[From Atholl Papers - AP X41(2nd) 2]

[James Kewley - estimate for supplying water to Douglas 1823]

East London Waterworks Office 10th Sept 1823

Dear William [Geneste]

I would have answered your letter of the 23rd ult at an earlier period were it not that from the importance of the subject on which you wish to have my sentiments, I was anxious to have some conversations with our Engineer, Mr Stevens, I have had a few words with him on the subject; but have not as yet had time to talk it over as I could wish - I shall therefore for the present confine myself merely to my own Ideas I do assure you that the watering of Douglas with Pipes occupied my mind some time before I left the Island and to the accomplishment of an object so desirable, I could at that time see no obstacle, save the poverty of the place; but from all that I have now the pleasure to learn the goodness of the Duke of Atholl, the influx of respectable strangers &c &c.

I trust that, that obstacle is in a great measure done away with presuming this to be the case, the first question will be when is an ample supply of wholesome water to be obtained at an Elevation sufficient to rise to the greater part of the Town without the aid of Machinery. To this I would answer you have but two places from which water can be brought with these advantages, first at a fall a little to the Eastward of Castle Mona and as the Duke has shown so favourable a disposition towards Douglas I am apt to think you would find this the cheapest.

The next Heywood Mill, this is somewhat farther to carry pipes but as they are now so cheap I think will be of but little consequence of the concern could be had at a reasonable rate it presents some advantages over the other place as their is a considerable reservoir already erected now as either of these places are I have no doubt not less than 150 feet above the lower parts of the Town. I should think that a 4 or 5 inch pipe (but I would prefer a 5in) would afford an ample supply you must not calculate upon the quantity now used for experience convinces us that twenty times as much will be used and without the greatest care on the part of the Manager to prevent waste even more than that. By Act of Parliament any person wilfully letting water run to waste in our concern is subject to a penalty of £10 notwithstanding which I do assure you I have something to do in keeping them in order but then we are able to consider the extent of our Tenantry which up to midsummer last amounted to 36,500 houses producing a rental of one pound per house nearly per annum.

Our great Main is 24 inches diameter but some branches into 18 and so on 12,9,8,7, 6,5,4,3.2½, 2 but we seldom lay anything less than 3. as they are so apt to get choked with any dirt that may chance to get into them. We calculated our average work to be under a pressure of 130 feet at the works let us suppose then that you have 2,000 houses to supply you will find that a 5 in pipe with a pressure 150 feet will discharge about 1/18 part of what we use but then you must recollect that it must come from the reservoir to the foot of the Hill through a 10 or 12 in tapering towards the bottom - As follows you have the last prices we have paid for pipes delivered at the Company's wharf at Old Ford the companys men landing them
3 inch pipes 9 feet lengths spegot & Socket 3s 2d per yard
4in - 4s 3d;
5in 6s;
6in 7s 6d;
7in 8s 3d.
We are being supplied at these prices by Messrs Grazebrook & Son Nethsiton Iron Works near Dudley they have lately contracted for about £16,000 worth we advertised for tenders & we found them the lowest - I cannot give you a better idea of what the laying will cost thanby giving you a statement of the pipes we laid the half year ending 24th June last.
7 inch 146;
6in 616.5;
5in 493.75;
4in 1773.75;
3in 1976.5;
2.5in 272.75;
2in 62
total 5345 yds
Labour £142 14s; Cement £86; Hemp £14 6s; [total] £243
This you will perceive is something less than 11d per yard.

Now in addition to the pipes laid by us for the last half year the cocks and branches cost £225 15s 9d the greatest part of which for cocks the prices of which you have as follows

of these I hope you would require but few as I would not recommend you to have a cock to each street as we have on account of the expense. if the people could be persuded not to waste the water the whole Town might be on at one time and those expensive articles might entirely be dispensed with but I plead that that would be a difficult task it would therefore be best to divide the Town into two or three grand divisions and let each have the water 3 or 4 hours each every other day - this would secure those on the high ground a supply.

But there is another matter yet to be considered whatever way the matter may be established by a company or otherwise and Act of Tynwald will be neccessary to enable you to break up the streets &c &cc and to subject offending parties to punishments by fines &c. When you decide on the matter I can send you a copy of our Act of Parliament for your guidance but you must not have a set of 15 directors at £100 per annum such as we have your directors must be gratuitous.

Now as to the rates to be charged I think the ability of the parties to pay must in a great measure be your guide - We have no houses that pay less than 10/- p annum and our charge is generally about 5s per room including work-houses & 25 per cent more for public houses & Bakers 10/- for every horse & 5/- for every cow varying a little according to situation.

I have now about a week had an assistant so that I possibly may next summer be able to pay you a visit and should you be ready to start the Mona Water Works it would give me great pleasure to render you any assistance. A lady being the chief projector there is little doubt of the matter going forward as in my opinion it ought to do their influence is much greater than that of our sex - wishing you every success

I remain &c (signed) J Kewley To Wm Geneste Esqr

I shall be glad to hear from you soon as convenient and will be happy to give you any further information in my power.

Some reformatting of the text to allow easier comprehension

The writer was James Kewley (1783-1868) at this period working for the East London Waterworks Company, a private company founded by Act of Parliament in 1806, which at the time of writing took water from the River Lea at the tidal reach and with its water works on 30ac at Old Ford - in 1829 it needed to move its extraction further up the river away from the tidal reach and pollution caused by population growth.

Wm Geneste, operated a baths in Douglas as well as being heaviliy involved in many other activities eg Secretary of the Savings Bank - he became secretary of the Douglas Waterworks Co on its foundation in 1834 -James Kewley was engineer..

It would appear that Wm Geneste gave the Duke of Atholl a copy of the letter as according to a letter to Mona's Herald Friday, July 18, 1834 shortly after the Act of Tynwald authorising such a water company makes clear

Sir,
The inhabitants of Douglas may now look for water; the Act was published on Saturday last, which gives them the liberty to buy both land and water. The supplying the people of Douglas with water by pipes from a general reservoir, has been an object of long and distant contemplation. The Duke of Athol, above ten years ago, had a census taken of the town for the express purpose; but owing to some ugly suspicions that he meditated the destruction of the people one way or another, the Keys, who have always been so fond of their constituents, would not at that time give permission to the people to sell their own property ! The Duke would have supplied them from the grounds of Castle Mona gratis, and only asked £4000 for the completion of the work, being a rental of £200 yearly, whereas it was ascertained on that occasion that it cost the town above £900 a year for water! This might easily be ascertained from numbering the carts and their quantity. But it was ascertained ; and now we live to see the plans of this nobleman carried into effect, though at a much larger price. I am one ot those who revere the Duke's memory as a patriot, who was actually the friend of the Island, but whom the representatives of the people (as they are pleased to term themselves) would prevent from doing any public good if possible, to gratify their own private spleen at the expense of the community. Witness the [Tithe] Commutation Bill and sundry others. Peace to thine Banes, honest chieftain, of once happy Mona!
A MANKSMAN.