Marit Herit Resource Pack.Indd

Stories of the Severn Sea

A Maritime Heritage Education Resource Pack for Teachers and Pupils of Key Stage 3 History Contents

Page

Foreword 3

Introduction 4

1. Smuggling 9

2. Piracy 15

3. Port Development 22

4. Immigration and Emigration 34

5. Shipwrecks and Preservation 41

6. Life and Work 49

7. Further Reading 56 3

Foreword The Bristol Channel was for many centuries one of the most important waterways of the World. Its ports had important trading connections with areas on every continent. Bristol, a well-established medieval port, grew rich on the expansion of the British Empire from the seventeenth century onwards, including the proﬁts of the slave trade. The insatiable demand for Welsh steam coal in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries gave the ports of south Wales an importance in global energy supplies comparable to that of the Persian Gulf ports today.

There was also much maritime activity within the conﬁnes of the Channel itself, with small sailing vessels coming to south Wales from Devon and Somerset to load coal and limestone, pilot cutters sailing out to meet incoming vessels and paddle steamers taking Bristolians and Cardifﬁans alike for a day out in the bracing breezes of the Severn Sea.

By today, most of this activity has disappeared, and the sea and its trade no longer play such an integral part in the commercial activity of places such as Bristol and Cardiff. Indeed, it is likely that more people now go out on the Severn Sea for pleasure rather than for proﬁt. We cannot and must not forget, however, that the sea has shaped our past, and knowing about, and understanding that process should be the birthright of every child who lives along the Bristol Channel today – on whichever side! That is why I welcome this pioneering resource pack, and I hope that it will ﬁnd widespread use in schools throughout the area.

Dr. David Jenkins. Senior Curator,

National Waterfront Museum, SWANSEA.

April, 2007. 4

Introduction The Severn Estuary has a wonderfully rich and varied maritime heritage, much of which has been preserved along the coast and in local museums. Stories and evidence about life and society of early settlements, the ﬁrst trade routes, port development and piloting entwine with exciting and dramatic tales about smuggling and piracy, shipwrecks and the industrial revolution to make learning about the Severn Estuary’s maritime heritage fascinating and enjoyable.

This resource pack has been funded by the European Union Regional Development Fund INTERREG IIIB via the COREPOINT Project. The pack aims to raise awareness of local maritime heritage for teachers and pupils of Key Stage 3 History around the Severn Estuary.

Each section within the pack deals with a different maritime theme. This includes a teacher’s summary, a glossary of terms, key points for students, local examples, activities and links to web pages.

The resource pack is also supported by a CD ROM and web page which can be used as part of classroom activities.

Partners The education pack has been developed in conjunction with a number of voluntary and professional organisations. These include:

• The Marine and Coastal Environment Group (MACE) of Cardiff University

• The Severn Estuary Partnership

• National Museum and Galleries of Wales

• SS Great Britain Trust in Association with Destination Bristol

• Newport Medieval Ship Project

• Watchet Boat Museum

• Bettws High School, Gwent, South Wales

• Ysgol Gyfun Bro Morgannwg, Barry, South Wales

• Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf, Cardiff, South Wales.

For further information, please contact: Dr Hance Smith, Dr Rhoda Ballinger or Dr Jeanette Reis [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected] School of Earth, Ocean and Planetary Sciences Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3YE Tel: 029 20 874000

Project updates at: http://www.earth.cf.ac.uk/research/mace/corepointheritage.shtml 5

The National Curriculum of England and Wales The Teachers Notes indicate which parts of the National Curriculum sections relate to. The following table lists each point, as referred to in the document.

National Curriculum for England - Key Stage 3 History http://www.nc.uk.net National Curriculum England online. Downloaded 8th January 2007.

1. Chronological understanding a) Pupils should be taught to recognise and make appropriate use of dates, vocabulary and conventions that describe historical periods and the passing of time.

2. Knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes in the past a) to describe and analyse the relationships between the characteristic features of the periods and societies studied including the experiences and range of ideas, beliefs and attitudes of men, women and children in the past b) about the social, cultural, religious and ethnic diversity of the societies studied, both in Britain and the wider world c) to analyse and explain the reasons for, and results of, the historical events, situations and changes in the periods studied d) to identify trends, both within and across different periods, and links between local, British, European and world history e) to consider the signiﬁcance of the main events, people and changes studied.

3. Historical interpretation a) how and why historical events, people, situations and changes have been interpreted in different ways b) to evaluate interpretations.

4, Historical enquiry a) identify, select and use a range of appropriate sources of information including oral accounts, documents, printed sources, the media, artefacts, pictures, photographs, music, museums, buildings and sites, and ICT-based sources as a basis for independent historical enquiries b) evaluate the sources used, select and record information relevant to the enquiry and reach conclusions.

5. Organisation and communication a) recall, prioritise and select historical information b) accurately select and use chronological conventions and historical vocabulary appropriate to the periods studied to organise historical information c) communicate their knowledge and understanding of history, using a range of techniques, including spoken language, structured narratives, substantiated explanations and the use of ICT. 6

6. Breadth of study During the key stage, pupils should be taught the Knowledge, skills and understanding through three British studies, a European study and two world studies.

7) In their study of local, British, European and world history, pupils should be taught about: a) signiﬁcant events, people and changes from the recent and more distant past b) history from a variety of perspectives including political, religious, social, cultural, aesthetic, economic, technological and scientiﬁc c) aspects of the histories of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales where appropriate d) the history of Britain in its European and wider world context e) some aspects in overview and others in depth.

8. Britain 1066-1500 A study of major features of Britain’s medieval past: the development of the monarchy, and signiﬁcant events and characteristic features of the lives of people living throughout the British Isles, including the local area if appropriate.

9. Britain 1500-1750 A study of crowns, parliaments and people: the major political, religious and social changes affecting people throughout the British Isles, including the local area if appropriate.

10. Britain 1750-1900 A study of how expansion of trade and colonisation, industrialisation and political changes affected the United Kingdom, including the local area.

11. A European study before 1914 A study of a signiﬁcant period or event in the prehistory or history of Europe.

12. A world study before 1900 A study of the cultures, beliefs and achievements of an African, American, Asian or Australasian society in the past (other than those included in the programme of study for key stage 2).

13. A world study after 1900 A study of some of the signiﬁcant individuals, events and developments from across the twentieth century, including the two World Wars, the Holocaust, the Cold War, and their impact on Britain, Europe and the wider world.

National Curriculum for Wales- Key Stage 3 History http://old.accac.org.uk/uploads/documents/33.pdf Downloaded 8th January 2007

1. Chronological Awareness Pupils should be taught to: a) place events, people and changes within their wider chronological framework b) use conventions which describe historical periods and the passing of time.

2. Historical Knowledge and Understanding Pupils should be taught to: a) analyse the characteristic features of the periods, situations and societies studied and the diversity of experience within each one b) describe, analyse and explain the causes and consequences of the historical events, situations and changes studied c) make comparisons and connections between the main events and developments studied, both within and across periods d) assess the signiﬁcance of the main events, people and changes studied.

3. Interpretations of History Pupils should be taught to: a) consider how and why some historical events, people and changes have been interpreted differently b) apply their historical knowledge to analyse and evaluate interpretations.

4. Historical Enquiry Pupils should be taught to: a) investigate historical topics independently using a range of historical sources in their historical context, including documents, artefacts, visual sources, buildings and sites, music and oral accounts, statistics and other numerical data, interpretations and representations and, where appropriate, ICT b) ask and answer signiﬁcant questions c) select sources and collect relevant information from them d) record and evaluate the information acquired e) reach reasoned conclusions.

5. Organisation and Communication Pupils should be taught to: a) select, recall and organise historical information with increasing independence and accuracy b) use the necessary vocabulary to help them understand the historical issues and developments studied, and to apply the appropriate terms and ideas to explain different historical events and features c) communicate with increasing independence in a variety of ways, including extended writing, visual and oral presentations and different uses of ICT. 8

6. Wales and Britain in the Medieval World, c.1000–1500 Pupils should be taught about some of the characteristic features of medieval society and the particular signiﬁcance of the period for the history of Wales. They should be taught about pre- Norman Wales and England c.1000 and the impact of the Normans, about aspects of medieval society, the role of the church and the international dimension of the medieval world, including a study in depth of one international aspect.

