Lock Gates Collection

Charlestown harbour, Cornwall. Early 1900s
General view of harbour with steamship. Photographer: Unknown

Old Windsor Lock CC72_01845
Old Windsor Lock, Old Windsor, Windsor And Maidenhead, Berkshire. Looking towards the old lock on the River Thames with some weatherboarded outbuildings belonging to the lock-keeper to the right

Plans and views of lock gates in operation on canals, 18th century, England
FLO4685683 Plans and views of lock gates in operation on canals, 18th century, England. Copperplate engraving by Mutlow from John Mason Good's Pantologia, a New Encyclopedia, G

Lower locks, C & O canal, Washington, D.C. c.between 1910 and 1920. Creator: Unknown
Lower locks, C & O canal, Washington, D.C. c.between 1910 and 1920

Scene of the Late Accident at the City Canal Dock-Gates, Blackwall Point, 1856. Creator: Unknown
Scene of the Late Accident at the City Canal Dock-Gates, Blackwall Point, [London], 1856....the outer gates...have been under repair, and could not be used

Victoria Docks - general view, 1856. Creator: Unknown
Victoria Docks - general view, 1856. The whole of the south side of the Dock, comprising nearly a mile of water frontage, will be devoted to the accommodation of timber

General view from temporary tower on north end of approach wall looking south... July 18, 1913
General view from temporary tower on north end of approach wall looking south, Sea Gates Under Pressure, July 18, 1913. Locks under construction, Panama Canal

'The Manchester Ship Canal, lock gates at Eastham, 1891, 1891. Creator: Charles William Wyllie
'The Manchester Ship Canal, lock gates at Eastham, 1891, 1891. From "The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper", Volume 44. July to December, 1891

Lock of the New Canal, Troyes, 1907. Creator: Gustave Leheutre
Lock of the New Canal, Troyes, 1907

Les 9 Ecluses de Fonseranes at the Canal du Midi near Beziers, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Herault, Occitanie, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Landscape (The Lock), 1820 / 25. Creator: John Constable
Landscape (The Lock), 1820/25

Cumberland Basin lock gates, 1824 (pencil & w / c on paper)
2832413 Cumberland Basin lock gates, 1824 (pencil & w/c on paper) by Jackson, Samuel (1794-1868); Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, UK; eBristol Museums

The Manchester Ship Canal (litho)
1036247 The Manchester Ship Canal (litho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Manchester Ship Canal)

Le Canal De Manchester (engraving)
2783296 Le Canal De Manchester (engraving) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Le Canal De Manchester)

Where the old clock tower once provided a landmark, Hulls new Riverside Quay stands out in sharp contrast to its older surroundings

Repairing the gates at Netham Lock, Bristol on the Feeder canal in 1963

A young angler wearing a panama hat fishing in the Grand Union Canal between Rickmansworth and Watford. Circa 1950

A young angler fishing in the Grand Union Canal between Rickmansworth and Watford. Circa 1950

A Lock on the Stour, 1830. Creator: David Lucas
A Lock on the Stour, 1830

River Stour, 1831. Creator: David Lucas
River Stour, 1831

The industrial landscape on the Regents Canal, London, c1905. The Regents Canal, connecting the Paddington Canal and the Thames at Limehouse, was opened in 1820

Barge passing through St Katherines Lock, London. The entrance from the River Thames into St Katherines Dock, built by Thomas Telford in the 1820s

Plan of Canal Ascending Hill By Means of Locks, 1928. Artist: Leonardo da Vinci
Plan of Canal Ascending Hill By Means of Locks, 1928. From The Mind of Leonardo Da Vinci, by Edward McCurdy. [Jonathan Cape, London, 1928]

Lock Gates, Blackburn, 1928 (1931). Artist: Charles John Holmes
Lock Gates, Blackburn, 1928 (1931). From The Studio Volume 102, [London Offices of the Studio, London, 1931]

Design for hinged canal lockgates by Leonardo da Vinci, 15th century (1956). A print from Things, a volume about the origin and early history of many things, common and less common

The SS Orbita, Panama Canal, early 20th century. Artist: J Dearden Holmes
The SS Orbita, Panama Canal, early 20th century. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Boulters Lock, 1936. Sights of Britain, second series of 48 cigarette cards, issued with Senior Service, Junior Member, and Illingworth cigarettes

