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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Cheshire => Topic started by: grumyourmaud on Monday 24 November 08 21:03 GMT (UK)
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I am told my uncle's family used to own barges in Runcorn, His name was Ernie Abel.
I can find only very limited information on what might have been his family, I can get to Richard Abel & sons who started boat making -I think around 1850 and ceased around 1952/3.
I would love any information on who they were and what happened to the company.
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Hi grumyourmaud
If you go to http://www.historicaldirectories.org/ and do a search on Richard Abel, in the Cheshire directories there are a number of entries; 1874,1896,1902 and 1914.
The firm was at Top Locks, then at Castle Rock in 1914.
Stan
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In the 1960 Telephone Directory, Richard Abel & Sons were barge, tug and dredger owners, at Albert, Canning, and Collingwood Docks Liverpool, and the Dockyard and Delamere Dock Runcorn.
Stan
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Thanks for that, Wow! Wouldn't have known where to look for that. seems to have loads of stuff to look at.
Will see if I can get some more info to link it to my uncle. Thanks again
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You can purchase from the Maritime Museum a book entitled Mersey Flats and Flatmen by Michael Stammers there are notes in it that relate to Abels and some photographs of their premises in Runcorn.
My Brother in Law, his Father and Family all worked for Abels on their barges.
I had the priviledge of going with the family on their trips up the River Mersey and Ship Canal
The business seemed to finish in the sixties when I think they were taken over by Hoveringhams who were sand merchants.
Regards
Geoff W
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Thanks for that titbit of information, this family history is addictive, piecing bits of a jigsaw together.
I only learned of a family connection when working with grain barges (Panary) whose skipper Fred said they owned barges but I wasn't looking at family history then.
Thanks for your help
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I have only just come across this strand.
I think Abels might have carried for the Wolverhampton Corrugated Iron Company of Ellesmere Port in the 1940s. Import of raw materials, export via Liverpool (& possibly Manchester)
Does anyone know anything about this? Which boats / flats were used? I think the 'Mossdale' might have been one.
Any information gratefully received.
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Does anyone know what relationship there was between Richard Abel and Harris barges of Chester? In particular 1913 - 1930?
Also, What did Frank Pinford (Chester & Liverpool Lighterage and Warehousing Co, Cow Lane, Chester) have to do with them?
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Liverpool Mercury, Saturday, August 12, 1899
SUNK IN THE SHIP CANAL
Yesterday morning the canal boat Nellie, belonging to Richard Abel, Runcorn, was sunk at her moorings at Old Quay by the wash from the paddle steamship Duke of Leinster, engaged in the Irish trade. The boat was loaded with copper ore.
Liverpool Mercury, Wednesday, December 20, 1899
SHIP CANAL ACTION AT RUNCORN
Shipping circles were greatly interested in an action set down for hearing at Runcorn County Court yesterday, in which the Ship Canal Company sued Mr Richard Abel, boat owner and carrier, Runcorn, for £28 7s 8d, being the expense incurred by the Company in attempting to raise a narrow boat belonging to the defendant. While the boat was lying alongside the Old Quay wharf in the Ship Canal at Runcorn, with a cargo of copper ore, it was sunk, it is alleged, by the wash of an incoming steamship, and when the Ship Canal authorities were raising her the boat broke in the middle and was a complete wreck, while some of the cargo was lost and much greatly depreciated. It was announced that the case had been settled by arrangement, but the terms of the settlement did not transpire.
regards
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The Liverpool Mercury Oct 18 and 20, 1894 carry reports of an inquest into an explosion aboard the barge Amy, owner Richard Abel, boat builder and carrier Runcorn.
Have sent a PM
regards
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Interesting! I'm a direct descendant of those Abel's! My Dad used to talk of Ernie (son of Ambrose Abel), I have some family photos of Ernie including the one attached. Are we talking about the same guy?
Andy Abel (*)
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Hi Andy....
