Shipping on the Humber – The South Bank

Many books on the Humber concentrate on the Hull, Mike Taylor takes a new view here focussing on the South Bank of the river.

This book features a collection of images, dating from the late nineteenth century to the present day and is arranged topographically: travelling from Louth and Cleethorpes upriver to the Ouse/Trent confluence. Many images featured are taken from the author’s personal and previously unpublished collection.

The illustrations, which are in excess of 150, feature keels, sloops, lighters and motor barges, all of which have been declining over the past five decades. The book concentrates on the inland waterway craft that brought imported foreign goods and Yorkshire coal, and took away bricks and raw materials from the south bank wharves and navigations during the past century. Shipping is also covered, especially the transhipments between seagoing and river craft.

Lincolnshire boatyards are examined, where many crafts were built and maintained. Other small craft are also included, such as dredgers, cross-river ferries, pilot boats, tugs and some sea-going craft, as well as images of the docks and waterways themselves.

Maps and photographs of several locations have been selected to feature aspects of the Ancholme Navigation and Louth Navigation, as well as the waterside areas of Grimsby, Immingham, New Holland, Barrow Haven, Baron Waterside, Brigg, Ferrivy Sluice, Winteringham Haven and Hull, with which they all have cross-Humber links.

Mike Taylor lives in Dronfield and has written a number of other titles for Tempus, including The Calder and Hebble Navigation and The Ouse Navigation.

Shipping on the Humber – The South Bank
By Mike Taylor
Published by Tempus Publishing
ISBN 0 7524 2780 6
Paperback, 128 pages
Price £12.99