Stratford-upon-Avon Canal

In November 1946 the first IWA Bulletin was issued informing members that the Kennet & Avon, Stratford Canal and Suffolk Stour were among their most prominent campaigns.

May 1947 saw the IWA's first campaign cruise when the Rolts aboard Cressy challenged the Great Western Railway (GWR), the owners of the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal, at Tunnel Lane, Lifford bridge at Kings Norton. The bridge here had replaced a former drawbridge and was too low to allow boat passage even though a statutory right of navigation existed on the canal. A question in parliament, raised by Lord Methuen who had recently joined the IWA, and a notice of intention to navigate made by Tom Rolt had forced the GWR to lift the bridge to allow Cressy to pass.

The Midland Branch, in 1949, turn their attention to the neglected southern section of the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal. Robert Aickman wrote to the Evesham Journal proposing the complete restoration of the Warwickshire Avon.

In 1952 the Midland Branch were busy finding active supporters for the restoration of the canal.

In March 1955 the Board of Survey reported and recommended the disposal of 771 miles of waterway including some canals like the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and the Barnsley Canal that had already been abandoned and closed to traffic. These "Group 3" waterways also included the Ashton, Peak Forest, Macclesfield, Bridgwater and Taunton, Chesterfield, Cromford, Dearne and Dove, Erewash, Forth & Clyde, Grand Western, Grantham, Kennet & Avon, Lancaster, Manchester, Bolton & Bury, Monmouthshire & Brecon, Nottingham, Oxford (southern section), Pocklington, Ripon, Llangollen, Montgomery, Stratford-upon-Avon (southern section), Swansea and Edinburgh & Glasgow Union canals as well as the River Witham.

In response IWA advocate a National Waterway Conservancy to look after all our waterways and point out that it is cheaper to restore and use waterways than to eliminate them.

In 1956 the southern section of the canal was faced by the threat of the lowering of the bridge at Wilmcote putting an end to future navigation on the canal. It was during this time that the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal Society was formed.

In April 1958 Wilmcote Bridge and the future of the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal, which had been rumbling on for the past two years, took a more optimistic turn at a public meeting at Stratford Town Hall. The call for the re-openning of the canal received strong public support and the National Trust declared an interest in the canal.

The abandonment of the canal was refused in 1959 because it had been used for navigation (by canoes) within the previous three years.

Things were starting to move in 1960 with teams of volunteers already at work on the waterway under the leadership of David Hutchings even before the National Trust had obtained a lease on the southern section of the canal. The National Trust had the lease by the end of the year and were looking to find £20,000 towards the restoration from donations.

The resoration of the canal continued at a rapid pace in 1963 with the Royal Enginners and prisoners from Winston Green augmenting the regular volunteers.

In 1964 Laughing Water II was the first boat to make the journey on the restored Stratford-upon-Avon Canal from Lapworth to Stratford, arriving there on 22nd February. IWA National Fesival at Stratford-upon-Avon to mark the reopening of the canal by HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (see photograhph). The Festival was held from 9th to 15th July, instead of the normal August time, to coincide with the Royal opening.