Seamen Booklet.Indd

Réamhrá Foreword Ba mhaith liom moladh a thabhairt don leabhrán seo a théann I would like to commend this booklet which accompanies Faces le Faces from our Maritime Past, taispeantas sealadach de chuid from our Maritime Past, a temporary exhibition at Newry and Iarsmalann an Iúir agus Mhúrn, a dhíríonn ár n-aird ar shaol Mourne Museum, which focuses on the lives and careers of agus shlí bheatha na mairnéalach trádála áitiúila. local Merchant Seamen. Tugann an taispeantas seo, a bhaineann go príomha le cártaí The exhibition gives a flavour of what life at sea was like for a aitheantais na mairnealach ó 1918 – 1921, tugann sé léargas Merchant Seaman in the 20th century and centres on identity dúinn ar shaol an mhairnéalaigh trádála ar muir le linn an 20ú cards of seamen from 1918 – 21. This is complemented by aois. Cuireann cuimhne ghrinn na loingseoirí leis an taispeantas, the vivid recollections of seafarers which range from stories of réimse leathan de scéalta eagsúla faoi choinniollacha oibre ar working conditions on local coal boats to poignant memories of bháid ghuail agus béalaithris choscrach ar dhaoine a bhí caillte tragic losses at sea. amuigh ar na tonnta báite. I would like to congratulate the staff of Newry and Mourne Ba mhian liom comhghairdeachas a dhéanamh le foireann Museum for their work and thank all those who contributed Iarsmalann an Iúir agus Mhúrn agus buiochas nach beag a chur information, artefacts, memories and photographs to this in iúl le gach rannphairtí a bhronn eolas, earraí, cuimhní cinn project. agus grianghraif ar an togra seo. Councillor Colmán Burns An Comhairleoir Colmán Ó Broin Mayor – Newry and Mourne District Council Méara – Comhairle an Iúir agus Mhúrn Map of east County Down and Carlingford Lough c.1570. © Crown Copyright TNA MPF1/89 Introduction Th e proximity of the sea has defi ned the historic and economic development of the Newry and Mourne area from early times up until the present day. Over the centuries an important maritime economy has grown up around Carlingford Lough centred at “And for freighting a boat which carried the diff erent times on Carlingford, Newry and Warrenpoint. Th e king’s treasure from Downpatrick to Carlingford 20th century, in particular, was a defi ning era for the region. Th e 3s”. early part of the century saw the growth and development of Irish Pipe Roll, 1211 - 1212 local shipping fi rms, while the years after the Second World War witnessed their decline and ultimate closure in the face of increasing international competition. Th is exhibition and booklet explores the contribution made by local merchant seamen to the local maritime economy. Based around CR10 cards from 1918 – 1921, which recorded the issue of identity cards to merchant seamen, the exhibition and booklet look at what life was like on the colliers which operated out of Newry. Th e stories of families and individuals connected with coastal trade are told and the impact of tragic losses at sea on the local community are assessed. Th e aff ect of the sweeping economic changes of the later 20th century on local seafaring brings this survey up to the present day. Th e story of the merchant seaman is only one facet of the maritime history of the Newry and Mourne area. More can also be learned from the perspectives of the dockers, railway workers, local shipping magnates and emigrants, the history of which have yet to be chronicled. A Creek up from Carlingford: Another major shipping entrepreneur in the area was Joseph Fisher. A farmer’s son from Kilkeel, Joseph Fisher established a the emergence of the Port of Newry ship broking business in 1852, and in 1867, he invested in ship owning when he purchased shares in three locally owned sailing Th e seafaring tradition in the Newry and Mourne area stretches ships. As a coal importer, Fishers’ was one of the fi rst local ship back to at least the 9th century when the Vikings established owners to invest in steamships with the purchase of the Kilkeel a longfort, an overwintering base, near Annagassan in County in 1892. Joseph Fisher & Sons Ltd became one of the most Louth. Carlingford Lough derives its name from Cairlinn’s signifi cant shipping owners in the Irish Sea, building up an Fiord, a Viking word for a steep sided sea inlet and the Vikings important fl eet of steam colliers trading with most of the major used the areas a base from which to raid as far as Armagh. ports in Britain and Ireland and the north coast of France. During the middle ages an important port fl ourished at the town of Carlingford. Th is was eclipsed in the later 16th and 17th centuries by the commercial development of Newry by Sir