Disembarkation- by Nicky Rossiter (fiction novels to read .txt) 📕

men and boys in 448 vessels. This refers to fishing along the entire Wexford coast but it is safe to assume that a large proportion of these were based in or traded through Wexford Port.

There were 55 people employed in the collection of customs revenue at Wexford in 1849.

The management of the harbour rested with 51 Commissioners each of whom had resided within the borough for 12 months in a house of more than £21 valuation and who had a personal estate of £500 over his just debts.

The Harbour Commissioners, who had evolved from the Quay Commissioners, were empowered to raise money for the maintenance and improvement of the harbour by means of various charges on those using the port. Foreign vessels paid I/- per ton. British vessels paid 5d per ton. Ballast was supplied at 1 /3 per ton and discharged at 2d per ton. Pilotage was charged at 5d per ton with cargo, or 4d if in ballast.

Steamers paid half pilotage and only l0d per ton for ballast.

In the Commissioners accounts for the year ended March 31st 1835 the following items appeared: INCOME:

Tonnage or Quayage dues .................………………………………………................... £934-10-0

Ballast .................................………………………………………………….................. £153-12-2

Pilotage ........................…………………………………………………..........................£817-11-9

Pilot boat sold....................………………………………………………...........................£141-0-2

Piped water, fines, cranage ..........………………………………………........................... £58-16-2

EXPENDITURE;

Paid for supplying Ballast .........................……………………………………….......... £118-16-10

Paid for pilotage and repairs to pilot boat..........………………………………….............. £861-3-4

Paid for repairing and lighting quays..................……………………………………......... £252-9-6

Paid interest and part of debt ...........................………………………………………........ £353-5-9

Salaries to Officers, Harbour Police, Rent, etc. .........……………………………….......... £285-3-4

Paid for Harbour embankment, law costs..…………………………………....................... £76-15-8

Between the years 1856 and 1858, major changes were taking place along the old Wexford skyline.

During that period the twin Catholic Churches were built under the guidance of Father James Roche, a former classmate of the Devereux brothers. This building program would change drastically the aspect of the town greeting the returning sailors. Just as the Vikings are said to have had the ancient church of St. Michael the Archangel, their patron, at Michael Street, as their first and last sight of Weissfiord, now the nineteenth century mariners would have the Church of the Immaculate Conception and the Church of the Assumption. Many tales are told, whether true or not, of Father Roche making a point of visiting the schooners as they reached port to make collections for the building fund.

According to the "Notes and Gleanings" of Martin Doyle, in 1856, 718 vessels entered the Port of Wexford with cargos amounting to some 86,000 tons. This comprised mainly of Indian Corn, Wheat, Barley, Coal.

The outward sailing of 728 vessels carried 87,000 tons made up of cows, oxen, lamb, sheep, swine, calves, beans, malt, flour, pit wood (for use as props in mineshafts) and oysters.

At the time river trade on the Slaney was very great. The principal craft on the routes to Enniscorthy, Castlebridge and south to Ballybrennan was the Slaney Gabbard or Cot. It was a vessel unique to Wexford, designed at Wexford Dockyard to cope with prevailing harbour conditions. It measured 55

feet in length, with a breadth of 12 to 14 feet. The Gabbard was flat-bottomed and double ended and could carry 30 tons of cargo in its open hold. By 1870 it had superseded all other craft on the Slaney.

An interesting maritime story of Wexford is that Sir Francis Le Hunt had a full-scale model of a sailing ship erected at Carcur in the 1800s. On this rigging and deck, boys from the nearby workhouse were given a basic training in seamanship and many are said to have gone on to distinguished sailing careers.

As previously mentioned, the Christian Brothers schools in Wexford prepared pupils for a maritime occupation. In 1857 their curriculum included astronomy, trigonometry and chart work. Such formal education in sea craft was of great assistance to those Wexford sailors who aspired to become Mates or Masters as apart from experience, ability, good conduct on board ship, and sobriety, after 1854 it was also necessary to pass an examination overseen by examiners of the Board of Trade.

Meanwhile the Wexford Harbour Commissioners were busy with the day- to-day running of the port.

From their minute books we take the following report:

"Meeting of Wexford Harbour Commissioners on January 6th, 1857 at the Ballast Office, Anne Street, Wexford.

Salaries and Payments.

Salary of Patrick 0'Connor from September 30th to December 31st as Superintentant ofBallast and Ballast Lighter £7-10-0.

Salary ofMathew McCannfor same period as Harbour Master £6-5-0.

For James Connor Messenger for 3 months £2 - 5 - 0

For John Colquhounfor lighting 32 gas lamps on quays for 3 months £37-2-9 (this seems rather extravagant, perhaps a mistake on the part of the secretary).

To Mathew McCannfor the pilot establishment £2-0-6.

To Thomas Keating for leather supplied for use of Ballast Lighter to September 27th. £2-9-9.

To Thomas G. Murphy/or cooperage/or use on Ballast Lighter to December 3rd. £1-4-4.

To Patrick Connor for ballast dredged and shipped in October; £27-16-0. November; £23-3-2.

December; £6-19-8.

To Matthew McCann for repair to quays, lanes and cleaning £8-17-6.

Signed, William Walpole, chairman. "

A further report dated January 24th, 1857 refers to the cleaning of the quays.

"Resolved to accept proposal from John Hess for cleaning of the quays for one year from the conclusion of this week at the rate of £7- per week in summer months and 12/-per week in winter months. That a committee of 4 be appointed to inspect the work i.e. Richard Sinnott, Timothy Gaffney, Anthony Kavanagh and Robert Sparrow. Also that the Treasurer divide the one months salary of the two pilots that

were deficient in October, among the other pilots at the establishment.

Signed, T. Harpur, chairman. "

Both Gaffney and Sparrow, referred to above were ship owners, a group which naturally dominated the Commissioners. Note also the recognition of how much more difficult quay cleaning would be in winter.

In a Minute Book of the Harbour Commissioners for date April 20th, 1858 we find a copy of the oath taken by a Harbour