7. Wales and Britain in the Early Modern World, c.1500–1760 Pupils should be taught about some of the major political and religious changes which shaped the history of Wales and Britain in this period. They should be taught about the changes in institutions such as the church, the monarchy and Parliament, and the effects these had on Wales. They should have the opportunity to study in depth either one international aspect of life in this period or one aspect of its social and economic life.

8. Wales In Industrial Britain, c.1760–1914 Pupils should be taught about the social, economic and technological transformation of Wales and Britain during a period of industrialisation, its effects, and the social, cultural, religious and political responses to them in Wales and Britain. Pupils should be given opportunities to study in depth at least one related topic.

9. The Twentieth-Century World Pupils should be taught about aspects of twentieth-century world history. They should be taught about some major events and developments which have shaped the modern world, through studies of the impact of world war and changes in twentieth-century society, including the role of signiﬁcant individuals. Where appropriate, this should include the impact of these events and developments on Wales.

10. An Aspect of Local History Pupils should be taught about an aspect of local history, which should be a study of the local community for a deﬁned historical purpose over a speciﬁc timespan, making use of locally accessible historical sources. It should, where appropriate, deal with matters raised by other study units in the programme of study but avoid duplication with the local study unit undertaken at Key Stage 2.

11. One Historical Theme Pupils should be taught one historical theme in depth from those listed below. The theme should cover one example in depth and make contrasts and connections with other examples which illustrate the theme. The theme must be chosen from the following: Explorations and encounters; War and society; The world of work; Revolutions; Frontiers; Migration and emigration; Empires; Sport and society. 9

Smuggling Smuggling Teacher’s Note:

This section outlines:

1. The origins of smuggling

2. Why smuggling was so common in the Severn Estuary

3. Thomas Knight of Barry

4. William Arthur of Lundy Island

5. Smuggling in Sully

It relates to the following parts of the National Curriculum:

England: 2a, 2c, 3a, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5c, 6, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 8, 9, 10

Wales: 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4c, 4d, 4e, 5b, 6, 7, 8, 10,11 10 Smuggling

Glossary The Origins of Smuggling: Smuggling Smuggling illegal transport Smuggling began in the reign of goods or of King Edward I, about 1300, people in or out when a customs duty was of a country, placed on the export of wool, often to avoid which was in great demand taxes. in Europe. This was the first Customs: the legislated customs system in duties levied by England, and until it was set up Smugglers Fighting (Anon) a government all trade in and out of England http://www.smuggling.co.uk/ on imported was free. goods. Early duties were quite small, How Goods were Owling: the but as the Hundred Years War owl-like noises (1337-1453, England and Smuggled made by France) progressed, so the It was relatively easy to smugglers to taxes went up, to help pay for smuggle goods. As inbound communicate the troops and fighting. ships sailed along the with each other. Severn Estuary, some cargo Many local people did not was offloaded to smaller believe that customs were fair, vessels. The “lost” cargoes therefore supported the work of were explained as “spoilage” smugglers, especially as they or “lost in storms”. Ship could then buy cheaper goods! captains and other officials were bribed into silence.

The Severn Estuary was notorious for smugglers and pirates. The shape of the channel made it easy for smugglers to avoid customs ofﬁcers. When the King’s men were collecting payments at Bristol, ships’ masters would often escape to the unmanned ports of Barry or Cardiff and when Smuggling Caves at Sully ofﬁcers were at Barry, they http://www.smuggling.co.uk/gazetteer_wales_10.html#fnB169 could escape to Bristol. 11

Thomas Knight of Barry Barry Island is known as a tourist destination today, but this hides a chilling history. Smuggling It was once a real island, and the private domain of smuggler Thomas Knight. He built fortiﬁcations around the coast, and ran a ﬂeet of heavily-armed smuggling ships, importing spirits and tobacco from the Channel Islands, and soap from Ireland.

Knight arrived in Barry around 1783, in a ship called the John O’Combe. With support from local people, Knight quickly made the island his own. Knight was said to have a force of 60-70 men defending the island from uninvited interest. The local population had more respect for Barry’s smuggling king than for the real king (George III).

Knight’s crews did not hesitate to ﬁre on the king’s vessels, and the crews of the revenue cutters feared for their lives. Sometimes the custom house boats refused to give chase, the crew arguing that there was no pension scheme for customs men injured in the line of duty. To prevent this, a £10 payment was introduced for mariners who lost a hand or foot, and free medical treatment for any injury.

William Arthur of Lundy Island Knight’s reign was brief, and in 1785 the authorities forced him to hide on Lundy. His place was taken by another smuggler called William Arthur. Arthur was as tough as Knight, and the local collector of Historical OS Map of Barry 1875 http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/blowup1/20956 customs guessed that it would take 60 soldiers on horseback to make the The Smugglers Song island safe. William Arthur had been described as Five-and-twenty ponies, Trotting through the dark- ‘the most daring smuggler Brandy for the Parson, in Glamorgan during the Baccy for the Clerk; 18th century’, and at one Laces for the lady; letters for a spy, stage he ruled Barry Island And watch the wall, my darling, almost as a kingdom. While the Gentlemen go by! -Rudyard Kipling 12

Smuggling in Sully

Smuggling Sully was a port in the 1740s which was only legally allowed to trade coastwise (with another British port). Nevertheless, quantities of goods, notably livestock, were landed on the beach at Sully, and stored in the yard of the Pot Inn.

This hostelry was... ‘a regular smugglers’ resort’ and the ancient manor house had a well with a false bottom:

‘the ﬂ ow of water could be stopped, and what remained pumped out. Underneath the false bottom was a vault in which a horse and cart could easily have been turned. It was evident that smuggling had been carried on here extensively, but so secretly that it was not even suspected’.

Did You Know???

Smuggled goods were imported AND exported. Tin was exported in ships from Bristol, who claimed to be carrying other cargoes because taxes were also charged on exports. 13

Smuggling Smuggling

Activities 1. Find out why local people had more respect for Thomas Knight than for the King. (Use web link 1).

2. Using web link 1 and the map of Barry in 1875, identify potential loading, hiding and transport routes to avoid customs men.

3. What is the “Smugglers Song” about? Do the local people in it support or oppose smuggling- why?

4. How widespread was smuggling in the Severn Estuary? (Use web link 2).

Web Links

1. http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/blowup1/20956 2. www.smuggling.co.uk 2. www.smuggling.co.uk/history 3. www.villagenet.co.uk/history/1300-smugglers.html 4. www.smuggling.co.uk/gazetteer_wales_10.html#fnB169 14

Smuggling Smuggling

Activities/Cymraeg Text to come

Web Links

1. www.smuggling.co.uk 2. www. Smuggling.co.uk/history 3. www.villagenet.co.uk/history/1300-smugglers.html 4.www.smuggling.co.uk/gazetteer_wales_10.html#fnB169 15

Piracy Piracy Teacher’s Note:

This section outlines:

1. What is piracy

2. How piracy was carried out

3. Where and when piracy occurred

4. Why people became pirates

5. Famous local pirates: Henry Morgan, William de Marisco and Salkeld

It relates to the following parts of the National Curriculum:

England: 1, 2a,2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 5c, 6, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 9, 10, 12, 13

Wales: 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 5a, 5b, 5c, 7, 8, 10,11 16 Piracy

What is Piracy? Piracy is the attack or theft of a ship for its cargo. Piracy

Definitions How was Pirate: a seagoing Piracy Carried robber who recognised no Out? government and Pirates needed to make attacked ships for their enemies fear Smugglers Fighting (Anon) their cargoes. them, so they would fly http://www.smuggling.co.uk/ a flag with a skull and Privateer/ corsair/ crossbones and dress buccaneer: a in formal clothes with Where and When person paid by the heavy weapons. government to attack Did Piracy Take enemy ships for a Pirate ships would Place? share of the plunder. approach and board Some of the earliest pirates New World: the merchant vessels, were the Phoenicians who Caribbean islands often beating or killing raided the Mediterranean and east coast of the crew. Cargoes around 2000 B.C. The America. would be seized and Vikings were also well known sometimes the ship for piracy between 800- would be taken. 1066AD.

