The first sod was turned by the Lord Ward on 31 December 1855 and the canal opened on 20 August 1858, providing a waterway connection between the Black Country towns of Netherton and Tipton.
The construction of the canal between Netherton and Tipton in the Black Country began with a ground-breaking ceremony led by Lord Ward on December 31, 1855, and was finished and opened to traffic on August 20, 1858.