Sailing ships were naturally the original vessel that navigated the tidal rivers of the Humber. Because of the nature of these rivers which has shallows, sand or mud banks, flat bottom vessels enabled them to remain upright even if grounded. The 'Humber Keel' was the most common type of vessel plying the larger rivers using a large square sail for propulsion. On the smaller rivers and later the canals propulsion started with man power then horse drawn until steam power came along, but the same low draught keel without the sail or with a mast which could be lowered was used so as to navigate the river with bridges.

Fly-Boats were introduced to provide a fast delivery of goods especially between Leeds / Wakefield and Selby with the increase demand for wool and coal.

The medieval greatness of Hull had been built out the export of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire wool. During the 14th and 15th centuries the export of wool was largely replaced by the export of English woollen made goods mainly to the Baltic area. The trade decreased in the 1400's by pressure from German Hanse (The German Hanse was the most successful and most far-flung trade association that existed in medieval and early-modern Europe) but switched trade to the Low Countries. Ships took wool to Calais bringing back wine from the Bordeaux region. In the 1520's imports to Hull were flax, pitch and tar from the Baltic and coal from Scotland. In the 1540's cloth was exported to Antwerp bringing back goods from Asia and Europe. From 1560’s onwards trade of West Riding cloth from the port of Hull to the Baltic showed a continued growth due in part to the Tsar Ivan the Terrible’s extended empire taking over the Baltic region. For the next century exports of Yorkshire Wool and sailcloth and imports of flax and corn continued to flourish to and from the Baltic.

In 1894 F.H. Pearson wrote "In 1787 experiments were made by two Hull men, Furnace and Ashton, on the river Hull, in the propulsion of vessels by steam power. they built a boat propelled by steam, which plyed between Hull and Beverley for some time and answered very well. In consequence of the good results of this experiment, they built a larger vessel, and sent her to London, where she was finished and subjected to various trials, and there, proving satisfactory, the craft was purchased by the Prince Regent, and fitted up as a pleasure yatch; shortly afterwards, however, the vessel was destroyed by fire. It will thus be seen that these two vessels were among the earliest steamships. In October,1814, the first steamboat was placed on the Humber. This being the 'Caledonia'. The following notice appeared in the local newspapers on October 15th 1814: "The steamboat 'Caledonia' lately arrived here and has, during the week been exhibiting her capabilities on the Humber; it appears that, with both wind and tide against her, her speed is considerable. On Wednesday she left for Gainsboro', and, the weather being favourable, reached Burton Stather in an hour and a half, travelling at the rate of 14 miles an hour. On the 14th May 1815, the following further notice appeared: The 'Caledonia' steampacket, last Thursday, went from Hull up the river Ouse to Naburn, about four miles from York, and returned to Hull the same day, steaming the 122 miles there and back in about 12 hours. The 'Caledonia' was followed by other steam vessels on the river, plying to Gainsbro, Thorne, Selby, York, and Grimsby, viz: 'Humber', 'John Bull', 'British Queen', 'Mercury', 'Dart', 'Rockingham', 'Albion', 'Favourite', 'Leeds', and 'Waterloo'. Several of these vessels were built at Thorne or Selby and owned by men belonging those towns."

PS Humber

Advertisement in the Doncaster Gazzette 11 August 1815 - fitted up in a most elegant and superb manner for the convenience of both Ladies and Gentleman and is under the management of Captain William Paddley, who is a sober, steady and well experienced Man in the said Navigation and by whom every Care and Attention will be paid to his passengers

P.S. Humber by kind permission of J.Smith

In 1826 twenty-four steamers from Hull plied along the coast during the summer months, London being the greatest distance to which they ran. About the year 1835 the number had increased to something like forty-four being in the Hamburg trade, one to Rotterdam, three to London, and the remainder principally coastwise. There are now above seventy steam boats trading to and from Hull, their collective cargo being about 15,000 tons with 7,230 horse power.

In 1829 Pigot's Trade Directory listed Sailing Packets leaving Hull for Barrow, Barton, Brigg, Garthorpe, Goxhill, Grimsby, Howden, Paul, Skitter, Stallingborough, Swinefleet, Weighton, Whitton, Wintringham and Whitgift. Steam Packets left for London, Barton, Brigg, Gainsborough, Goole, Grimsby, Lynn, Selby, Thorne, and Yarmouth.

In 1834 the railway line between Leeds and Selby opened to passengers but if you wanted to travel onward to Goole or Hull then you had to catch the paddle-steamers known as Steam Packets.

In 1835 a traveller from London wrote this about his journey

"Travellers in England, at the present day, have no reason to complain of high charges. The Gazelle steamer, in which vessel I left London, completed her voyage to Hull, in the teeth of a stiff breeze from the north-west, within thirty-six hours; the first cabin fare was ten shillings; the steward kind and attentive, the berths good, and provisions of the best description. It must be confessed that those of the after-cabin paid somewhat dear for the privilege of exclusiveness, for the wind swept along the raised quarter-deck with unrestrained force, the vessel being provided with painted green netting instead of bulwarks; nor was there any other protection than this frail substitute against the weather."

Cross-river ferries.

These can be anything from a simple rowing boat to a flat bottomed type of punt capable of transporting carriages or in more recent times cars.

The picture on the right shows the ferry at Booth Ferry.

Ferries on the Humber had much larger vessels.

