Weaver "Flats'

[JohnJean]

Hello. This might be a needle in a haystack question. I am enquiring from Australia. Harrison Ancestors were "Flatmen" and "Watermen". With help from people on this site in canal boatmen topic area I discovered more about that they owned and or operated "Flats". I have found general and specification  details from the registry of flats, Jim Sheads Waterway site and Wikipedia. Question is to find more specific details and information about the individual flats "Polly" (definite link), "Newton" (possible link) and "Governor" (vague link), should I write to the Ellesmore Port Museum or are there any other sites that might provide clues. Thanks. JohnJean

[garstonite]

Are you referring to the Salt flats around Northwich / Weaverham area ? and the flat boats they used ?

http://www.citizendia.org/Northwich

http://www.mcrh.mmu.ac.uk/pubs/pdf/mrhr_15_museums_fielding.pdf

these 2 sites may help
allan
sorry...just realised you are looking for specific boats name Polly / Newton / Governor .....

[seaweed]

I think you would have more chance of success if you looked with the  correct term Mersey Flat.
As well as the boat museum at Ellesmere Port, Maritime Museum at Liverpool has information on the vessels.
Also contact  River Weaver Navigation Society
http://www.rwns.co.uk/contact-us/
Get hold of the book  Mersey Flats and Flatmen (NMGM, 1993) by Michael Stammers.

[odessa]

Hi JohnJean,

A wooden sailing flat "Polly" was built at the dockyard on the river Weaver at Northwich, belonging to John Thompson & Son in 1875 and they were also the registered owners.
This flat may be a possibility, but it is very difficult to keep track of owners and captains of vessels. John Thompson & Son had several salt works and mines at this time, so would be shipping salt for themselves and building flats for this purpose. Maybe one of the Harrisons could have been employed by Thompsons as Captain? By 1884 John Thompson was under the constraints of bankruptcy and the dockyard went to public auction and by 1888 with the formation of the Salt Union many of the vessels would have been sold along with the salt works/mines to the Salt Union.

odessa.
[odessa - a wooden sailing flat built in 1855 for James Deakin of Northwich, salt proprietor]

[JohnJean]

Thank you all for this information. I will follow it up. Once again I find people on this site are so helpful. I appreciate it. JohnJean

[odessa]

JohnJean

Had a look in my old files last night and found this from the local newspapers (my transcript)

Northwich Guardian Saturday FEB 26th 1876 p8c2
Leasehold Salt Works at Over.
The Sale by Auction, by Messrs Marsh & Son, at the Angel Hotel, Northwich, on the 25th inst. Of the Salt Works at Over, occupied by the Trustees of the will of the late Mr Thos. Harrison, deceased; as also the sale of the Flat “Newton” and Barge “Polly” advertised in the Guardian of last week, is unavoidably postponed – Particulars of the sale, however will shortly appear.
Algn. Fletcher, Solicitor, Northwich. 17 FEB 1876


I have the sale details which I'll send in a PM

odessa.

[Pudding1]

Hi JohnJean -

I've contacted the Ellesmere Boat Museum and visited the Maritime Museum in search of much the same information for my ancestor's flats "Asia", "Jonah" and "Merrie England".  Unfortunately, they seem to concentrate on larger vessels so it seems like Odessa's details are your best bet for following up information (as ever, Odessa has been incredibly helpful to my research!).

Best regards,

Janet

[JohnJean]

Hi.
Thank you Odessa and Janet for that information.
It seems to be a very long project with these ancestors, Janet.
I have read the PM, Odessa and it is fascinating. Thank you very much once again for your help.
Regards. JohnJean

[AshbrookCheshire]

Hi,

High-jacking the thread a little, but have you seen any mention of a flat called 'The Ruth'?
My ancestor John Tarbuck of Northwich left a 4th part share in his will, made in 1833, to his son Thomas, and it was still operating in 1859 ( http://webspace.webring.com/people/wn/northwichpages/flats.html ). Just replying on the off chance that you might have more information.

Also if you're interested in Northwich that page has some interesting information, but you might need the 'way back machine' ( http://www.archive.org/web/web.php ) to be able to access some of the pages.

Thanks,