Friday 29th March

Barnoldswick to Nelson (photo 58 of 86)

Lock keepers cottage at the Top Lock (No.45)

They sold Yorkshire Dales ice-cream here

6 Comments

4,656 Views

Greetings From Perth Western Australia,
I was trilled to view the Photograph of the Top Lockkeepers Cottage where I believe My 3rd gt grandfather and his family were the first to live there I was also told some years ago that a sun dial was made by one of the family members and that it could possibly be still up somewhere on the building.
Judging by the icecream sign is it a shop or cafe now ?
Kind Regards And Best Wishes V.F.

Comment by Val Foulds - 27th November 2009

Hello to the autrailian writer....I was a look keeper in the lock house for many years. the sun dial i think you are on about is at the lockhouse at Greenberfield the other end of the summit (6 miles away) I loved living here...

Comment by James Swindells - 22nd February 2010

Hello Val Foulds. I was interested to read your comment today (22.1.12). What was you Gt. Grandfather's name & when was he at Top Lock House? My grandparents, Fred & Sarah Ladell lived there from c. 1926 until(I think)-1955. Fred was the Lock-keeper & I believe looked after the reservoir. My father George & his older brother Henry grew up there (my Dad was 6yrs old when they moved there). He told us there was no inside tap or toilet and no road up to the house. My grandma had to carry all her shopping across the field opposite the house, including flour to bake the 11 loaves of bread she made every week using her open range oven. Grandad was a master boatbuilder.

Comment by Margo Ladell Pigott - 22nd January 2012

Hi, just read comments about the house. We were very interested to read about some of the history of the house as we now live here and absolutely love it. We bought the house in 2006 and have enjoyed every day. Life is so interesting here. We did have an icecream kiosk here but it is now closed.

Comment by Keith and Sheila - 14th March 2012

does anyone have any knowledge of my grandfather rennie farnell who was acanal bank ranger in the foulridge area i have been told that he may have lived in a lock keepers cottage,althogh i have no evidence ,he died in colne in 1932.any information would bemost appreciated.

Comment by james barry kippax - 16th October 2012

I was lockkeeper / reservior attendant (the youngest in the country aged 19) for 8 happy years taking over from JACK Shorrocks and Elsie in 1981. Rod blackwell took the job afterwards and was sadly the last of the resedential lock keepers...sad for the canal.l

Comment by James Swindells - 9th February 2013

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