Bow Bridge (1870)

Post date: Nov 01, 2013 4:2:51 PM

Extract from Maidstone Telegraph of 29th October 1870

The Clerk said the Surveyor had received the following letter :

" South Eastern Railway, Folkestone, 18th Oct., 1870.

Sir, —I understand that you are the proper gentleman to forward the copy of a letter which have received from our engineer, Mr Brady, South Eastern Railway. The portion of the bridge at Wateringbury station, which has formerly been kept up the above company, you will find by the enclosed that they now decline to have anything further to do with it regards its future maintenance. Your obedient servant, John Latham, Inspector of way, Folkestone Upper Station, S. E.R.

" To Mr Combes, Road Surveyor, Town Malling." (Copy) South Eastern Railway, London, 22nd Sept.,

Sir,—Mr Cearns informs me that the Company is not bound to maintain any portion of the bridge over the Medway at Wateringbury. You had better see the owners and give them notice of our intention to do no more repairs. Yours truly, To Mr Latham.

" Fras. Brady."

The Board thought they had nothing to do with the matter and it was directed that the letter be forwarded to the Medway Company.

Extract from Maidstone Telegraph of 26 Nov 1870 reporting on meeting of Malling Highway Board in Swan, West Malling

Mr W. S. Norton said that in accordance with the directions of the Board he had forwarded the correspondence which had taken place between that Board and the South Eastern Railway Company to the Medway Navigation Company relative to the repair of Bow Bridge, Wateringbury. The Medway Company had replied that they had nothing to do with the repairs as they had been previously done bv the South Eastern Company. Mr White observed that the South Eastern Company now refused to do the necessary repairs. He thought that it must be the duty of the South Eastern Company as they had refused to allow Mr Leney to build hop-houses near the bridge, in fact had made him pull them down again after being built. Mr Goodwin suggested that the Clerk should write again to the Medway Company for further information and submit the same to Mr White in order that he might lay the same before the parishioners of Wateringbury. Upon that understanding the subject dropped.