Leeds-Liverpool Canal: A History

In 1760s the first talks about a canal proposal began.

The purpose of the canal was to improve the supply of lime and limestone to Leeds. Increasing the production of mortar meant that Mills could be built to a greater height and footage. Lime was needed to improve the fertilization of the Land. The two products were sourced from the Craven District.

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The Yorkshire merchants wanted to expand their market for cloth, hence wanting to reach Liverpool docks to get ships to Africa and America.

BUT

Liverpool merchants wanted to use the canal to obtain coal from the mining town, Wigan. So they proposed a route through Blackburn and Wigan:

The Leeds and Liverpool Merchants fell out over this, but compromised to use the Leeds proposal but have a second canal linking to Wigan.

The canal was under construction from each end. By 1777 they had built up to Gargrave providing Leeds with its limestone and at the West end built up to Wigan giving Liverpool its coal. But they ran out of cash and construction ceased until 1790 when the eras credit crunch had ended. By this time the East Lancashire's industry was booming and proprietors decided the canal should benefit from this and pass through Blackburn and Burnley.

When the Leeds Liverpool canal opened it took the proposed route of the Liverpool merchants. Between Johnson's Hillock and Wigan the canal was never completed and it merged with the Lancaster Canal. Ownership of this section of canal was then taken by Leeds/Liverpool in 1864.

History sourced from www.llcs.org.uk and Leeds: the back to front inside out upside down city by Patrick Nuttgens