That's my Uncle Ernie too!! Used to love that guy. I fondly remember going to Aunty Phyllis and Uncle Ernies over Christmas... Phyllis was my mums older sister and her daughter; Ruth was my cousin although because she was almost 20 years older than me, I always called her "Aunty Ruth"....
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I too have fond memories of Uncle Ernie, Baz It was interesting to find that he was part of the boat builders family in Runcorn and not just a guy who worked on them.
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Hi - Ernie Abel's mother was Frances Webster, my great grand Aunt. Ernie was a first cousin of my grandmother Emily Jane Webster.
It's great learning about the connections with the Abel family - I knew nothing about this until last year. Frances Abel was the daughter of John Webster, my 2nd great grandfather:
John Webster was a Canal Boatman who worked on the Leeds and Liverpool, Bridgewater, and the Rochdale Canal system during the nineteenth century. He was born in 1843 at Downholland near Lydiate in Lancashire, one of five brothers who were all Canal Boatmen like their father William Webster. Their mother Margaret (Hartley) died giving birth to James Webster in 1855. James died four weeks later, and their father William died the following year in 1856.
John Webster married Margaret Sharrock from Burscough at Manchester Cathedral, 12th June 1861 - Margaret was the daughter of Hugh Sharrock, a Rufford boatman. He worked on Mersey Sailing Flats and was skipper of the 'Mary' at Anglesey during the 1861 Census.
John Webster and Margaret were living at Downholland during the Census of 1871. They had three daughters - Margaret, Hannah, Maria, and two sons, William born in 1869 at Halsall who died during infancy in 1877, and Thomas born in 1871 at Astley Green near Leigh. Thomas Webster was the father of my Grandmother Emily Jane Webster.
After the death of Margaret Webster near Leigh in 1882, John married Hannah Baxter, a widower whose spouse David Baxter (1842-1879) had been crushed to death between a barge and a bridge in the Leigh area a few years earlier. They had a child called Frances Webster and worked together on the barge that had belonged her deceased husband.
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I have Abels in my tree but unfortunately no link to the above.
Eva Abel, daughter of Alfred b 1868 and Mary Jane (nee Davidson) lived in Runcorn. She was one of 11 children, all the names I have.
41, Blantgreen and 66, Byron Street are two addresses I have.
Eva married my 2nd cousin Walter Hankey in 1919. They had a son, Maurice, b 1924.
I guess there must be a link somewhere but I have no details before Alfred.
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Hi - Ernie Abel's mother was Frances Webster, my great grand Aunt. Ernie was a first cousin of my grandmother Emily Jane Webster.
It's great learning about the connections with the Abel family - I knew nothing about this until last year. Frances Abel was the daughter of John Webster, my 2nd great grandfather:
John Webster was a Canal Boatman who worked on the Leeds and Liverpool, Bridgewater, and the Rochdale Canal system during the nineteenth century. He was born in 1843 at Downholland near Lydiate in Lancashire, one of five brothers who were all Canal Boatmen like their father William Webster. Their mother Margaret (Hartley) died giving birth to James Webster in 1855. James died four weeks later, and their father William died the following year in 1856.
John Webster married Margaret Sharrock from Burscough at Manchester Cathedral, 12th June 1861 - Margaret was the daughter of Hugh Sharrock, a Rufford boatman. He worked on Mersey Sailing Flats and was skipper of the 'Mary' at Anglesey during the 1861 Census.
John Webster and Margaret were living at Downholland during the Census of 1871. They had three daughters - Margaret, Hannah, Maria, and two sons, William born in 1869 at Halsall who died during infancy in 1877, and Thomas born in 1871 at Astley Green near Leigh. Thomas Webster was the father of my Grandmother Emily Jane Webster.
After the death of Margaret Webster near Leigh in 1882, John married Hannah Baxter, a widow whose spouse David Baxter (1842-1879) had been crushed to death between a barge and a bridge in the Leigh area a few years earlier. They had a child called Frances Webster and worked together on the barge that had belonged her deceased husband.