The Grove Lock was a must-do on my list as it has a special place in our family history – see below. After an early rise and a long day driving from the north-east, we were grateful to make it just before sundown, as our last stop before returning our hire car.
The Grove Lock sits on the Grand Union Canal on the edge of the historic market town of Leighton Buzzard, 75km north of central London. The lock was built in about 1800 as part of the construction of the Grand Junction Canal, which runs between London and Birmingham. It was renamed the Grand Union Canal in 1929.
The lock-keeper’s cottage was converted into Fuller’s Pub in 2001 and is now an upmarket restaurant.
The setting was serene with still water and autumn trees, surrounded by green fields and a few cows. At that time of day it was very peaceful, and not many people were around so we had the freedom to wander freely and look closely at the lock, the pub and the narrow boats in the marina.
I’d definitely like to come back and spend time exploring the UK on a narrowboat. I think it would be a great way to see the landscape.
Family history connection
As mentioned, the Grove Lock has special meaning for my Mum’s side of the family. My great great great grandfather Alfred was the lock-keeper here.
Alfred was born in nearby Slapton in 1844. He was a straw plaiter as a child which was a cottage industry in the area. He then worked as an agricultural labourer, and in 1864 he and Mary Ann Payne were married in Leighton Buzzard. She was born in nearby Billington and also worked as a straw plaiter, as well as a charwoman.
By 1865 Alfred had become the lock-keeper at the Grove Lock and the family lived in the lock-keeper’s cottage, which is the white building in the photos above. They had four children – William (1865), Alfred (1868), Sarah Ann (1870) and Martha Ann (1877).
Alfred died in 1890 and Mary Ann died in 1920, both in Leighton Buzzard.
Above: Alfred - my great great great grandfather
Above: Mary Ann - my great great great grandmother
Above: I love this photo of Mary Ann with her daughter Martha Ann and her granddaughter Elsie
Alfred and Mary Ann's oldest son William Shaw migrated to Australia in about 1890 to Maryborough, Queensland. He worked his way down the east coast and married Nellie (Ellen) Duffell in 1894 in Kiama, NSW.
William and Nellie settled in Orbost in eastern Victoria for a while, where they ran a painting and paper hanging business. They later moved to Caulfield where they ran a grocery store in Hawthorn Road. William died in Caulfield in 1943 and Nellie died in Orbost in 1962.
Above: William and Nellie - my great great grandparents
Their son Bert (Arthur) Shaw was my great grandfather. You can read more about him here.
Above: Peg (Beatrice) and Bert (Arthur) Shaw - my great grandparents
Our cousins Kevin and Janice on my Mum’s side are family history experts and told us all about the Grove Lock and Kevin’s visit here in the 1990s. They have written books on various ancestors, including one on William Shaw and his descendants. I am grateful to Kevin and Janice for their willingness to share their research, stories and photos. It has inspired me to learn more about my own ancestry and to visit the many family history places that we have been lucky enough to see on this trip.
This was our last stop after 15 days of driving around the UK in a hire car. We rose before dawn and drove almost 400km from Danby, with several stops on the way. We knew we were pushed for time to make it to the Grove Lock by sunset, but by some miracle everything went smoothly and we made it just in time. I feel like we were meant to visit here, and I am really glad that we made the effort to.
View The Grove Lock on Google maps