The pirates we are most familiar with are from The Why Become a Pirate? Golden Age of Piracy Sometimes the crew of a merchant ship would plan (16th - 19th centuries). a mutiny if they were unhappy about the way a ship Their favourite haunts was being run. In such cases, the crew might kill the included the Caribbean, the captain and any ofﬁcers onboard and take over the Mediterranean and the Far ship themselves. East.

In other cases, men would become pirates when These days, piracy is still their ship was captured and they were asked whether common, but mainly takes they wanted to be thrown overboard or join the pirate place in areas where locals crew. Crew were usually better fed and looked after have little money, such as on a pirate ship, therefore were much happier. To add the Indian Ocean, South to the attraction, there was always the chance of a East Asia and around the share in a good “loot” to look forward to. Caribbean islands. 17

Henry Morgan William de Marisco

While English and Welsh pirates were Piracy away plundering Spanish treasure ships, the Algerians and Spanish raided the Bristol Channel. Lundy Island was an ideal base for pirate ships. The island lies in the centre of the Severn Estuary, on the approaches to Newport, Bristol and the upper estuary.

Vikings (800AD) were one of the first to use it, although a twelfth-century Lord of Lundy, William de Marisco, famously Thanks to Tredegar House in Newport for permission turned to piracy after his father quarrelled to photograph this painting of Henry Morgan as a young man. with King Henry II. De Marisco was captured in 1242, dragged to London with Henry Morgan was born in Llanrumney, a horse’s tail and became the first person near Cardiff in 1635 and died in1688. to be hanged, drawn and quartered as a He was a 17th century buccaneer who legal punishment. fought with the Spanish for control of the Caribbean. Some may call him a pirate, but Henry Salkeld, Pirate King of Morgan was a key figure in securing trade routes between the English Lundy An Englishman called Salkeld staged a Commonwealth and the New World. coronation ceremony at which he was An attack on Panama in 1671 broke to be crowned Pirate King of Lundy in a peace treaty between England and the early seventeenth century. He was Spain, as the city was burned down stopped by militia men led by the mayor and looted. Morgan was arrested and of Barnstaple. sent to London for trial, but as relations Salkeld’s gang were mainly French with Spain broke down, King Charles II pirates, who operated from Lundy in the forgave him, offered him a knighthood sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. and sent him back to Jamaica as Fortunately, they escaped the fate that deputy governor and later acting killed Danish buccaneers who took refuge governor. on Flat Holm and Steep Holm islands, Sir Henry saw out his days as a planter off Weston-super-Mare. These starved and respected member of the ruling to death when the weather stopped them class before he fell ill and died in 1688. from leaving. 18

Rules of Piracy - Articles Once a ship became a pirate ship, a set of rules called “Pirate Articles” were put in place.

Piracy These described important things like how treasure was to be shared out, who would be the captain and how dangerous or unacceptable behaviour would be punished.

Punishments included walking the plank, being marooned on an island, having a limb cut off or being shot.

The New World http://www.unmuseum.org/pirate.htm

Did You Know???

Pieces of eight were really silver ingots worth eight reales (one dollar) in the 17th - 19th centuries

Treasure trove, the gold, silver and other precious artefacts found in the ground in Britain, does not belong to the ﬁ nder, but to the Crown. The ﬁ nder is allowed to keep a small proportion of its value though! 19 Piracy

Medieval Ship’s ‘Pirate’ Past The medieval ship uncovered on the banks of the River Usk in Newport could have been part of a pirate ﬂeet, according to new research.

The BBC’s Timewatch programme has revealed the ship, which was discovered in 2002, was probably owned by the Earl of Warwick - one of the most powerful nobles of the 15th century.

Warwick, known as the Kingmaker having deposed two kings during the Wars of the Roses, turned to piracy when short of money to fund his political ambitions.

Welsh historian Bob Trett has found documentary evidence that Warwick ordered the reﬁt of one of his ships in Newport.

Warwick owned land around Newport and the city may have been a base for part of his pirate ﬂeet.

Archaeologist Nigel Nayling believes the ship was being repaired in Newport

Nigel Nayling, an archaeologist from the University of Wales, Lampeter, said: “The ship was probably at Newport undergoing repairs and was later abandoned during the wild and lawless times which existed during the Wars of the Roses.“

Ref: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/3450003.stm BBC Wales News Article 1 February 2004 20

Piracy Piracy

Activities 1. Look at the map of the New World. Where might pirate ships have a) hidden and b) attacked?

2. Draft up your classroom “articles”

3. Go to the BBC website about Henry Morgan (web link 1) and read different views about Henry Morgan. Do you think Henry Morgan was a pirate or a buccaneer? Write an obituary for him.

4. Look at the article about the Newport Ship. Do you think the Newport Ship was ever a pirate ship? Investigate for yourself via web link 2.

5. Listen to one of the pirate songs on web link 4. Make up another verse to go with a song you’ve listened to.

Web Links

1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southeast/halloffame/historical_ﬁgures/ henry_morgan.shtml 2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/3450003.stm 3. http://www.unmuseum.org/pirate.htm 4. http://www.talklikeapirate.com/songs1.html 21

Piracy - Welsh Piracy

Activities Welsh text to come

Web Links

Port Development Port Development Teacher’s Note:

This section outlines:

1. Why ports developed where they did

2. Where ports are found

3. How ports developed- the Anyport Model

4. The decline of ports- social and economic drivers

5. The redevelopment of dockland areas

6. Opposition to development

It relates to the following parts of the National Curriculum:

England: 1, 2a,2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 5c, 6, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 9, 10, 11, 13

Wales: 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 5a, 5b, 5c, 8, 9, 10,11 23

Port Development Port Development

Deﬁnitions What is Port Port: an area along a river, estuary or coast Development? where cargo is loaded Port development is the initial or unloaded development, expansion and redevelopment of ports and Redevelopment: their surrounding land. the re-use of port land for commercial, Grain being unloaded at Bristol docks leisure and residential www.docksidecranes.co.uk/gallery.php purposes

Pier: a structure leading out to sea Why Ports Developed and used as a landing Although settlers from Neolithic, Roman, Viking and Norman stage for boats or as a periods created landing areas around the Severn, it was not place of entertainment until the 15th century that ports took a form we recognise today. At that time, ships became larger, used sail instead Quay: a platform of oars and travelled further offshore. For the ﬁrst time, local lying alongside or vessels went as far as Iceland for ﬁsh. projecting into water for loading and unloading ships

Jetty: a platform lying alongside or projecting into water for loading and unloading ships The Matthew http://www.matthew.co.uk/ Dredging: extraction gallery.php of sediment from the sea floor Pushing to the Limits Diversification: In the fifteenth century, particularly in Europe, Seafarers the development of pushed themselves and their ships to the limits, extending alternative activities the boundaries of their known world. Columbus reached the Reparation: West Indies in 1492, and in 1497 John Cabot left Bristol in compensation for war the Matthew to become the first European to reach North damage paid by a America since the Norsemen. A reproduction of the Matthew defeated state is currently based in Bristol’s Maritime Quarter. 24

Where Ports Are Found Cargoes Although ports originally developed at nearly During the 16th and 17th

Port Development every inlet and creek along the Severn Estuary, centuries, trade within the commercial ones are today found at Avonmouth, estuary was mostly coastal, Cardiff, Newport and Barry. with cargoes of agriculture and locally produced goods. International trades in spices, tea and slaves had just started.

During the 18th century, local iron ore, lead, coal and copper were transported. Coal was particularly important. It was mined in the south Wales valleys and transported via rail to Cardiff, Newport and Barry Docks. Oil, sourced from overseas replaced coal as Ports in the Severn Estuary the world’s favoured power Source: www.severnestuary.net source in the l950s and 1960s. Local ports were no longer in demand.

