ind ley , ▁the ▁canal ▁builder , ▁put ▁forward ▁the ▁scheme ▁to ▁build ▁what ▁he ▁called ▁the ▁Grand ▁Tr unk ▁Canal ▁to ▁connect ▁the ▁two ▁rivers , ▁Mer sey ▁and ▁Tr ent ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 6 . ▁It ▁was ▁back ed ▁by ▁Jos iah ▁Wed g wood ▁who ▁saw ▁that ▁it ▁offered ▁an ▁efficient ▁way ▁to ▁bring ▁raw ▁materials ▁to ▁the ▁pot ter ies ▁and ▁to ▁transport ▁finished ▁war es ▁to ▁his ▁customers . ▁ ▁By ▁ 2 9 ▁September ▁ 1 7 7 2 ▁( Br ind ley ▁died ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁September ), ▁ 4 8 ▁miles ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁Tr unk ▁Canal ▁( now ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Tr ent ▁and ▁Mer sey ▁Canal ) ▁from ▁Wild en ▁Fer ry ▁to ▁Stone ▁was ▁navig able ▁— ▁the ▁length ▁past ▁Bur ton - on - Tr ent ▁being ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 0 . ▁ ▁On ▁completion ▁of ▁the ▁Star ▁Lock ▁a ▁grand ▁opening ▁was ▁held , ▁and ▁during ▁this ▁opening ▁a ▁can non ▁was ▁fired ▁in ▁celebr ation . ▁However ▁dis aster ▁struck ▁and ▁the ▁can non ▁dam aged ▁the ▁new ▁lock , ▁requiring ▁a ▁re - build . ▁ ▁Stone ▁became ▁the ▁headquarters ▁of ▁the ▁canal ▁company ▁with ▁its ▁office ▁at ▁West bridge ▁House , ▁s ited ▁then ▁below ▁Star ▁Lock ▁on ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁West bridge ▁Park . ▁The ▁offices ▁were ▁moved ▁later ▁to ▁Sto ke - on - Tr ent . ▁ ▁B rew ing ▁industry ▁▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁quality ▁of ▁the