Seth Ellis

Seth Ellis Stevenson

Written by Christine Richardson, author of The Waterways Revolution - From the Peaks to the Trent 1768-78

Our trip-boat Seth Ellis is named after an eighteenth-century gentleman who played a vital role in the planning of the pioneering Chesterfield Canal. His name was Seth Ellis Stevenson. Without his influence the canal would not have been built through Retford and Worksop - instead it would have made its way to its original destination, Bawtry.

When the traders of Chesterfield first had the idea that a canal would help the transportation of the heavy natural products of their area they naturally thought it should follow their traditional route to Bawtry - a centuries-old inland port on the River Idle.

Consequently, in 1768, when they retained the services of the nationally famous canal engineer James Brindley, they asked him to survey, plan, and estimate the costs of a route to that destination.

These actions were in the pioneering phase of canal building in this country. Brindley was in charge of the other six schemes of that early time, and the Chesterfield would be his seventh, and last, into which he would channel all his expertise honed elsewhere.

However, those behind the scheme did not know of the Reverend Seth Ellis Stevenson of Retford. He was a man of wide interests who had lived all his life in his home town, except for his years at Cambridge University. In 1768 he was 44 years old and in addition to his church duties had been headmaster of Retford’s King Edward VI grammar school for the last twenty years. The previous year he had toured Manchester, Cheshire and the midlands - areas where Brindley’s other canals were being constructed. When news reached him of the proposal for such a waterway in his own area he immediately saw the potential benefits for Retford - a new transport route to bring coal from Derbyshire, stone from South Yorkshire, and a cornucopia of items from the boat traffic on the River Trent. In addition Retford could export its agricultural products.

By June 1769 Stevenson had convinced the Chesterfield gentlemen that all would benefit from the canal passing through Retford - all, that is, except those in Bawtry who had financial interests in that port’s commerce. But Bawtry had no influence in the matter and very soon Brindley had assigned his assistant John Varley to surveying a route which would include Worksop and Retford.

Now Seth Ellis Stevenson had to convince the influential men of his own town, their agreement necessary both politically and financially. He hosted dinner parties for those he needed to persuade, wrote and published - at his own expense - a comprehensive pamphlet, rode about the area on his horse Jockey to visit landowners on the route, and studied the engineering required.

Eventually Retford’s support was assured and Stevenson embarked on the long journey to London. During a prolonged stay he attended the Houses of Parliament to garner support for the Act that was necessary to allow shares to be sold to the public, and to protect the rights of all involved in such a major scheme.

When it was clear that the Act would be successful he returned to Retford. There he waited to hear that the Royal Assent had been granted. When a rider from London galloped into town with the joyous news, on the 30th of March 1771, Seth Ellis Stevenson paid for the church bells to be rung for four days - a gesture that probably strained the hearing of the population as well as his pocket - he had to pay £1.11s.6d to the bell-ringers.

Nevertheless, by his efforts Stevenson had ensured that Retford would gain the benefits of a major new transport system. All he had to do now was spend the six years of construction on the canal’s Management Committee.

Now in the 21st century this trip-boat of the Chesterfield Canal Trust has been named Seth Ellis to honour the memory of a tireless and erudite gentleman of the 18th century.