Broad Quay ~ Late 18th century Sea Mills ~ 1844 This oil on canvas, attributed to Philip Vandyke Oil on canvas by Joseph Walter (1783 - 1856) http://members.lycos.co.uk/brisray/bristol/bdocks1.htm http://members.lycos.co.uk/brisray/bristol/bdocks1.htm 25

How Ports Developed- the Anyport Model Anyport is a model by JH Bird (1963) that describes how UK ports and their facilities

develop over time and space. Five main stages are involved: Port Development

Setting: at the furthest point of inland navigation (eg. Bristol) ﬁ shing ports with trading and shipbuilding activities would have had several small quays with markets and warehouses (stage 1).

Expansion: the Industrial Revolution meant ships were bigger and could go further so quays were expanded and jetties were built to handle more cargoes and passengers (stage 2). Docks were built out from the shore for the largest vessels (stage 3) and railways built to take cargoes further inland (Eg. Taff Railway). Industrial activity also grew from this (Eg. Steel production at Newport).

Specialization: special piers to handle cargo such as containers, ores, grain, petroleum and coal were built (stage 4). These cargoes needed lots of warehouse storage and the larger vessels they were carried on needed deeper water to reach the port, so dredging was carried out. As space was needed for these extra activities, some ports moved away from their original site (eg. Bristol Docks moved to Avonmouth) and redevelopment of fashionable housing, leisure and commercial centres took place (stage 5).

Figure 1. Bird’s Anyport Model

Did You Know???

The River Avon has a very high tidal range, with very little water at low tide, which resulted in ships being stranded. Many ships were deliberately stranded in the harbour for unloading, giving rise to the phrase “shipshape and Bristol fashion” to describe boats capable of taking the strain of repeatedly being stranded. 26

The Decline of Ports- Social and Economic Reasons Ports in the Severn declined for several reasons. Following World War I, the terms

Port Development of the Treaty of Versailles ﬂooded Europe with cheap German reparation coal. More importantly, technological advances and cheap foreign supplies led to a gradual shift from coal to oil. The situation was made worse as the Miners’ Strike of 1921 and the General Strike of 1926 reduced coal export even more. As the amount of coal available for export decreased, so general cargoes in Barry, Newport and Cardiff became increasingly important.

During World War II there was a fresh demand for coal, steel and ores and as vessels entering Newport ran less risk of attack than those using the docks of other parts of Britain, this meant that Newport docks were kept busy with military trafﬁc. During this time, Newport, like many other ports, learned the hard lesson of diversiﬁcation. Coal was no longer king, iron ore, timber and general cargo had taken over .

It was an era of depression from which Newport, Barry, Cardiff and Bristol never really recovered. Despite intense activity at ports during World War II, coal exports continued to decline, ﬁnally stopping in the 1960s.

Strikers outside Corey Buildings, Cardiff, 1953. Thanks to Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales

The 1921 Miners’ Strike In 1921 there was a national three month strike because mine owners refused to match the salaries the miners had been receiving during the period 1917-21 when the Government controlled the mines.

The 1926 General Strike On 3rd May 1926, in response to pay cuts planned for coal miners, workers in key industries in Britain striked - railwaymen, transport workers, dockers, printers, builders, iron and steel workers - a total of 3 million men (a ﬁfth of the adult male population). Later, engineers and shipyard workers also joined in the General Strike. The ofﬁcial strike lasted nine days, although coal miners continued their strikes for several months. 27

The Redevelopment of Dockland Opposition to Areas Development Today, the ports of Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Barry Opposition to the Port Development present a very different picture from that existing a century Cardiff barrage was ago. Waterfronts have been totally transformed, for widespread. Some local example, in Cardiff, a barrage blocks the Rivers Taff and Ely politicians said it would to create a large fresh-water lake. Exclusive ﬂats now stand cost too much money where coal hoists once stood, and rough sailortown pubs and local residents have been replaced by fashionable wine bars. Docklands feared that their homes throughout the UK have been similarly redeveloped. would be damaged In Cardiff, only two docks, the Roath and the Queen by the permanently Alexandra, remain in use. Newport has become a centre for raised water level. hi-tech manufacturing industry and Barry has concentrated Environmental groups on chemical manufacture. The port at Avonmouth remains opposed construction busy, mainly importing cars as well as other cargoes. because the bay was an important feeding ground for birds, which would be lost following impoundment. Reports on the barrage can be found under “Cardiff Bay Development Corporation” records at the Glamorgan Record Ofﬁce.

Photo 1: Aerial photo of Avonmouth http://www.bristolport.co.uk/index.html

Map 1: Map of Avonmouth http://www.bristolport.co.uk/index.html 28

Population of Cardiﬀ 1800-2000

Port Development Source- Britain Through Time Website.

Growth of Ports and Towns As populations of towns grew, so did trade between ports. This in turn led to further growth of ports and the jobs that went with them, which attracted even more people to towns. For example, in 1800, Cardiff’s population was 5000. Within 100 years it had grown to 140,000. This further increased trade between the West Country and South Wales. 29

Table 1: Timeline of Cardiﬀ Docks 1550 Dr Thomas Phaer described Cardiff as, “a proper town, walled, where there is a dry haven (where vessels rest at low tide)”. Port Development Late 16th Mainly coastwise trade although larger vessels sailed to Bordeaux or century La Rochelle, carrying butter, cheese, cloth, lead, iron, poultry, wood, hides and grain

18th century Tobacco, brandy, and tea were illegally smuggled into port 1763 Town Quay rebuilt, two water bailiffs appointed by the town council to “supervise the quay and the navigation of the river” 1794 Glamorganshire Canal completed, linking Cardiff with Merthyr 1798 A basin was built, linking the canal to the sea 1839 West Bute Dock opened, promoted by the 2nd Marquess of Bute 1841 Taff Vale Railway opened 1850 Coal mined from Cynon and Rhondda valleys and exported worldwide (in 1862 approx 2 million tonnes were exported) 1859 East Bute Dock opened 1870s Congested train tracks 1887 Roath Dock opened (delay due to death of 2nd Marquess of Bute) 1907 Queen Alexandra Dock opened (9 million tonnes exported each year) 1920 122 shipping companies existed in Cardiff 1932 Depths of depression for ports. The Treaty of Versailles ﬂooded Europe with cheap German reparation (payment in kind, after World War I) coal, therefore Cardiff coal exports declined and many ships were laid up

1964 Oil replaced coal as the major worldwide fuel. Coal exports ceased from Cardiff. The docks went into decline 1999 Barrage completed, impounding the rivers Taff and Ely and creating a freshwater lake surrounded by executive ﬂats, shopping complexes and entertainment venues

2006 Roath Dock, Roath Basin and Queen Alexandra Dock remain in operation, importing and exporting containers, dry bulks, forest products, fresh produce and perishables, liquid bulks, steel and other metals. 30

Table 2: Timeline of Bristol Docks 1700s Tobacco traded in competition with Liverpool. Coastal trade with “the Port Development Welsh Back” of slate, stone and coal was important

1712 A wet dock was built on the site of the old Roman harbour at Sea Mills. Joshua Franklyn, a wealthy Bristolian, provided the money for it. The Sea Mills Dock Company was founded in 1716

1768 The building of Champion’s Wet Dock, later known as Merchants Dock, at Hotwells in 1768 meant the end of the Sea Mills dock

1807 Due to the work of John Wesley and others, when the slave trade was abolished in 1807 it was already in decline here and as such didn’t affect Bristol much. In 1833, slaves were freed in the West Indies which caused the collapse of the sugar industry. Plantations were abandoned, the price of raw sugar rose and the reﬁneries in Bristol went into decline. In 1830, 63% of Bristol’s trade was with the West Indies, by 1840 it was down to 40%, in 1871 it was 29% and by 1890 there was none

