Description:Amongst Estate Correspondence for the 1840s are a number of documents relating to Lane End Waterworks. One letter from Mrs T. H. Walker, the Chief Bailiff of Longton, informs the Duke of Sutherland about ‘Resolutions’ which had been reached at a meeting concerning the waterworks. The letter encloses a copy of the minutes from ‘a Meeting of the Longton Police Commissioners and others held at the Union Hotel, Longton’ on 19th January 1846.
The meeting concerned proposals to construct a railway in Lane End. The Commissioners were concerned that the new railway had the potential to damage ‘the Water Works belonging to His Grace the Duke of Sutherland’. The Commissioners argued that the supply of water to Longton may be stopped by the damage ‘wherby the business health and comfort of the Inhabitants would be much injured’.
The Commissioners agreed that the Duke of Sutherland ought to ‘adopt means to avert this contingency’. They advocated ‘the introduction of clauses into any act that may be brought into Parliament for any such Railway’ which would ‘protect the Inhabitants from such a calamity’.
The document featured above reflects the contemporary perception of the railways. Although regarded as developing the transport and trade networks of North Staffordshire, local people were concerned about the disruption the railway would cause to their normal way of life.