Waterways Heritage Symposium

Three speakers share their knowledge of different aspects of Yorkshire’s waterways heritage.

Talk 1 — 13:00 Life as a Yorkshire ‘waterman’ Life on Yorkshire’s waterways during the late 19th/early 20th centuries was gruelling, especially for those working on sailing sloops and keels. This presentation examines the trials and tribulations of one such individual, George Wood of North Frodingham, the skipper of an East Yorkshire keel. He worked the waterways for 55 years and was a key element of the economic life of his home village, providing both the essentials of life, especially coal, and transporting the produce of the surrounding area to market. Gruelling the work may have been, but he proved to be a successful skipper, and he and his family were able to enjoy the fruits of his labour.

Speaker: Graham Buckton — Graham’s interest in Yorkshire’s inland waterways began when he moved to Rawcliffe some 30 years ago. He quickly realised that Goole possessed a fascinating, albeit relatively short, 200-year history. His knowledge developed through six years of involvement with the Yorkshire Waterways Museum, which in turn led to a broader interest in seafaring history. This culminated in the attainment of a degree in Maritime History from the University of Hull. Graham’s involvement continues today through his work as a trustee of the Yorkshire Waterways Heritage Society.

Talk 2 — 14:15 The Goole Billyboy, a 19th Century Coasting Vessel Precis: Billyboys were a class of sailing vessel used in the “coasting trade” by Yorkshire’s mariners from about 1820 until World War One, after which time few survived. Steve Gardham, the UK’s leading expert on this class of vessel, has identified over 600 billyboys though he believes that around 1,000 likely existed. Steve shares his research explaining why they have proved so difficult to identify and the approach he has used to find them among the surviving records.

Speaker: Steve Gardham — After retiring from teaching, Steve volunteered for 16 years at the Yorkshire Waterways Museum, Goole helping to restore and operate the Tom Pudding tug Wheldale. He crewed trips around the docks and joined the Wheldale crew on its 2012 voyage to London for the Queen’s Jubilee Parade. It was during his time at the museum that he developed a strong interest in the billyboy coasting vessels of Goole. Steve is also editor of eight books and author of numerous articles on folksong history.

Talk 3 — 15:30 Goole’s Centenary Celebrations of 1926 Just over 100 years ago, the townspeople of Goole, led by their enthusiastic town councillors, delivered an amazing programme of events to celebrate the centenary of the town. Hundreds of volunteers were involved in what the national newspapers recognised as a tremendous success. The hard work had started over a year earlier and thanks to newspaper reports from the time we are able to track their progress as it happened. A full week of celebration featured massed choirs, multiple bands.