Friday 10th July, 2009
Douglas Navigation Boats
The boats used on the navigation were “flats” - sometimes spelt “flatts” or even “fflatts”. These were keeless boats with a shallow draught.
It must be remembered that goods were carried, not just on the navigation, but also on the River Ribble and around the coast - south to Liverpool and north as far as the Furness district. This necessitated the building of different types of boats for different purposes. Smaller, open boats were used on the Douglas and the Ribble while larger, decked boats worked the coastal regions.
By 1747 the navigation had five smaller undecked boats – the “Success”, “Assistance”, “Supply”, “Tender” and “Pink”. There were seven decked boats - “Resolution”, “Dispatch”, “Speedwell”, “Concord”, “Three Sisters”, “Three Brothers” and “Laurel”.
Typical of the smaller boats was the “Success”. This was loaded with about 15 tons of coal at either Gathurst or Tarleton and delivered at various places on the River Ribble. Occasionally it returned empty but sometimes limestone was transported up the Douglas to Wigan on the return journey.
Decked boats used in coastal waters were able to carry up to about 40 tons.
There were also several private boat owners. Samuel Bold, for example, owned the “Sally”, “Expedition”, “Jenny”, “Swan”, “Tender” and “Fortune”.
The “Expedition” was a small open boat which only worked the Douglas. Men were paid from 6d (2½p) to 1s (5p) a day to haul it along the river. If the wind was in the right direction a square sail was used.
Apart from commercial flats there were also pleasure craft on the navigation. “The Old” and “The New” were two such boats.
The completion of a newly built boat was a reason for celebration. The account items listed below in connection with the launch of the “Concord”, (sometimes spelt “Concorde”), are an indication of the party atmosphere which accompanied such events:
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11th April 1743 Paid Mrs Buxton for 4 bottles of Rum in punch to the Navigation at the launching of the 'Concorde' in June last |
£1 0s 0d (£1) |
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Punch from Mr Richard Lees on launching the 'Concorde' |
10s 0d (50p) |