[Dave Walsh]

Thanks all for these quick responses!

Margaret. It is interesting that you identify at least one Walsh family in Church. I think I've looked at details re a Building Firm with that name originating in Church but premises in Ossie. I think they sold out in the late fifties?

Bob. I will put your recommendations into practise and send you my e-mail address. It's all a bit slow because I'm domiciled in Rammy but spend a lot of time [like you] beside the sea, only on the south coast which is quite a bit further from Church. Your comment about the Irish population is interesting. I used to go to the Irish Club [Coulters is it?] years ago and I thought that was somewhere in Accy but I could be mistaken.

Re the Haslingden Canal, we did find some more info later. You are right, it never happened. It would have used Inclined Planes and been very expensive. Despite "not a spade entering the ground" as one book puts it, the route was on some maps for over thirty years and I suspect that monies were raised on the back of it's proposal. The initial survey is very detailed and lists the property owners that were involved-like the HS2 nowadays. These Railway and Canal start ups are very reminiscent of the rush to create internet companies a few years ago ie not all of them happened and few were that successfull. It's not clear but quite a few sources suggest that Jon Peel's company had enough clout to force the right angled diversion of the Leeds Liverpool at Church as it was feared there could be intereference with the water supply to his Mill using the original route! It is somewhat ironic that another Company with a similar title [but no connection to the Peel family] enjoys a similar staus today in Salford and Liverpool and elsewhere.

Retlaw. Many thanks to you in particular,l for your detailed direct reference points and advice. We clearly didn't have the time or ability to spot this when we were on site at Churck Kirk. You have immediately led us in the right direction. I will now get my friend Mike to take a look here as well and we will report any progress.

Any further comment from the Forum will always be very welcome.

Dave W