1809 Bristol Harbour (called the “Floating Harbour”- as it was not affected by tides) was enclosed by locks and built at the conﬂuence of the Frome and Avon Rivers. This was the original Port of Bristol. High rates were charged in order to pay for the Harbour but cheaper docks operated elsewhere, so Bristol Harbour began to lose trade

1848 The city council bought the docks company to force down the rates and employed Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who had already built the Bristol Harbour Railway to make improvements, including new lock gates, a dredger and a sluice gates designed to reduce siltation

1870 New locks were installed at Cumberland Basin and better transit sheds, hydraulic cranes and granaries were built

1877 The cost of improving navigation up the Avon was calculated as being four times as much as building a new dock. The new docks at Avonmouth were opened in 1877 and in 1879 another new dock opened at Portishead

1908 As ships grew larger, deeper waters were required for berthing, so Royal Edward Dock opened 5km downstream at the mouth of the Avon (the ﬁrst of the Avonmouth Docks) 31

1917 During World War I Bristol moved vast amounts of men and material through its ports Port Development 1928 In 1928, new grain elevators were intalled at Avonmouth and suction equipment to unload grain ships as fast as possible. New oil and petrol storage facilities were also added. From this time onwards, Avonmouth took over as the main port, able to support larger vessels

1941 The Royal Edward Dock was enlarged

1972 Royal Portbury Dock opened opposite the Royal Edward Dock. It has the largest lock opening in the UK

1981 Last company used Bristol Harbour (a sand company)

1991 The Bristol Port Company, a private company, bought a 150 year lease for the Avonmouth and Royal Portbury Docks from Bristol City Council

2006 £330m has been invested in the new docks since 1991 and the annual tonnage throughput has increased from 4m tonnes to 12m tonnes. Among other cargoes (containers, forest products, coal, animal feed, grain, liquids and fresh produce), cars feature signiﬁcantly. Over 12 million tonnes was handled in 2004

2007 The original Bristol Harbour has become a tourist attraction with ﬂats, museums, exhibitions and bars.

http://www.about-bristol.co.uk/cty-03.asp The 19th century two-storey former tea warehouse, Bush House in Bristol, has become the Arnolﬁni centre for contemporary arts, with galleries, auditorium and shop plus restaurant. 32

Port Development Port Development Activities 1. Using the Avonmouth aerial photograph and map, annotate the photograph to show: the river, dock basins, warehouses and motorway. 2. Describe, analyse and explain the technological causes and consequences of port development. What was the significance to the rest of the world? 3. Explain why ports declined, using local examples and local evidence. 4. Look at the video clip on web link 2 and the photo of redevelopment at Bristol. a) Consider how and why port redevelopment can be interpreted differently, for example, environmental views versus commercial development views. b) What type of evidence helps you reach your conclusions and why? 5. Look at the timeline for port development in your local area. Simplify it so it has just 10 main points. 6. Prepare a powerpoint presentation, outlining the development of your local port. 7. Look at the live shipping information (web link 7) on the internet. a) How many different types of vessels are in the Severn Estuary right now? b) How many flags (countries of origin) are there? c) Can you guess what the first five vessels are carrying? d) Now look at the webcam for Queen Alexander Dock in Cardiff. Are there any ships there? How many? What do you think they might be carrying?

Web Links

1. www.localhistories.org/Newport.html (history of Newport) 2. http://www.agor.org.uk/cwm/themes/events/general_strike.asp (the 1926 General Strike) 3. http://www.bristolhistory.com/?pageid=46114 (port development Bristol) 4. http://www.abports.co.uk/custinfo/ports/cardiff (Cardiff exports) 5. http://members.lycos.co.uk/brisray/bristol/bdocks1.htm (images of Bristol Docks) 6. http://www.docksidecranes.co.uk/gallery.php (video clips of grain at Bristol) 7. http://www.severnvts.co.uk (live shipping movements & web cam in the Severn Estuary) 33

Port Development - Welsh Activities Port Development text to come

Web Links

Immigration and Emigration Immigration Immigration and Emigration Teacher’s Note:

This section discusses immigration and emigration in the Severn Estuary area from Celtic times to present. In particular it considers:

1. Why people migrate

2. Children and servants brought to Bristol

3. The trans-Atlantic slave trade

4. Children sent to Canada 1869-1939

5. The Somali community in Cardiff

6. Differing perspectives on immigration.

It relates to the following parts of the National Curriculum:

England: 1, 2a,2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 5c, 6, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 9, 10, 12, 13

Wales: 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 5a, 5b, 5c, 7, 8, 9, 10,11 35

Teacher’s Notes

Immigration and Emigration and Emigration Immigration Deﬁnitions Immigrate: come to live permanently in a foreign country

Emigrate: leave one’s own country in order to settle permanently in another.

Black Firemen aboard a Radcliffe Steamer during the Second World War. Thanks to Amgueddfa Cymru- National Museum Wales

History of Migration in the Severn Estuary Area Invaded by the Celts and Romans and later by the Normans, the population of South Wales and South West England has regularly evolved over the ages. But people haven’t just moved into the area.

In the 16th century, English explorers were sent by the Government to the Caribbean to ﬁnd a shorter route to the West Indies. Gradually the government became more concerned with establishing overseas colonies, which could provide an outlet for the growing UK population, a source of raw materials for expanding industries and a market for its manufactured goods.

Voluntary mass migration to the Americas took off in the middle of the 19th century following changes in agriculture in Europe. Many people were forced off the land before the industries in the towns were ready to support them. Following the Industrial Revolution, local people emigrated all over the world in search of better prospects and better lives. By 1842 there were 22 Welsh churches in New York.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold of the UK, workers from rural parts of England, Wales and Ireland fed a growing demand for labour in the South Wales coalﬁelds. By 1911, workers from Italy and Spain had joined the industrial workforce, who were prepared to work for less pay than local workers. 36

Children and Servants Brought Immigration and Emigration Immigration to Bristol Sometimes children born as a result of relationships between wealthy plantation owners and servants or slaves were brought to Bristol to go to school. (see http://www.bafhs.org.uk/shirley/who.htm video clip on web link 1). The Aragon sailed from Bristol during the years of 1875- In the early 1700s black 1880 carrying passengers and freight across the Atlantic to Canada and the United States. servants and slaves in the household of a rich person were an exotic and unusual status symbol, but by the end of the Children Sent to Canada century as slave revolts became Between 1869 and 1939, over 100,000 more common in the Caribbean British children were sent to live in Canada. and British courts less tolerant Locally, children boarded ships at Newport, about masters keeping slaves Swansea and Bristol. in Britain itself, black servants became unfashionable. In 1871 100 of these children, orphaned and deserted, were sent to Canada by Bristol As a result, work became Incorporation of the Poor. Canadian farmers scarce for black people. working on isolated farms desperately needed farm labourers and servants. It was considered that the children would beneﬁt from good farm food and healthy fresh air but would also be separated from unsuitable families and friends.

Unfortunately, children were not well supervised and some went missing. As a result, the Board of Guardians insisted that medical checks were carried out on children, wages were paid after the age of 16 and a record should be kept of the name and address of the farmer caring for the child.

Sailor from Sierra Leon. c.1916 http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/sites/ black_history/pages/portraits.shtml 37

Cardiﬀ Example - the Somali Community and Emigration Immigration Many Somalis were drawn to Cardiff as seamen at the end of the 19th century, shortly after the opening of the Suez canal in Africa, to work in the thriving docks.

Young men came as sailors, encouraged to work hard to earn money to buy livestock back in Somalia. Some bought houses and married local women, while others stayed in boarding houses, worked on ships and regularly visited their families back home in Somalia.

The boarding houses were run by fellow Philip Vandyke,1785 “Broad Quay”, Bristol Somalis and provided visiting sailors with http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/immig_emig/england/ their home language and culture. bristol/article_6.shtml Copyright Bristol Museums and Art Gallery

Bristol Example - the Transatlantic Slave Trade Bristol has had residents from all over the world for hundreds of years. A person of African heritage was recorded as a Bristol resident in 1641. Today Bristol celebrates cultural diversity, but this has not always been the case.

