CHAP. IV. F1M)M WOIISLKY TO MANCHESTER. 351 



his fourth share of the purchase-money of the Turnhurst 

 estate, situated near Golden Hill, in the county of Staf- 

 ford. It appears, however, from his own record that he 

 borrowed the principal part of this amount from his 

 friend Mr. Launcelot, of Leek ; showing that, amongst 

 liis townsmen and neighbours, who knew him best, he 

 stood in good credit and repute. His other partners in 

 the 1 purchase were Mr. Thomas Gilbert (Earl Gower's 

 agent), Mr. Henshall (afterwards his brother-in-law), 

 and his brother John Brindley. The estate was under- 

 stood to be full of minerals, the knowledge of which 

 had most probably been obtained by Brindley in the 

 course of his surveying of the proposed Staffordshire 

 canal ; and we shall afterwards find that the purchase 

 proved a good investment. 



At length the new plans of the canal from Worsley to 

 Manchester were completed and ready for deposit ; and 

 on the 23rd of January, after a visit to the Duke and 

 Gilbert at the Hall, we find the entry in Brindley's 

 pocket-book of " Sot out for London." On the occasion 

 of his visits to London, Brindley adopted the then most 

 convenient method of travelling on horseback, the journey 

 usually occupying five days. We find him varying his 

 route according to the state of the weather and of the 

 roads. In summer he was accustomed to go by Coventry, 

 but in winter he made for the Great North Road by 

 Northampton, which was usually in better condition 

 for winter travelling. 



The second Act passed without opposition, like the 

 first, early in the session of 17GO. It enabled the 

 Duke to carry his proposed canal over the river Irwell, 

 near Barton Bridge, some five miles westward of Man- 

 chester, by means of a series of arches, and to vary its 

 course accordingly ; whilst it further authorised him to 

 extend a short branch to Longford Bridge, near Stret- 

 ford, that to Hollin Ferry, authorised by the original 

 Act, being abandoned. In the mean time the works near 