Wookey Hole caves, 1936. Sights of Britain, second series of 48 cigarette cards, issued with Senior Service, Junior Member, and Illingworth cigarettes

Barton aqueduct, Manchester ship canal, 1936. Sights of Britain, second series of 48 cigarette cards, issued with Senior Service, Junior Member, and Illingworth cigarettes

Abingdon Lock, Oxfordshire, 20th Century. Postcard from The Souvenir Album, Views of London And The River Thames, From London To Oxford, (London, 20th Century)

Old Windsor Lock, 1880. Artist: Robert Taylor Pritchett
Old Windsor Lock, 1880. An illustration from Windsor Castle and the Water-Way Thither by W H Davenport Adams, published by Marcus Ward and Co, (London, 1880)

The St Martin canal, Paris, 19th century. Artist: A Martial
The St Martin canal, Paris, 19th century. The Canal St Martin is a 4 kilometre long artificial waterway ordered by Napoleon to supply water to Paris. It was completed in 1825

Flight of locks on the Saima Canal, Finland, c1900. A ship is descending the flight. On the left is a typical boatman. This canal, completed in 1856, linked Saima Lake to the Gulf of Finland

Dudgrove double lock above Lechlade, Thames and Severn Canal, 1814. Artist: William Bernard Cooke
Dudgrove double lock above Lechlade, Thames and Severn Canal, 1814. Dudgrove, about 3/4 mile from the Thames, was the second pound lock on the canal from where it connected with the river

On the Grand Junction canal at Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, seen here in the 19th century. From English Pictures, published 1890

Lechlade or Lechlade-on-Thames, the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire, England, seen here in the 19th century. The highest point at which the River Thames is navigable. From English Pictures, published 1890

The Saint-Martin Canal (oil on canvas)
XIR155495 The Saint-Martin Canal (oil on canvas) by Firmin-Girard, Marie Francois (1838-1921); Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee Carnavalet, Paris, France; French, out of copyright

The PLA ? 3, 000, 000 dock improvement scheme at Tilbury The three sets of lock gates through which a vessel must pass to reach dry dock 29 August 1929

Ocean Bounty survey vessel moored beside lockgates at start of canal, Caledonian Canal, Loch Linnhe, Caol, near Fort William, Inverness-shire, Highlands, Scotland, August

Lockgates with canal covered in green algae, Salmon Lane Lock, Regents Canal, Tower Hamlets, London, England, september

Water weed in Cardiff dock, Wales

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Lock gates have been an integral part of waterway systems throughout history, serving as both functional and picturesque elements. From the charming Charlestown harbour in Cornwall during the early 1900s to the iconic Old Windsor Lock in England, these structures have stood the test of time. One such remarkable example is Les 9 Ecluses de Fonseranes at the Canal du Midi near Beziers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in France's Herault region. This breathtaking site showcases a series that allow boats to navigate through different levels, creating a mesmerizing spectacle for visitors. The beauty and significance are also evident in art. Landscape (The Lock), painted by John Constable between 1820-25, captures the tranquility and serenity surrounding this essential feature. Similarly, Cumberland Basin lock gates from 1824 depict their architectural elegance through delicate pencil and watercolor strokes. Moving across continents, The Manchester Ship Canal presents an impressive lithograph showcasing lock gates on an industrial scale. Meanwhile, Le Canal De Manchester engraving provides another perspective on this engineering marvel. Even renowned artists like David Lucas found inspiration in locks' charm. His works "A Lock on the Stour" from 1830 and "River Stour" from 1831 capture idyllic scenes along these waterways with their accompanying gate systems. Closer to home lies London's Regents Canal landscape circa 1905—a bustling industrial scene where lock gates play a crucial role in facilitating trade and transportation within the city. Barge passing through St Katherines Lock exemplifies how these structures continue to serve their purpose amidst urbanization, and is fascinating to discover that Leonardo da Vinci himself envisioned canal ascension using locks as depicted in his detailed plan dating back to 1928—an ingenious idea centuries ahead of its time. Whether admired for their functionality or immortalized through various artistic mediums, lock gates remain timeless symbols connecting us to the rich history and engineering marvels of waterway systems worldwide.