thing that is certain though is that people in those days were more stoic about adversity and they derived comfort from a strong religious belief.

Thomas born in 1772 and he had at least one brother who predeceased him. He was born at Higher Disley, Cheshire, and his place of birth was a cottage called Mow Hole and this where he was raised. It is known that the Brown family were landowners at Disley. Following the death of his father, Mow Hole became his property but it seems that he only visited it occasionally. During construction of the Peak Forest Canal he was living at Norbury Farm but later he moved to Hyde and then to Manchester. The tithe map of 1850 records that Norbury Farm was in the township of Norbury in the Parish of Stockport. At this time the landowner was Thomas Legh (of Adlington Hall) and the occupier was Joseph Knowles. Norbury Farm is still extant and its modern address is Jacksons Lane, Hazel Grove, Stockport. The inscription on Thomas's tomb at St Mary's Church, Disley, commences, 'Thomas Brown of Manchester' where 'Manchester' refers to his place of death. Both Thomas and his wife, Elizabeth, died in Manchester.

He married his wife, Elizabeth Hancock, on the 28 Oct 1800, but little is known about her. She died in 1830, aged 55 years, leaving Thomas a widower for the next 20 years until his death in 1850. She had two brothers, John Hancock (1778/79-1 May 1821) and Richard Hancock (1779/80-29 Oct 1826). The former was described as a merchant of Liverpool and the latter as a merchant of Manchester.

Four of his children, Thomas, John Hancock, Frances and Francis, died in infancy but a daughter, Elizabeth, and two sons, William and Richard Hancock, survived him.

His son, William, was of concern to him. By the standards of the time William was classed as an imbecile and as such he was committed to Manchester Lunatic Asylum, which stood on the corner of Piccadilly and Portland St. This was close to Thomas Brown when he resided in Aytoun St. Thomas was concerned about William's welfare, so he left a substantial amount of money for his care.

William was evidently released from the asylum because he died in Denton (6 miles east of Manchester city centre) on the 6 Sep 1862, aged 56 years.

Thomas was also anxious about his son Richard Hancock. The 1841 census shows that Richard, who was then in his thirties, was occupied as a clerk. He evidently had few of his father's abilities and was unmarried. By 1848 the situation appears to have deteriorated somewhat and,

Thomas then goes on to say,

These words leave readers in no doubt about Thomas's opinion of Harriett Williams and how he was going to deal with the situation if Richard ever married her.

Thomas held his daughter, Elizabeth, in high regard and she married Joseph Scott Moore who obtained a law degree in Dublin but practised in Manchester. They met in Manchester and their son became a solicitor who also obtained his law degree in Dublin. Thomas trusted and respected his son-in-law sufficiently to appoint him as a Trustee and Executor of his Will. The other Trustees and Executors were James Meadows Jr and Alan Royle. James Meadows Jr was the agent for the Ashton and Peak Forest Canal Companies and, in 1846, when the canals were taken over by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway Company he was appointed secretary and clerk of the railway company to become their general manager in 1848. Later, he was appointed as manager of the Rochdale Canal Company, so he resigned from the railway company.

Thomas was also concerned that his grandnephew (and Godson), Thomas Brown, should have as good an education as possible and he made a bequest for this specific purpose. The young Thomas was the son of a John Brown. It is likely that John Brown had other children besides Thomas and their education was also taken care of. Thomas Brown also had another nephew, James Brown, but is not known whether John and James were brothers or cousins.

Thomas was a man of good taste with a liking for the arts and books. His favourite was a large painting '···· commonly called 'Tom Jones' which was heretofore the property of the Father of my late Wife ····.' In addition to this he had other paintings as well as silver, china and glass. He referred to his surveying equipment as '···· my mathematical instruments ····' and he directed that these were to be sold. Obviously no one in the family was following in his footsteps. Among his books were the Repertory of Arts, Beauties of England and Wales, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Volumes of Mechanics Magazines and Volumes of Blackwoods Magazines.

His household staff was not forgotten either and he left his servant, Catherine Newton, and cook, Dinah, the sum of £10 each.

