The outlet to the Thames, "an old timber lock of small dimensions", had become "more and more ruinous".
 In October 1852 Beardmore reported that "The Limehouse Lock has bulged and the late Lock keepers house must be pulled down both to get at the repair required and because the house is in the act of Tumbling down".

At about this time the Lee trustees, who were afterwards alleged to be too cosy with the Regent's Canal Company, agreed to sell it the southern portion of the Limehouse Cut.
 Since it was public trust property it could not be done without the sanction of Parliament, to whom a Bill was presented.
 The nearby Regent's Canal Dock, already enlarged to a 9-acre basin, was crowded with shipping so the Company intended to enlarge it further, absorbing Limehouse Cut's lock and the remnants of its basin.

While this matter was pending a link was dug (early 1854) to the Regent's Canal Dock, thus affording an alternative outlet to the river.
 Work south of the Commercial road was supervised jointly by Beardmore and the Regent Canal's engineer.


The new route to the Thames could get congested and the proposal was not popular with the Lee and Stort bargemen.

The river Lee was a public highway for all the Queen's subjects to go upon with their goods and Barges when and where they pleased ... as much a public highway as Ratcliffe Highway or Cheapside
 said a Harlow bargeman.
They disliked the prospect of being under Regent's Canal regulations.
 They organised meetings, learnt to use the democratic machinery of the day, and defeated the proposal in Parliament reputedly at small cost to themselves.
 The Regent's Canal Company had to be content with a more modest dock enlargement and in May 1864 the link was filled in.

Beardmore replaced the old timber Limehouse Lock with an "economical structure" which was wider and had arched sheets overhead to stop bulging, after the Dutch fashion.
The outlet to the Thames, "an old timber lock of small dimensions", had become "more and more ruinous".  In October 1852 Beardmore reported that "The Limehouse Lock has bulged and the late Lock keepers house must be pulled down both to get at the repair required and because the house is in the act of Tumbling down".
At about this time the Lee trustees, who were afterwards alleged to be too cosy with the Regent's Canal Company, agreed to sell it the southern portion of the Limehouse Cut.  Since it was public trust property it could not be done without the sanction of Parliament, to whom a Bill was presented.  The nearby Regent's Canal Dock, already enlarged to a 9-acre basin, was crowded with shipping so the Company intended to enlarge it further, absorbing Limehouse Cut's lock and the remnants of its basin.
While this matter was pending a link was dug (early 1854) to the Regent's Canal Dock, thus affording an alternative outlet to the river.  Work south of the Commercial road was supervised jointly by Beardmore and the Regent Canal's engineer.

The new route to the Thames could get congested and the proposal was not popular with the Lee and Stort bargemen. 
The river Lee was a public highway for all the Queen's subjects to go upon with their goods and Barges when and where they pleased ... as much a public highway as Ratcliffe Highway or Cheapside
 said a Harlow bargeman. They disliked the prospect of being under Regent's Canal regulations.  They organised meetings, learnt to use the democratic machinery of the day, and defeated the proposal in Parliament reputedly at small cost to themselves.  The Regent's Canal Company had to be content with a more modest dock enlargement and in May 1864 the link was filled in.
Beardmore replaced the old timber Limehouse Lock with an "economical structure" which was wider and had arched sheets overhead to stop bulging, after the Dutch fashion.
Limehouse Cut