Swinton to Mexborough. (4)

This is the fourth in a series of postings which will include some old photographs taken along the South Yorkshire Navigation. Today the navigation is used for leisure, however for many years it was an essential service for fledgling businesses during the early days of the industrial revolution.  Eventually overtaken for speed and carrying capacity by the railways. The railways like the waterways has since shrunk over time. Starting with the privations brought about by the Beeching axe. Now the navigation only has a leisure and historical perspective. That harks back to a far different era.

There were a fair number of potteries operating in the Denaby, Swinton and Mexborough area. Including Rockingham pottery, Swinton Bridge Pottery, Mexborough Old Pottery, Emery's Pottery, Don Pottery, Rock Pottery and Denaby Pottery.

Don Pottery

The Don Pottery was established in 1801 and was situated on the banks of the South Yorkshire Navigation Canal at Rowms Lane Swinton, near Talbot Road Bridge. The pottery finally closed in 1893. Photograph circa 1935.

The Denaby Pottery was founded about 1864 and was located close to the southern bank of the river Don. Close to the site of Grey's Bridge at Denaby.  Below is a photograph of the old Mexborough Top Lock (1910) with a Sheffield sized barge in the chamber.

Mexborough Top Lock 

1862 Boat Builders in Mexborough

Thomas Scholey and Peter Waddington.

1862 Boat Owners in Mexborough

Henry Barker, Joseph Barron and Co, William and John Beavers, George Bisby Snr, George Bisby Jr, Jesse Bisby, Joseph Bisby, Colin Dyson, Joseph Ford, William Kershaw, Elizabeth Lee, Thomas Lewis, Richard Middleton, Henry Moore, John Shaw, John Ward and John Woffinden.

When road bridges were at a premium it was not uncommon to have a ferry service to cross the local river. In some of the small towns and villages it was the only option as crossing by bridge could be some distance away. 

Mexborough was one small town in South Yorkshire that had such a ferry service.