Thomas Brown and his Family | a Summary

Manchester and Salford Directories, 1828 to 1830
These directories list Thomas Brown as a surveyor with premises in Essex St (St George's, Hulme) and residing at Sidney St, Chorlton Row (off Oxford Rd). He variously referred to himself as either a surveyor or as being of independent means. There are earlier references to him in 1817 and in 1819/20 but in both cases no occupation is given. In the former the address is 51 Quay St and the latter is 18 Velvet St.

1841 Census, 6/7 Jun
Piece HO 107/580/7, Folio 8.
Enumeration Districts 13 and 15 covered Ardwick Green (South).
16 Ardwick Green (South), Chorlton-on-Medlock

Thomas Brown was not listed, so it is reasonable to suppose that he was working away at the time.

Piece HO 107/580/19, Folio 7. Enumeration District 34
Green Hill, Chorlton-on-Medlock

The census return for James Meadows Jr has been included because he was a colleague and friend of Thomas Brown and also one of his Executors.

Manchester and Salford Directories, 1851 and 1861
Even though Thomas died in 1850, he was still listed in the 1851 directory. This confirms his address of 16 Ardwick Green, Chorlton-on-Medlock. James Meadows Jr had moved to 13 York Place, Oxford St and had become the manager of the Rochdale Canal Company.

The 1861 directory lists two Browns living in the same area of Chorlton-on-Medlock. One was a Mr Thomas Brown residing at 16 Monton St, Green Heys, and the other was Thomas Brown, agent, residing at 14 Green Hill St, Green Heys. It is tempting to speculate that one of these was the grandnephew and Godson of Thomas.

The Surname 'Hancock'
Two of Thomas' children, John and Richard, were given the second name of 'Hancock'. It was common practice to adopt the mother's maiden name as a second name for children. Their first names of John and Richard were those of his brothers-in-law, John and Richard Hancock. John Hancock was a Liverpool merchant and Richard Hancock was a Manchester merchant. When John Hancock died he left Thomas a large silver cup.

The Will of Thomas Brown
The Will of Thomas Brown, late of Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman deceased, was proved at London with three Codicils on 8 Feb 1850.

It was necessary to prove Thomas's Will at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury in London because he held property in more than one diocese in which case it had to be proved by an archbishop, rather than by a diocesan bishop. Even so, following its proving, it went before the Diocese of Chester to prove the value of his property at Disley. Only then, on the 25 Feb 1850, was Probate finally granted to the Executors, James Meadows Jr, Joseph Scott Moore and Alan Royle.

His Will is deposited at Lancashire Record Office.

The Township of Disley in the County of Chester
An early occurrence of Disley as an English place name was in 1285, in the form Distislegh. By 1288 it was Distelee and in 1308 it was Disteslegh. By the beginning of the 19th century it was known in its present form of Disley. Other variations are Distley, Dysley Dene and Dystelegh-Stanlegh. For administrative purposes the village was in the Hundred of Macclesfield and for church purposes it was a Chapelry of the Parish of Stockport.

Sir Piers Legh of Lyme founded the Church of St Mary the Virgin. Building work commenced in 1510 and it was completed in 1524. A 'Humble Pettition' presented by the inhabitants of Disley Dene and Sir Peter Legh resulted in the consecration of St Mary's as the parish church on the 23 Jul 1558.

Disley is on the A6 trunk road about 2½ miles south of Marple and close by is the famous Lyme Hall at Lyme Handley, which was formerly owned by the Legh family. The river Goyt and the Peak Forest Canal both lie to the east of the village while the Macclesfield Canal is to the west.

IN MEMORY OF THOMAS BROWN OF MANCHESTER who died January 24th 1850, Aged 78 years. ELIZABETH HIS WIFE, who died August 7th 1830, Aged 55 years. THOMAS their Son, who died September 12th 1802, Aged 11 Months. JOHN HANCOCK their Son, who died August 4th 1805, Aged 1 year and 3 Months. FRANCES their daughter, who died March 11th 1808, Aged 5 years. FRANCIS their Son, who died January 2nd 1809, Aged 1 Month. WILLIAM their Son, who died September 6th 1862, Aged 56 years.

Acknowledgements for the following sources of information:
Lancashire Record Office.
Stockport Local Heritage Library.
Manchester Central Library, Local Studies Unit.
Manchester Register Office.