English: Founder's stock certificate of The Company of Proprietors of the Grand Junction Canal for one Share, issued in Daventry on 16 September 1793. William Praed became the first chairman of the canal company. Edward Oakley Grey of Buckingham and Acton Chaplin of Aylesbury were appointed solicitors and clerks. By the Act of Parliament of 30 April 1793, the shareholders of The Company of Proprietors of the Grand Junction Canal were empowered to raise £500,000 in shares of £10O each, "to be deemed personal estate and should that sum be insufficient to carry the powers of the act into effect, they may raise £100,000 more, either amongst themselves, or by the admission of new subscribers, or by mortgage of the tolls of the canal."