Bridgemen - Sandfield to Hardwicke

Hunt Family
For over 100 years, three generations of the Hunt family looked after Sandfield Bridge. John served for over 30 years and his son Thomas (on left of group) for over 40 years, and then came his son Reg and his wife Lil (on right of group). (Photo: Sally Wathen)

Junction Keepers
The men who opened the Junction Bridge also looked after the nearby lock on the Stroudwater Canal and collected tolls on boats moving from one canal to the other

1827-?	Thomas Critchley	Jointly with Fretherne Bridge.
By 1843-1854	Isaac Boulton	Worked for the Canal Co from 1827 until he resigned aged 71.
By 1860-1892	John Hunt	Wife Maria drowned while opening the bridge one night while he was away. After over 30 years service, he died after falling into the hold of a vessel.
1892-1935	Thomas Hunt	Son of John Hunt. Served over 40 years and died in service aged 71.
1935-1964	Reg Hunt and Lil Hunt	Son of Thomas Hunt. When he took another job on the canal, his wife became bridge-keeper.
1964-69	Thomas Dangerfield
1970-1990	Stewart Osborne	Died in service
1990-2007	Barbara Osborne	Wife of Stewart Osborne

1819-1850	Robert Miles	Served for 31 years.
1850-1869	Nathaniel Hamlet	Chelsea pensioner from 83rd Regiment of Foot. Retired on pension aged 74.
1869-1890	Mathew Peyton	Formerly lock keeper on the Stroudwater Canal at Framilode. Died in service aged 53.
1890-c1938	William Fredericks	Formerly toll clerk at Gloucester Lock. Brother of Harry at Hardwicke Bridge. Served for almost 40 years and died in service.
c1938-c1948	George Holder	Formerly at Parkend Bridge.
c1948-	Bob Warner	Formerly at Sims Bridge.

1827-1828	Jacob Kirby	Jointly with Parkend Bridge. Dismissed for drunkenness.
1828-1830s	Thomas Reid	Jointly with Parkend Bridge initially.
1830s-1870s	James Harris jnr	Served about 40 years and also looked after Whitminster Weir. Later became full-time on the weir.
By 1881-90s	Edward Boulton	Son of Isaac Boulton of Sandfield Bridge.
c1901-c1909	Charles Herbert
c1909-1925	Charles Griffin	Moved to Fretherne Bridge.
1930s	Arthur Rudge

1827-1828	Jacob Kirby	Jointly with Pegthorne Bridge. Dismissed for drunkenness.
1828-1828	Thomas Reid	Jointly with Pegthorne Bridge.
By 1839-1850	John Cowley	Formerly at Splatt Bridge. Died in service aged 54.
1850-1851	Giles Hill	Died in service aged 46.
1851-1900	Thomas Boulton	Son of Isaac Boulton of Sandfield Bridge, served for almost 50 years and retired on pension.
1900-1938	George Holder	Served for almost 40 years and then moved to the Junction.
1938-c1955	Bob Woodman Joyce Woodman	Went into the navy during the war and his wife looked after the bridge.
1956	Daniel Murphy
1957-1962	Robert Eley	Moved to the Purton Bridges
1962-c1975	Peter Ward	Died in service.

1827-1828	William Dainty	Jointly with Sellars Bridge.
1828-1864	Edward Ellis	Served for 36 years and retired on pension.
1864-1868	Samuel Heiron	Died in service aged 46.
1868-1902	John Wilks	Served for 34 years and retired on pension.
1902-1915	Lawrence Cottle	Drowned while opening the bridge one night.
1916-1936	Harry Fredericks	Brother of William at Junction Bridge. Died in service.
1937-1959+	Tom Fredericks	Son of Harry Fredericks.

Sources: Canal Company records, census returns, parish and electoral registers and newspaper reports.