Bridgemen - Purton to Fretherne

Boulton Family
William Boulton was the first occupant of Cambridge Arms bridge house (picture right), and he was followed by his son William. Between them, they looked after the bridge for 75 years, and the bridge became firmly associated with the family name. Five other members of the family, spanning four generations, also served at other bridges. William senior's father Isaac was at Sandfield Bridge and may well have been one of the navvies who dug the canal - as Isaac's brother Edward certainly was. William senior's brothers Edward and Thomas were at Pegthorne and Parkend Bridges respectively, and his son Charles and grandson Bernard were at Hempsted Bridge.

Alfred Tudor
Alfred Tudor (right) followed William Boulton jnr at Cambridge Arms Bridge and remained there for twenty years.

Perrett Family
Three members of the Perrett family followed one another at Patch Bridge over a period of more than 70 years. Alfred was first until he moved to Sims Bridge, bother Henry continued for over 40 years, and he was succeeded by his son Ernie.

1827-1831	George Browning	Resigned.
1831-1830s	George Hodder	Moved to Cambridge Arms Bridge?
By 1833-1844	Walter Davies	Formerly at Patch Bridge?
1845-1847	George Hodder jnr	Dismissed for lending his bridge key.
1847-c1879?	James Lewis	Served for over 30 years?
c1879-1910	Felix Longney	Served for 30 years until he was considered unsafe to employ after having had a fit.
1910-1940s	Alfred Hyam	Formerly under-foreman in the Dock Company's stevedore section, he served as bridgeman for over 30 years.
By 1949	Leonard Hyam
c1950-1962	Swinbourne Baker
1962-1992	Robert Eley	Formerly at Parkend Bridge. Total service 35 years.

1827-1830s	Walter Davies	Moved to Purton Bridges?
1830s-1839	Thomas Nicholls
1839-1870s	Daniel Tudor	Served for over 30 years.
By 1881-c1886	Lewis Brazington	Moved to Fretherne Bridge.
c1887-1899	Alfred Perrett	Moved to Sims Bridge.
1899-c1945	Henry J Perrett	Brother of Alfred Perrett, served for over 40 years.
c1945-	Ernie Perrett	Son of Henry Perrett.

1830s-1837	George Hodder	Formerly at Purton? Dismissed for stealing coal from a barge.
1837-1889	William Boulton snr	Son of Isaac Boulton of Sandfield Bridge. Retired on pension after serving for 52 years.
1889-1913	William Boulton jnr	Son of William Boulton snr. Died in service.
1913-1933	Alfred Tudor	Worked for the Dock Co for 63 years.
1934-1949	William Woodward	Drowned in the canal while opening the bridge one evening.
1949-1984	Vernon Hemming	Served for 35 years.

1827-c1828	John Gully
c1828-1829	David Higgins	Dismissed for drunkenness.
1829-1830s	John Cowley	Moved to Parkend Bridge.
By 1839-1874	Thomas Rea	Served for 35 years.
1874-c1887	Charles Rea	Son of Thomas Rea.
c1887-c1938	George F Hitchings	Served over 50 years.
c1938-1940s	Charles Bayliss
By 1949	Ken Overbury

1827-?	Thomas Critchley	Jointly with Sandfield Bridge.
By 1830-1839	James Harris	Had helped to dig the canal. Dismissed for receiving coal from the master of a barge.
1839-1872	George Cowley	Son of John Cowley of Parkend Bridge.
By 1881-1886	Thomas Rea	Son of Thomas Rea of Splatt Bridge.
1886-1925	Lewis Brazington	Served almost 40 years.
1925-1940	Charles Griffin	Moved from Pegthorne Bridge.
By 1946	Lionel Barrett

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