Between 1698 and 1807 the Transatlantic Slave Trade operated out of Bristol. Ships would leave the port, bound for West Africa. Here, slaves were bought and transported to European colonies in North and South America and the West Indies to work on tea, sugar and tobacco plantations. Cargoes were then exchanged for the slaves and brought back to Bristol.

Conditions onboard ships were ﬁlthy and dangerous. Prisoners and crew were poorly fed and often became ill from malaria, yellow fever and dysentery. There were no toilets on the ships and slaves were often chained below deck.

Although the trading of slaves in Britain’s colonies ended in 1807, slaves already working had to remain in their positions until 1833 when an act freeing them was passed. This act also compensated their “owners” for their freedom. 38

Why People Migrate- Push and Pull Factors People move because of push factors and pull factors. Push factors include low

Immigration and Emigration Immigration standards of living, poor wages or lack of work in the original country, poor standards of education, war and persecution.

In recent years, people have emigrated as part of their work for organisations with overseas ofﬁces, or to retire to countries with better climates. Some people emigrate to avoid arrest or to be with a husband or wife.

Pull factors are the opposite of push factors and attract people to an area.

Diﬀering Perspectives on Immigration Immigration is a major political issue in the UK. Some people argue that it is necessary to ensure an adequate labour supply, while others argue that immigrants take jobs, use government services and receive government beneﬁts that local people should get.

Some people say that having a broad cultural diversity (people from lots of cultural backgrounds) is a good thing, while others worry that it will wear away local cultures and national identity. There are also concerns, especially in Europe, of the environmental impact of rapid population growth.

One of the UK government responses to mass immigration is to encourage immigrants to Emigration poster. Cardiff- New York 1875. Thanks to Amgueddfa Cymru- National Museum Wales become part of the national community by learning the English language and passing a “Life in the UK” test. 39

Immigration and Emigration Activities and Emigration Immigration 1. With reference to web link 1, complete this paragraph…. I thought the slave trade built up the British economy because…. 2. Listen to the radio clip on web link 2. Complete this paragraph …. I don’t think Britain should have been involved in the slave trade because….. 3. Write a short radio article (3 minutes) about the experiences of an imaginary slave, taken from West Africa and transported to America to work on a coffee plantation. Describe what happened after he/ she was freed in 1833. 4. Look at web link 3. How would you feel if you emigrated to Somalia? What would you expect your experiences to be? Would they be the same as for a Somalian moving to where you live? 5. Look at web link 4. Do you think it was right to send children to Canada? Why/ why not? 6. Write down the names of three local streets with foreign placenames, Eg Canada Road. 7. Ask your relatives if they know of any ancestors that moved into or out of the country. Why did they move? Did they have any tales to tell?

Web Links

1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/immig_emig/england/bristol/index.shtml (Bristol multiculturalism and the slave trade) 2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/sites/black_history/pages/tiger_bay.shtml (audio clips of immigration in Tiger Bay) 3. http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/immig_emig/wales/w_se/article_2.shtml (Somali community in Cardiff) 4. http://www.bafhs.org.uk/shirley/can.htm (Bristol Home children, sent to Canada to live between 1869 and 1939) 5. http://www.historyfootsteps.net/ (video clips etc about Bristol slave trade) 6. http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/articles/l/leicester_immigration.shtml (video clip of Angela, an immigrant from Bristol to Canada) 7. http://www.bhac.org/ (Butetown History and Arts Centre) 40

Immigration and Emigration Immigration and Emigration Immigration Activities - Welsh Text to come

Web Links

Shipwrecks and Preservation and Preservation Shipwrecks Teacher’s Note:

This section discusses shipwrecks found in the Severn Estuary and gives examples of the Newport Ship and the SS Great Britain . It also considers:

1. What shipwrecks can tell us

2. Causes of shipwrecks

3. How wrecks are preserved

4. How wrecks are protected by law.

It relates to the following parts of the National Curriculum:

England: 1, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 5c, 6, 7a, 7c, 7d, 7e, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13

Wales: 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 5a, 5b, 5c, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11 42

Shipwrecks and Preservation Shipwrecks and Preservation Shipwrecks Deﬁnitions Ship wreck: the destruction of a ship at sea by sinking or breaking up.

Preservation: is the protection or treatment of remains to prevent further degradation or damage. The ACL, a French brigantine, went aground off Woolacombe in 1894 (Ilfracombe Museum ILFCM 2986) http://www.01271-ilfracombe.co.uk/WRECKS.htm

What can shipwrecks tell us? Shipwrecks provide us with information about the design, development of ship-building methods and ship types, the materials used and the operation of all kinds of craft. But they are also more than just the remains of a boat. They give us clues about the wider topics of economics, trade, communication and domestic life of people in the past.

Causes Ships are lost for many reasons, including:

• failure of the ship’s equipment • navigation errors and other human errors, leading to collisions or running A wreck that made the national news was the battleship HMS Montagu, 14,000 tons, built aground in 1901. Whilst on exercise in May 1906, she • bad weather and rough seas grounded on Shutter Rock, off Lundy in dense fog. To assist salvage, a ropeway was hung • warfare, piracy, mutiny, or sabotage from the deck to the top of the cliffs. Thanks to Amgueddfa Cymru- National • ﬁre. Museum Wales 43

Figureheads Used as Shipwrecks and Preservation Shipwrecks Firewood According to Tom Clemett’s History of Barry (web link 1), the Nova Scotia, thought to be a sister ship to Captain Scott’s Terra Nova, ran aground and was wrecked on Sully beach around 1916. Her Terra Nova, 1910. Thanks to Amgueddfa Cymru - cargo of coal washed up National Museum Wales for miles around.

A local resident and her brother made several Ye John and SS Orianda trips to fetch coal, taking One of the earliest recorded shipwrecks in North Devon it back to Cadoxton, a was in 1654, when ye John foundered at the mouth journey of about 2 to of Ilfracombe harbour and nine people were drowned. 3 miles. On one trip to Several other ships were wrecked around Ilfracombe the wreck she found the towards the end of the 17th century, including the 350 ton fi gurehead and took it Arms of Bristol, and a transport ship bringing troops home home. Her grandfather, from Ireland, with over 150 drowned. short of fi rewood, later In 1907 the SS Orianda on route from Cardiff to Italy cut it up and used it to collided with the Heliopolis off Nash Point, and quickly light the fi re. He said began to sink. The SS Ebba of Stockholm, and Barry pilot that “it was a lovely bit of John Sparkes managed to rescue fi ve members of its pine and burnt well”. crew, but fourteen were lost. The fi ve survivors were later brought into Barry Docks.

Did You Know???

Some ships were deliberately wrecked by locals who lit ﬁ res along the shores to fool captains into “safe harbour”. Once wrecked, they would then collect cargoes from the vessels for their own use or to sell. 44

How Wrecks are How Wrecks are

Shipwrecks and Preservation Shipwrecks Preserved Under Water Preserved Ashore Many factors determine how well a Ships and their contents can be wreck is preserved: preserved in many ways, for example:

• the material used to build the • Wood: can be soaked in a fungicide ship and then freeze-dried • what caused the ship to sink • Bone and ivory: can be soaked in an organic solvent • the depth of water • Ceramics: can be cleaned, • the temperature of the water desalinated, dried, and sorted • the strength of tidal currents • Metal Ingots and artifacts: can be • the presence of marine animals washed in large outdoor storage tanks that eat away at the ship ﬁlled with rainwater • the salinity of the water. • Glass: can be supported with silicon.

Paddle Steamer Cambria ashore at Ilfracombe, July 12 1926. Thanks to Amgueddfa Cymru/ National Museum Wales

Protecting Shipwrecks Shipwrecks are protected by law under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979, the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 and the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.