Nicholas Bagenal and his descendants. Th e maritime importance of the town was enhanced by the completion of the Newry Canal in 1742 and by the building of a ship canal in 1767, which provided a navigable channel to Carlingford Lough. By the late 18th century, the port at Newry had trading links with the West Indies, Newfoundland and Riga. Silting of the Newry River, however, had always been a major problem for maritime traffi c using the port and facilities were improved further by the construction of a new ship canal between 1842 and 1850. Larger vessels of up to 500 tons were also able to use the port at Newry after the opening of the Victoria Lock and the Albert Basin in 1850. For nearly a century Joseph Fisher & Sons Ltd gave employment, and the chance of a seafaring life, to generations of men from the Newry and Mourne area until its closure in 1966. Th e mid 19th century saw the emergence of Warrenpoint as a port. During and after the Great Famine, Warrenpoint was a place of embarkation for emigrants to Liverpool and onwards Map of Newry c.1570. Boats are shown on the river, with an accompanying note ‘Into thys place maye come a barke or a to North America and Australia. Goye off tenne or twelve tonne at a spring tyde’. © Crown Copyright TNA MPF1/82 We could get away to see the world: occupation requiring constant vigilance especially during bad weather when the Captain was continually on the bridge. Some life on the colliers of his duties would have been delegated to the First or Chief Mate who would have had responsibility for day to day running The long history of Newry as a centre of shipping and maritime of the boat. The Chief Engineer maintained the engine assisted trade led many local men to see seafaring as an exciting by the Firemen who kept the steam up by stoking and tending occupation and a way to see the world. Economic conditions the boilers. There were also Able Seamen and Ordinary Seamen in the area in the early part of the 20th century meant that who carried out general duties assisted by a Deck Boy or Deck employment was at a premium and wages in some local Mate. A Lamptrimmer was in charge of the navigation lights. industries were comparatively low. A merchant seaman was Before cooks were introduced after the Second World War, better paid than a local mill worker. However, it was a more the Ordinary Seamen would sometimes have cooked for the hazardous occupation and often involved being away from Captain and First Mate. home for long periods of time. Living conditions were very basic. The Captain and First Mate Most local men usually started their career on coastal trade, usually had their own accommodation under the bridge which visiting ports in the Irish Sea, south and east coast of England was relatively comfortable in comparison to the quarters for the and northern France. Newry was a major entry point for rest of the crew. The Engineer had his own quarters off from imports into southeast Ulster. In the early to mid 20th century the engine room. The rest of the crew lived in the forecastle or imports included coal, maize, flour and general cargo. Coal was foc’scle which was heated with a stove or bogey which often by the far the most important import being a primary fuel for produced fumes and smoke and could not be used in rough local industries and households. Exports were low compared weather. The foc’scle contained bunk beds, usually a plank to imports. Goods exported included cattle, timber, potatoes, of wood with a mattress. Before the Second World War the herrings, Mourne granite and scrap metal. Timber from the crew brought their own bedding on board. The mattress was a Fathom area was also exported to Wales to be used as pit- sack filled with hay and straw and was known as the ‘donkey’s props in the coal mines. In the 1960s and 1970s the Walnut breakfast’. They also supplied their own cooking utensils, food belonging to Fishers went as far as Finland to import timber. In and weatherproof clothing. The ships were equipped with the early decades of the century fishing boats from Kilkeel were galleys, but crew members often cooked their own meals on the sometimes involved in coastal trade. stove in the foc’scle. The ‘fiddley’, a grating over the boiler, was used for drying clothes. Prior to 1940 the bridge was open to The crew of a typical collier consisted of nine or ten men the elements on nearly all the vessels, and members of the crew, responsible for navigation, keeping watch and maintenance. chilled from being on watch, often warmed themselves on the The Captain or Master was in over all charge of the ship ‘fiddley’.

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