Trees
The enumerator may have written it down as it was said to him. I'm from Droitwich and I've heard 'water' pronounced as if it were spelt 'warter' with a long 'hard' a.
If you Google 'Wych barge' you will get several hits that provide info on the salt trade. If you PM me I have an transcription from the local paper that details how one of these barges was sunk in a collision at Bristol Docks in 1889 which I am more than happy to share with you.
My 3x great grandfather was a waterman hence my interest.
Andrew
