Wherryman on the Tyne records

[genewizard]

Hi does anyone know if there were any records kept from 1870-1888 for wherryman who worked on the tyne and if so where would they be, also what is a wherryman it is listed as occupation on a death certificate that I have.
Thanks

[Ecneps]

Hi genewizard

A wherry was a light rowboat for use in racing or for transporting goods and passengers in inland waters and harbours

There's an audio clip by a wherryman at http://www.beamishcollections.org/collections/display.asp?ItemID=4253&audiohist=true

Barbara

[mgnv]

I don't think "light rowboat" is quite the right category for a wherry. There's a Tyne wherry at:
http://freespace.virgin.net/l.carter/wherry.htm
and a Norfolk wherry at:
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/690477

[billslad]

I agree with the last comment.  I'm not sure how many men it would have taken to row a wherry.  My grandfather was a wherryman on the Tyne.  His wherry was simply a large, unpowered barge which would be towed by a tug boat from and to wherever it was needed.  During World War II, one of his tasks was to take ammunition from damaged ships, which had come into the Tyne for repair, up to the ammunition dump near Lemington.  When the ships were ready to put to sea again, they would take the ammuition back down river.

John

[peter brownlee]

Most of the wherrymen came from the former Keelmen community. Keels became redundant after the deepening of the river by the Tyne Improvement Commisioners had allowed sea-going colliers to load directly from upstream staithes. The wherrys were a more conventional form of barge, usually towed and unloaded by steamboats and steam cranes. My ggrandfather operated one out of Bells Close, Newburn, mostly with bricks as cargo.
Peter