The wreck of the 19th century Louisa (important because it bridges the period between timber and iron vessels) in Cardiff Bay is an Ancient Monument. The Iona II which sank in 1864 and the Gull Rock which sank in the ﬁfteenth century on Lundy Island are also protected, this time under the Protection of Wrecks Act, which means that there is an exclusion zone around the wreck site where activities are limited. 45

Evidence: The Newport Ship

In 2002 the well preserved remains of a and Preservation Shipwrecks medieval ship were discovered during excavation works for a new Arts Centre on the banks of the River Usk in Newport. It is the most complete example of a ship of the ﬁfteenth century surviving in Northern Europe.

Although it is likely that the ship originated from Portugal, it may have been sold to foreign owners. It may have been used as transport for Welsh archers during the Hundred Years War, or could have been involved in the Wars of the Roses. Excavation of the Newport Ship in 2002

Finds recovered from within the vessel Two combs were found on the Newport include 15th century coins, Portuguese ship. One side could have been for de- pottery, a comb, stone cannon balls and tangling hair but the other side, with more engraved brass straps. tightly spaced teeth would have been used for removing lice. In medieval times, there would have been no hot running water, so close contact would have meant lice were widespread.

A comb and metal strip found aboard the Newport Ship http://www.thenewportship.com/ship/ index.html#Artefacts

The Newport Ship is made up of over 1700 pieces and has been transferred to water storage tanks for cleaning and analysis. A post-excavation assessment is currently being undertaken. Some timbers are being cleaned and recorded in great detail before they can be properly conserved. The remains will tell specialists how the ship was constructed and how much cargo the ship could have carried. Even mud from around the ship will be sampled to ﬁnd out what environmental conditions were like at the time.

Plans are being developed to reconstruct the ship and display it in the basement of the theatre built next to the site where it was found. This will take many years. 46

Evidence: The SS Great Britain Shipwrecks and Preservation Shipwrecks History The SS Great Britain was built in 1845 and designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It was originally a luxury trans-Atlantic passenger liner with the world’s ﬁrst rotating propellor. She was also used as an emigrant clipper, a troop ship, a windjammer and a coal hulk, before being purposely sunk off the coast of the Faulkland Islands. In 1970, she was reﬂoated and towed across the Atlantic Ocean to Bristol. It took 35 years to complete the restoration to her former glory.

The hull of the SS Great Britain. Thanks to Neil Stevenson.

Sea of Glass A “glass sea” has been built at the ship’s water line to provide the roof of a giant airtight chamber surrounding the ship’s lower hull. Beneath the glass plate, moisture is removed from the air using special dehumidiﬁcation equipment. In this dry environment, the hull will no longer corrode.

Beneath the Sea of Glass. Thanks to Neil Stevenson.

Smells of the 19th Century The “glass sea” is covered with a thin layer of water, so the ship appears to be ﬂoating. Visitors can walk beneath it into a dry dock, to see the ship’s hull and propeller. Visitors can also walk around the ship, smell scents of traditional life and see and hear everything a On the deck of the SS Great Britain. passenger in the 1880s would have experienced. Thanks to Neil Stevenson. 47

Shipwrecks and Preservation Activities and Preservation Shipwrecks 1. Imagine you are a diver on a seventeenth century military wreck. Draw pictures of the artefacts you have discovered and write about how you might preserve them.

2. Why is it important to preserve evidence found on shipwrecks?

3. Write a newspaper article outlining how you felt and what you did as a crew member of a ship sinking half a mile offshore in the Severn Estuary.

4. Complete a timeline of the SS Great Britain- insert notes of local events

5. Imagine you are the Newport Ship, sailing across the oceans being eaten by worms, with barnacles stuck to you. The crew might treat you badly and you might have to sail through storms. What were the crew doing? Playing board games? Scrubbing the decks? Life on board would not have been very hygienic- how would people have washed and gone to the toilet? Write a diary entry of a bad day!

6. Using web link 1, ﬁnd out about the story of the Verajean, beached off Rhoose in 1908. Present the main points via Powerpoint to the rest of the class.

Web Links

1. http://www.barrywales.co.uk/tomclemett/shipwrecks.asp (Stories of south Wales shipwrecks) 2. http://www.thenewportship.com (The Newport Ship) 3. http://www.ssgreatbritain.org (The SS Great Britain) 4. http://www.thesextant.org (underwater maritime historians and archaeologists) 5. http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=111 (CADW- welsh protection of historical artefacts and culture) 6. http://www.01271-ilfracombe.co.uk/WRECKS.htm (Ilfracombe wrecks) 48

Shipwrecks and Preservation Shipwrecks and Preservation Shipwrecks Activities - Cymraeg Text to come.

Web Links

Work and Life Work and Life Teacher’s Note:

This section discusses work and life around the Severn Estuary. It particularly considers:

1. The Captain

2. Crew

3. Pilot

4. Slaves

5. Tippers, Trimmes and Dockers

6. Lifeboatmen

7. Women

8. Fishermen

It relates to the following parts of the National Curriculum:

England: 1, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 5c, 6, 7a, 7c, 7d, 7e, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13

Wales: 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 5a, 5b, 5c, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,11 50

Teacher’s Notes

Work and Life Work and Life Introduction The work and life of the people living around the Severn estuary has changed over the centuries. Clues have been left in the form of remains of old buildings, shipwrecks, pottery, coins and tools, as well as in the form of evidence in books, photos, paintings, newspaper articles and tales passed from generation to generation.

The Captain A ship’s captain would have been experienced, well paid, and fair but ﬁrm with the crew to avoid mutiny.

John Cabot (approx.1450-1499) was an Italian- born English explorer and navigator. He came to Lieutenant Evans and Captain Scott Bristol with his family in 1484, to try to persuade onboard the Terra Nova. June 1910. Thanks merchants in Bristol to pay for an exploration. to Amgueddfa Cymru/ National Museum In 1496 Cabot started out from Bristol, but got Wales no further than Iceland and was forced to return because of disputes with the crew.

On a second voyage Cabot had 18 crew and On 15 June 1910 Captain used the Matthew, a small ship (50 tons), but Robert Falcon Scott sailed fast and able. He sailed west with the intention on the Terra Nova from of finding China or Japan. Instead, after a month Cardiff to Antarctica. A few at sea, he discovered the “New Founde Landes” miles from the Pole, however, which we now know as Newfoundland, Canada. Scott’s party found that a After anchoring his ship off the coast of this new land, he rowed ashore and planted a cross, the Norwegian expedition led by banners of King Henry VII of England, the Pope Roald Amundsen had got there and St Mark, the patron saint of Venice. first. Scott and his four men then faced a 700-mile trek The importance of Cabot, and subsequent back to the winter base. None voyages cannot be underestimated. The cod survived. trade from Newfoundland back to Europe was initiated, and transatlantic colonies were to be set up over the next few hundred years. 51

Crew Conditions at sea for crew up until

the end of the 18th century were very Work and Life poor. Many were forced to work as crew by “press-gangs” who searched the streets at night, collecting drunks, ready for voyages the next day. Their diet would have consisted of dried biscuits, salted pork, dried peas and

Crew of the paddle steamer Marchionness with beans. Fresh water and vegetables Captain James Domican. Thanks to Amgueddfa were always sought as water in ships Cymru - National Museum Wales casks became rancid and infected with bacteria within a few weeks of leaving port. Scurvy, a disease caused by a lack of vitamin ‘C’ in fresh fruit and vegetables was a great curse. It often led to spots on the skin, spongy gums, bleeding and eventually death.

As well as poor food, low pay, lice, cramped living conditions and shifts of four hours on and four hours off, crew lived with the constant threat of injury, being swept overboard, shipwreck and piracy.

Rich merchants were willing to risk men’s lives to open up new trading grounds and ﬁnd new routes to foreign trading destinations.

Port Pilot’s License, January 1901. Thanks to Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales

Pilot The pilot’s job was to seek incoming ships and provide passage, or ‘pilotage’ to their destination. Bristol was the ﬁrst to commission a ﬂeet of pilot cutters in 1611 and various acts were passed over the years. In 1861 the ports of Cardiff, Newport and Gloucester were granted the right to appoint their own pilots. Barry docks began to appoint it’s own pilots in 1889. 52

Slaves Slaves were captured, particularly in the seventeenth century and were traded in

Work and Life colonies in return for products such as sugar and tobacco. Slaves were not paid and were forced to work, often in poor conditions, although this was nothing in comparison to conditions onboard transporter ships. The awful conditions for slaves being transported from Africa to the West Indies resulted in incredible misery and high death rates.

