SCC would like to welcome Nine Locks Brewing Company to the community. Located on Waverley Road, they are not far from Locks 2 and 3 of the historic Shubenacadie Canal Waterway from which they took their name. There were nine locks in the second phase of the canal system which operated in the mid-1800’s. The photo above shows Lock 3.
Nine Locks has kindly made space available to distribute Canal brochures among their various products.
SCC has learned from Councillor Barry Dalrymple that the bridge replacement at Fall River will include an increase in headroom so that canoeists and kayakers will be able to paddle under it. This will be a major improvement to the Shubenacadie Canal Waterway, eliminating a portage across a busy street.
The lists of men working on the Canal often classified them on the basis of their roles and responsibilities. We have already spoken about Stone Masons, Blacksmiths and Carpenters. One of the most common categories is that of “Navvie”. This is not a term or name presently used in our area. However, during the canal-building era in Great Britain it was common practice to refer to the labourers on Canals as navigators or “navvies” and this was the case on the Shubenacadie Canal during the first construction phase (1826-1831). The Navvies would do much of the heavy lifting and would assist the skilled tradesmen such as the Masons and Carpenters. Do you recognize any of these names all of whom were classed as Navvies and all of whom have the first name John? They are John Dunn, John Fanning, John Orman and John Stacks. Please contact us if any of these family names are familiar to you.
-Bernie Hart
