Lives in the Landscape Families & Ferries at Potter’s Loade For hundreds of years in rural areas, ferries were invaluable for transporting people, goods, and even livestock between riverbanks. By the 1920’s there were 28 ferries shown on Ordnance Survey maps across the length of the River Severn—including the Potter’s Loade ferry. Records show that a ferry at Potter’s Loade was mentioned as early as 1690 when ‘….the passage over the river…with the boate there belonging at Potters Load’ was included in the lease to nearby Hall Close Farm. It is also mentioned in an advert in the Shrewsbury Chronicle on 16th August 1777 where Rhea Hall in Highley was to be auctioned and the lot included ‘right of free passage over the River Severn at Potter’s Load…..’ Right: Photograph of ‘Lease of possession of the scite of the manor at Alveley’ 4 April,1690 There are a number of mentions of the ferry (and cottage) at Potter’s Loade in the newspaper as over the years it was advertised as ‘TO LET’. These articles have been researched on the British Newspapers Archive website. On 18 September 1851 in Worcester Journal a house, garden, new boat and ferry over the Severn at Potter’s Loade is advertised with applications to J. Bacon. For 3 weeks, in 1864 (20 February- 5 March), a house, garden with ferry over the Severn are advertised with enquires to Mr Fellows. Finally, in 1901 (16th February) there is an advert in the Wellington Journal for a boatman to take charge of Potter’s Loade ferry with applications to H.E. Monk. From the names given in the adverts, J. Bacon, M Fellows and H. E Monk, it is possible to assume that the ownership of the ferry was linked to the residents of Hall Close in Alveley. Lives in the Landscape Families & Ferries at Potter’s Loade The 1841 census shows John Bacon living at Hall Close Farm, he is still living there in 1851 and through to his death in 1857. Hall Close photographed in the 1880s. Photograph courtesy of Alveley Historical Society. In 1854 John Bacon writes his will in which his assets are listed. These include ‘the ferry, ferry boats and the right of passage over the River Severn situate at the Hall Close, Townsend, Potters Load and elsewhere…’ On John Bacon’s death in 1857, Michael Fellows of Pool Hall is his sole executor and in the 1861 census Michael Fellows is living at Hall Close. Michael Fellows is at Hall Close Farm in the 1871, 1881 & 1891 census reports. On his death in 1897, Herbert Edward Monk, William Elcock and James Frederick Lloyd are listed in his will. In 1901, Herbert Edward Monk is living at Hall Close. These adverts give an indication of who owned the ferry, but is it possible to work out who operated the ferry? Looking to the census reports again, in 1841 Thomas Wilcox, his son Edwin and their family are living at Potter’s Loade. For both men their occupation is stated as ‘waterman’. The definition of waterman is ‘a river worker who transfers passengers across and along city centre rivers and estuaries’ . The first direct reference in the census to a ferryman is not until 1911 when Charles Beddoes and his family are living in Wood Cottage. Mr Beddoes’ occupation is given as ferryman. Wood Cottage is located down river from the cottages at Potter’s Loade. Further research shows that in 1901, Charles is living in Alveley village working as a stone quarryman and it is possible that he answer the advert placed by Mr Monk that same year. A trade directory from 1909, lists Mr Beddoes as Potter’s Loade ferryman. So by the 1911 census Charles could be been in the role for 10 years. Lives in the Landscape Families & Ferries at Potter’s Loade In the census reports from 1851-1901 within the parish of Alveley, no person is shown as having the occupation waterman or ferryman. Looking for information elsewhere, reported on 4 January 1867 in the Shrewsbury Chronicle, 3 men were charged with stealing a rabbit trap from the brick yard of Mr Humphreys of the Ferry House, Alveley. This suggests that Mr Humphreys could have been the ferryman although a Mr Humphreys can’t be found in the 1861 or 1871 census. In 1889, reported in the Shrewsbury Chronicle on 17th May and reported in both the Wellington Journal and Bridgnorth Journal on 18th May, the death of Edward Crow sheds more light on who the ferry operators could be. Mr Crow had gone missing the previous month. This body was found in the river by Sarah Ann Beddoes. In giving evidence at the inquest held at The Three Horseshoes, Alveley, Mrs Beddoes said that she ‘lived at Potter’s Loade and herself and her husband had charge of the ferry boat there. She ferried a young man over the River Severn…..after which she discovered something floating down the middle of the stream. She put the boat towards it and found it to be the body of a man. She called the young man back whom she had ferried across the river, and with his assistance she succeeded in getting the body into the boat and ultimately removed it in a conveyance to The Three Horseshoes at Alveley.’ Sarah Ann Beddoes in shown in the census reports of 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1901 as living in one of the cottages at Potter’s Loade. Being so close to the river, Potter’s Loade was mentioned numerous times in the local newspapers in connection to people drowning in the Severn. Quite often the person found had been missing for a number of weeks. In 1870, a farmer from Billingsley who had been last seen at Hampton Loade was found by 2 boys at Potter’s Loade a few weeks later. In 1896, a miner from Highley, with assistance pulled a body from the river. Local police were called and while searching the body for identification found May Day celebrations in Alveley in 1912. Sarah Ann marks which suggested the body had been Beddoes is shown in the bottom right hand corner. in the river for 14 days. Photograph courtesy of Alveley Historical Society. Lives in the Landscape Families & Ferries at Potter’s Loade In 1871 and 1881 Sarah Ann Beddoes is Sarah Ann Wood. Her husband is George Wood and his occupation is a stone quarryman. After George dies, Sarah marries Benjamin Beddoes. In 1891 census, Benjamin has the occupation of coal miner. In 1901 Sarah Ann is still living in Potter’s Loade and she is head of the household. In all these listings in the census reports, Sarah Ann is not shown as having an occupation. As already mentioned, the 1911 census shows Charles Beddoes living in Wood Cottage and working as a ferryman. Research shows that Sarah Ann and Benjamin Beddoes are not related to Charles Beddoes. Also, in 1911, the census shows the Davies family living in ‘The Old Boathouse’ at Potter’s Loade. This was Sarah Ann Beddoes house. Sarah Ann has moved into the village of Alveley, to Elm Cottage which is opposite St Mary’s Church. Far left: Isaiah Davies. Left: Mary Davies Photographs courtesy of Gerry Scriven The Davies family – Isaiah and Mary lived at Potter’s Loade up until the 1950s. Isaiah worked at the mine. Their grandson, Gerry Scriven tells us that the ferry continued to operate from Potter’s Loade cottages. The ferry can be seen in photographs from the 1930s when the Miners’ Bridge was being constructed. Above: Potter’s Loade cottages can be seen to the right of the bridge. A boat is shown on the riverbank. Photograph courtesy of Alveley Historical Society. Lives in the Landscape Families & Ferries at Potter’s Loade It is assumed that a ferry operated at both Potter’s Loade and at Wood Cottage for a time. This could have been because there was an increased need for ferry crossing in the early 1900s. The mine at Highley had opened in the 1870s. By 1900, 240 persons were employed. By 1937 this had increase to 670. A description from 1932 tells of the ‘miners of Alveley who cross the river every day to the coal pits at Highley and Kinlet’. so the demand would have been there for a number of ferries to operate in close proximity to each other. Reports in the local newspapers also suggest that usage of the ferry had increased. In 1895, on 26 October, at a meeting of Highley Parish Council was reported in the Bridgnorth Journal, and a motion to get the parish footpaths in good order was put forward. The paths would be improved by instalments starting with the ‘path from Glebe Cottage to Potter’s Loade Ferry.’ The Bridgnorth Journal on 21 December 1895 reported that the work to the path had been completed. The cost to Highley Council was ‘22s for labour and 12s for haulage of stones’. Left: Photograph of the petition Similarly in 1899, there is a petition for the repair of the footpath from Alveley to Potter’s Loade. The petition says that the path is ‘used more than any other path in the parish , it is used daily by a large number of people going to and fro from Highley Colliery, station and other places……[By repairing the path, the Council] will confer a benefit not merely to one or two but to a great many parishioners who are daily compelled to travel this way to Potters Load ferry.’ Increased wear and tear through regular daily use had resulted in the need to repair the paths to and from the ferry on both sides of the river.