During a typical 12 month trip from Bristol to Africa, to the Americas (New World) and back to Bristol, about 80 slaves would have died. Conditions onboard ships were ﬁlthy and dangerous. There were no washing or toilet facilities, very little food or water and no heating. Captains of slave ships had a reputation for cruelty, and both crew and African slaves suffered.

Tippers, Trimmers and Dockers In the docks, coal was handled by two groups of workers, the tippers and the trimmers.

The tippers worked on the dockside, and operated the machinery that tipped coal from the railway trucks into the ship’s hold. They were employed by the dock company and paid by the hour.

Trimmers then redistributed the coal within the ship’s hold so that the ship would be evenly balanced. There were three groups of trimmers- foremen, gangmen and hobblers. A foreman was in charge of a number of gangs, made up of gangmen. These would be helped by extra workmen called hobblers. The hobblers were poorly paid, often out of work, and wanted the same rate as the gangmen. Naturally there was conﬂict.

Many tippers and trimmers were from Ireland, who had previously worked in constructing docks and quays. They lived in awful conditions in whitewashed wooden huts. Sleeping, eating and cooking took place in just one room. Their working conditions at the docks were so poor that they were forced to strike.

The work of tippers, trimmers and construction workers was very dangerous. During the extension of Alexandra Dock in 1909 , heavy rainfall caused the collapse of a trench, resulting in the death if 39 men. 53

Lifeboatmen Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RLI) Lifeboat stations currently exist at Penarth, Barry,

Minehead, Weston Super Mare and Burnham on Sea. Severn Area Rescue (SARA) Work and Life facilities also exist at Beachley, Sharpness and Wyre Forest. RNLI lifeboat stations are run by volunteers. Lifeboatmen rescue those in danger along the shores of the estuary or at sea.

The work of lifeboatmen is very dangerous. In 1910 Crew Member W Slade of Minehead died from exposure after a service and in 1941, a bomb exploded, killing two crewmen, also from Minehead.

Women Although women were traditionally responsible for looking after the home and family, they became a vital workforce during the war effort. Many worked in factories, on farms and on the dockside.

Female dockers in the Second World War. Thanks to Amgueddfa Cymru- National Museum Wales

Fishermen The waters of the Severn Estuary are among the most dangerous in Wales but this has not deterred generations of ﬁshermen from ﬁshing its rich waters for salmon, shrimp, eels and shad.

Traditional methods of catching ﬁsh have included use of putcher ranks, stopping boats, putts, drift nets and lave Aboard Neale and West Trawler Iwate. Preparing a nets. Sadly the latter is the only method “Peter Carey” type trawl net. Thanks to Amgueddfa to have survived into the 21st-century. Cymru- National Museum Wales 54

Work and Life Work and Life Activities 1. Develop a short video/ play about the different roles of crew onboard a ship in 1850. What do they see, what do they smell, what do they eat and where do they sleep?

2. Develop a board/ video game where players act as pilots and compete to “win” more merchant vessels than their competitors. Threats could include wind, waves, tides, fog, other vessels, technology etc.The winner is the pilot who escorts the most vessels in a one week period.

3. Compare the life of a woman in 2007 with a woman from 1907. How many hours a day would she work? What sorts of things might she do in the day? What equipment/ machinery might she use?

4. Imagine you are a ship’s captain in 1790 tasked with exploring the world. Where would you go and what would you hope to ﬁnd?

Web Links

1. http://www.rnli.org.uk/rnli_near_you/southwest/division_map (map of lifeboat stations) 2. http://www.sara-rescue.org.uk/stations.htm 3. http://www.walespast.com/article.shtml?id=63 (ﬁshing methods in the Severn) 55

Work and Life Activities - Welsh Work and Life Text to come.

Web Links

Further Reading Blackman M (2007) Unheard Voices: An Anthology of Stories and Poems to Commemorate the Bicentenary Anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Published by Corgi Childrens.

Blake N (2005) Steering to Glory: A Day in the Life of a Ship of the Line. Chatham Publishing.

Breverton T (2004) The Pirate Dictionary. Pelican Publishing Company.

Buchanan RA & Cossons N (1969) The Industrial Archaeology of the Bristol Region. Newton Abbot: David & Charles.

Christopher E (2006) Slave Ship Sailors and Their Captive Cargoes, 1730-1807. Cambridge University Press.

Clarke NJ (2000) Pirates of Wales and the West Country. Nigel J Clarke Publications.

Clew KR (1970) The Somersetshire Coal Canal and Railways. Newton Abbot: David & Charles.

Cordingly D (1997) Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates. Harvest Books.

Cornwell J (1983) Collieries of Kingswood and South Gloucestershire. Cowbridge: D Brown & Sons.

Davies J (1981) Cardiff and the Marquesses of Bute. Published by University of Wales Press.

Davies J (1995) A History of Wales. Penguin Books.

Edington S (2005) The Captain’s Table: Life and Dining on the Great Ocean Liners. National Maritime Museum.

Flower F (1990) Somerset Coalmining Life. Bath: Millstream Books.

Gater D (1996) Historic Shipwrecks of Wales. Published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch.

Haines RF (2006) Life and Death in the Age of Sail: The Passage to Australia. National Maritime Museum. 57

Hallett G (1970) Maritime industry and port development in South Wales. Published by University College, Cardiff.

Hoffman E (1991) Lost in Translation: A Life in a New Language. Published by Vintage.

Home Ofﬁce (2004) Life in the United Kingdom: A Journey to Citizenship.

Jeans PD (2004) Seafaring Lore and Legend: A Maritime Miscellany of Myth, Superstition, Fable and Fact. McGraw-Hill Education.

Jenkins D (2005) Cardiff - Coal and Shipping Metropolis. National Museums & Galleries of Wales.

Jenkins JG & Jenkins D (1986) Cardiff Shipowners. Published by the National Museums & Galleries of Wales.

Jones W D (2005) Wales in America. University of Scranton Press.

King A (2004) Port of Bristol. Tempus Publishing.

Larn D & Larn B (1999) Shipwrecks of North Devon. Published by Tor Mark Press.

Legrain P (2007) Immigrants: Your Country Needs Them. Published by Little Brown.

Marine Research Society (1993) The Pirates Own Book: Authentic Narratives of the Most Celebrated Sea Robbers. Dover Publications.

Morgan J (1987) Conﬂict and Order: the police and labour disputes in England and Wales, 1900-1939. Published by Oxford University Press.

Morgan K (2006) Bristol and the Atlantic Trade in the Eighteenth Century. Cambridge University Press.

Morris M (1976) The General Strike. Published by Penguin.

O’Leary P (2002) Immigration and Integration: The Irish in Wales - 1798-1922 (Studies in Welsh History). University of Wales Press.

Rediker M (1989) Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: Merchant Seamen, Pirates and the Anglo-American Maritime World, 1700-1750. Cambridge University Press. 58

Scarratt WLH (2004) Lives and Work at Sea: Herbert Holdsworth, Colin Hannah, and the Ship “Ladakh“. Published by Regatta Press.

Schuyler TB (1916) The Financing of the Hundred Years’ War. The Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 24, No. 2 (Feb., 1916), pp. 201-202

Smith G (1989) Smuggling in the Bristol Channel, 1700-1850. Countryside Books

Smith G (1991) Shipwrecks of the Bristol Channel. Countryside Books.

Takel RE (1974) Industrial port development;: With case studies from South Wales and elsewhere. Published by Scientechnica.

Thomas H (2006) The Slave Trade: History of the Atlantic Slave Trade, 1440-1870. Published by Phoenix (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd).

Watkins KC (1975) Welsh Smugglers. Published by James Pike Ltd.

Waugh M (1991) Smuggling in Devon and Cornwall, 1700-1850. Published by Countryside Books.