Water authority reorganisation was exhaustive for its time

For some years, local historian Clive Burlton has been sorting through the massive legacy of artefacts, documents, pictures and films from Wessex Water and its numerous predecessor companies around the South West. Here he tells us how this collection is being handled, and treats us to some pictures from the archives.

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N 2022, I embarked on what has been a real labour of love. Even though career-wise I moved on from Wessex Water decades ago, I occasionally I get asked for help.

I've curated exhibitions, produced short films and done some writing.

Up until now, my favourite assignment was Wading Through the Years, a book I wrote that marked the 40th anniversary of the organisation in 2014. A few copies are left at www.bristolbooks.org if anyone wants one proceeds go to WaterAid (www.wateraid.org)

I was already familiar with the now mothballed Museum of Water Supply at the company's water treatment works at Sutton Poyntz in Dorset. Nestling in a beautiful valley, with crystal clear water from chalk streams forming the grandly named River Jordan, the site became the home of Weymouth Waterworks Company when it acquired the village water mill in 1855.

The company built cottages for its workers and a magnificent turbine house, now Grade II listed. Although the Victorian-era steam engines, workshops, pumps, pulleys and water supply and river flow measuring devices are no longer in use, they are a reminder of past engineering and innovation. The site is still operational today and supplies much of Weymouth's drinking water.

Until he retired some years ago, one of the cottages featured in Thomas Hardy's The Trumpet Major was used as an office and store for the Museum's curator. John Willows, a water-supply man all his working life, established the homely museum and archive in 1989, just as Wessex Water Authority was being privatised.

One of his favourite stories concerned the intrepid water engineers of Weymouth. On its maiden voyage on 9 September 1859, Brunel's SS Great Eastern was severely damaged by a boiler explosion that claimed the lives of five crew and destroyed one of its funnels.