Islington Branch Canal

Although it was only 1,034 yd long it was, in its prime, an important industrial branch and it had its own short arm leading to private wharfs. It was lock free and throughout its working life it was extensively used. It had coal, sand and salt wharfs, a scrap iron wharf and various works along its banks. An interesting works was Molineux, Webb, & Company's Glass Works situated at the head of the branch where flint glass products were made. In 1801, Samuel Oldknow, then the chairman of the Peak Forest Canal Company, offered an Edward Stelfox £50 towards the cost of building two lime kilns on the banks of the Ashton Canal on the condition that he burned limestone brought along the Peak…