Seaton Sluice

[Patsy Beech]

Dear Michael,

Now I am confused!!!! Does not take much!!!!!!!!!

From the website http://www.seaton-sluice.co.uk/content/into.html (or a Google search will find it) it says

"Just over 200 years ago Seaton Sluice became the centre of a flourishing coal and glass trade, exporting to western Europe, and for its size was the centre of greater commercial activity than any other town on the North East coast with ships of up to 300 ton burden visiting the tiny harbour."

So the harbour may be tiny but the trade was considerable.

"...trade at Seaton Sluice once rivalled that of North Shields and Blyth and its success was entirely due to the entrepreneurial and engineering skills of the Delaval family."

This does mean that there were quite a lot of families involved one way or another - seamen, miners, ropemakers, sailmakers etc. etc.

Thank you for the information about the map - I would really love to visit Blyth Library to see it, but Essex is a few hours away so it will have to wait until my next visit "home".

Best Wishes,
Patsy

[Annied22]

Hi Patsy,

Michael will probably be able to tell you more, but although Seaton Sluice was very busy in the past, it never seems to have been that big in terms of numbers of families living there. When you read about all the industries, some of which were going on concurrently, you get the impression that there must have been thousands of folk, but as far as I can make out it was more like hundreds.

I'm in the throes of having my house re-wired and am currently trapped in my bedroom with my laptop attempting to keep out of the way of the electricians! When things get back to normal, I have a photocopy of an 1812 map which I can probably scan in 4 parts, join together and email you. I can't see any of the family names you've mentioned on it, but like I said, it doesn't include Rocky Island, Sandy Island or Seaton Lodge, all of which were home to a number of families, so it doesn't necessarily mean they weren't around.

[Patsy Beech]

Dear Annie,

Thank you, and yes please. Once you are clear of the electricians a copy of the Seaton Sluice map would be lovely. If you send me a PM we can sort something out.

Best Wishes,
Patsy

[Pete E]

I have an interest in Forster & Lynn surnames from Seaton Sluice.

Hi,

My great great grandmother was Elizabeth Forster, born in Seaton Sluice in 1827, died 28.02.1896. She married John Dickinson on 26.08.1848. Does she fit into your family history?

Hi, All i have so far is my 4 x Gt Grandmother Mary Forster who i estimate was born circa 1788 in Seaton Sluice (1851 census). Her husband was John Lynn who i think was from Widdrington.

[Michael Dixon]

Patsy,

 Yes, small but busy harbour.

 The Delaval family ( "lords of the manor") owned at least one coal mine, the highly-regarded glassworks at Seaton Sluice and the harbour.

 The narrowness and the angle of the neck of the harbour produced dangerous sailing conditions. Some master mariners refused to use the harbour.  Lord Delaval commissioned the cutting of a second harbour entrance to improve conditions. This new "sluice" also gave the harbour/community it's new name, Seaton Sluice !

In the "Photographs" and "Ordnance Maps" sections of the "SEATON SLUICE" community of the Northumberland Communities web site.....

At the third foto you can see the glassworks. At 14 and 15 and 9 you can see the cut "sluice" (has a little footbridge over it) Middle building of three on high at right hand side was/is Kings Arms.

Foto 9 is taken from the natural harbour entrance. 14 and 15 are looking seaward. There is a sharp left turn to the natural entrance.

Whenever I cross over the Seaton Burn, it looks as though there is hardly any water there, and you could easily cross over in a pair of wellies. However I know that there has been several tragedies there even in fairly recent times.

The 1860 25" version of map shows the area nicely, including Annie's areas of Sandy Island, Rocky Island and Seaton Lodge-to the left.

What I don't know is whether the new sluice was used simply to release water pressure on the harbour or whether ships used it. It was very narrow.


Michael Dixon.

[Annied22]

There's a copy of an 1812 map in the Watch House on Rocky Island. I took my digital camera there last year and tried to photograph it. I've just dug out the photos I took and pieced together close-up shots of all the names. I've also uploaded a shot of the entire map, which is just about clear enough to make out. (It may also be worth mentioning here that John Street later become Long Street and Hussey Street became Short Street. The latter names are how they appear on census returns.)

Here's the map

Here are the names

They're big pictures, so if they only appear as small ones on your screens, hover over the bottom right hand corner of each pic until a symbol appears. Click on the symbol and they'll blow up to their true size so you can read them.

[Annied22]

What I don't know is whether the new sluice was used simply to release water pressure on the harbour or whether ships used it. It was very narrow.

Michael Dixon.

I can answer that!!! According to a booklet by David Anderson, the cut was indeed used. He writes;

"Entrance or exit into this new cut was always problematic, as can be seen on any winters's day when the sea is running high, and it is not too difficult to imagine attempting entry in a storm and many bow spits were damaged. The Delaval papers are littered with accounts for repairs to numerous ships damaged entering the cut and the piers were also damaged frequently in storms and they too had to be repaired."

He also comments on the narrowness you mentioned as follows:

"In addition to these access and egress problems, the designed width of the cut was totally inadequate for its purpose because two ships could not pass one another. If a collier brig was fully loaded in the cut and the tide or wind was unfavourable to leave the harbour it became "stuck" and blocked the cut to other shipping."

[Faithen]

Hello,
I have LYNN in my Family tree. 1849
Marriage record of Thomas Jameson - Engineman, of Clarence Villa, Parish of Bishop Middleham, Son of Mark Jameson Gamekeeper. Married Barbara LYNN of Coxhoe, Durham, daughter of Robert LYNN Butcher,

i have birth records to
1850 Hannah Jameson ( My GGGrandmother) 1850 abt Born Coxhoe, Stockton, Durham
1849 Harriet Jameson B  Coxhoe - 1853 Margret Jameson B Coxhoe, Durham -1854 Elizabeth Jameson B Coxhoe .
Hope this helps someone

[skingers2]

I have Wilsons in my family tree purporting to come from the Hartley and Seaton sluice/ Earsdon area.
Ros