Description:A postcard view looking south towards Cowley Tunnel taken from the Boat Inn Bridge, also known as Wharf Bridge, Bridge No. 34, over the Shropshire Union Canal in Gnosall.
On the left there is a part view of some of the former Gnosall Wharf buildings which included the cottage, a warehouse and an office. In 1856 Henry Belcher set up his business as a coal, salt and lime merchant by the canal. Later he opened a steam powered saw-mill, a wood turning and carpentry section, manufactured bend-ware furniture, along with charcoal burning, blacksmith shops, a corn-mill, granary, cow shed and a piggery, there was also brickmaking, and he became a timber importer receiving deliveries via the Canal. When he started in the 1850s Henry Belcher had one employee John Barrett, and around 20 years later he had 120 men and boys working for him.
In 1887 there was a fire on the site and most of it was rebuilt. Around 1900 the emphasis moved from timber towards brickmaking. Around 1908 the site was sold to Alfred Leese and it was unused for several years. In 1913 Frank Gilbert initially rented the site and bought it in 1918. He established a milk depot and George Woodfield managed the creamery, making cheese including Derby, Cheshire and Cheddar cheese and supplied milk to the Cadbury works at Knighton. In 1923 the site closed and was sold in 1933 to Great Western Metropolitan Dairies of Newport, which later became part of United Dairies. In 1934 the site was sold to Staffordshire County Council and used as the Gnosall Highway Maintenance Depot, this later closed and the site was redeveloped as housing known as Waterside Court.
This postcard was photographed by Powell and published by Francis Frith & Co., Ltd. Reigate.
Thank you to Gnosall History for the additional information.