Lockhouse at Lock 49

Photograph of the lockhouse at lock 49 where Sam Taylor lived from 1889-1924. Two different types of lock gate keys can be seen in the closed position on the lock gates. One style of the key is the bent handle key that is seen on three of the keys and the one that is to the far right hand side has a straight handle. A lock key is an iron bar that has a square bit that fits on the end of the bar that operates the paddle gates attached to the bottom of the lock gate. In order to control the level of water in the lock the paddle gates nearest the bottom of the lock would be opened. This would cause the water from the upstream level to fill the lock in order for a boat to travel upstream or cause the water to drain out to the downstream level in order to lower the boat to the downstream side.