Winteringham to Brough

Barton to Brough

Barton to Hessle

On the 24th May 1300 King Edward I came to Hull by way of Barton and Hessle and then on to Beverley. His retinue occupied eleven vessels and and took two days at a cost of thirteen shillings paid to Galfrid de Seleby.

South Ferriby to North Ferriby

Barton to Hull

In 1291 a ferry was established between Hull and Barton. In 1320 its value was 40 shillings, in 1356 it was leased for £535. 0 s. 4 d., in 1831 a yearly rent of £800., then the ferry was sold to the railway company.

In 1734 Daniel Defoe wrote about his journey from Barton to Hull - A little farther within Humber is Barton, a Town noted for nothing that I know of but an ill-favoured dangerous passage, or ferry, over the Humber to Hull, where in an open Boat, in which we had about fifteen Horses and ten Cows, mingled with about fifteen or eighteen Passengers, called Christians; we were about four Hours tossed about on the Humber, before we could get into the Harbour at Hull; whether I was Sea Sick or not is not worth Notice, but we were all sick of the Passage, any one may suppose, and particulatly I was so uneasy at it, that I chose to go round by York, rather than return to Barton, at least for a Time.

On the 4th July 1798 a travelling clergyman wrote the following - At eleven o'clock set sail in the Hull packet from Barton. The vessel large and commodious, with two cabins. The fare for each person only sixpence, and the company in number was about fifty. As the day was fair with a light breeze, almost everybody chose to be on deck, and the scene was delightul. The Thames is but a narrow rivulet, if compared to the Humber. The passage lasted about an hour and was truly agreeable.

New Holland to Hull

Victoria Pier Hull circa 1900 - landing place for ferries and paddle steamers.

For further details about Victoria Pier use the following link http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/h/hull_corporation_pier/index.shtml

Lincoln Castle - built 1940 in Glasgow a steel steam paddle ship length 199.7ft, 33.1ft beam with a draft of 8.8ft. Built by A.& J. Inglis.


Wingfield Castle - built 1934 of steel by W.Gray & Co. of West Hartlepool having a length of 199.9ft, beam of 33.1ft and a draft of 7.7 ft

River Hull

The Archbishop of York, Lord of the town of Beverley, and owner of the soil on both sides of the river Hull, took tolls from boats and other small vessels plying the river. In 1213 the Archbishop’s rights upon the river at the town of Hull, was to have a free passage along its midstream, of the breadth of 24 feet. At that time the navigation was restricted to boats and small craft. But though the intervention of the Archbishop Walter Gifford, it was made navigable for ships in the year 1269. In that year an arrangement was made by the same prelate with the Lady Johanna de Stuteville, and Saer de Sutton, in which the last named parties agreed to remove the wears and fences which they had in the river for their fisheries, so as to leave a certain breadth of the river free and unobstructed, that ships as well as boats might pass without interruption between the Humber and the town of Beverley, in consideration of an annual rent of six marks, to be paid to them by the Archbishop, which sum the burgesses of Beverley agreed to reimburse.

Drypool Ferry

In 1307 Sir John de Sutton Knight, then Lord of the Manor of Sutton was given the rights to run a ferry at Drypool.

Stone Ferry

Click for link to pictures of Stone Ferry

Wawne Ferry

The Archbishop of York had a ferry across the river Hull in the mid 12th century. In 1584 Lancelot Alford leased the crossing and by the 20th century there was a floating bridge controlled by chains that was used by carts and horses and a punt for foot passengers. Wawne ferry ceased to be operated about 1947.The last ferryman was Jack Clarkson who worked from 1934 to its closure with charges of 1 penny for foot passengers, 2 pennies for cyclists to 1 shilling for a car.

Click for link to pictures of Wawne Ferry

River Hull to Leven Canal

In 1801 a canal was constructed between Leven Bridge and the River Hull which enabled the carriage of goods, wares and merchandise to Hull as well as the improvment of land drainage for the area.

Canal from Market Weighton to the River Humber

As with the Hull - Leven canal this canal also helped both as water transport and land drainage serving the villages of " Market Weighton, Blacktoft, Everingham, Harsewell, Seaton, Ross, Holme upon Spalding-moor, Froggathorpe, Gribthorpe, Spaldington, Burnsea, Hasholm, Wholsea, North Cliffe, South Cliffe, Hothham, Houghton, Bromfleet, Faxfleet, Shipton, Sancton and Walling Fenn". " Tolls to be taken not to exceed 4s. for every ton of grocery goods, wares and merchandises; 2s. for every caldron of coals; 1s. 6d. for every caldron of lime; 1s for every ton of stone; 6d. for every ton of manure of all sorts; 2s. for every 1000 of tiles; 1s. for every 1000 bricks; and 8d. for every pack of wool, containing 16 stone to each pack; to be paid in proportion of the distance; the whole being payable from the Humber to Market Weighton".

The canal ceased to be used commercially in 1958 and closed in 1971 but is still used by pleasure craft.

River Ancholme

The Ancholme navigation commences from the river Humber at Ferriby Sluice, South Ferriby and runs south to Brigg and joins the Caister Canal. Three acts of Parliament were passed to enlarge the canal and the draining of the surrounding land were passed in 1767, 1802 and 1825. The canal, as with others in the region, was used to convey coal, bricks and tiles, stone, groceries, wheat, rye, beans, peas or lentils, barley, malt and oats.

Louth Canal

As Louth started to fall into decline, plans were made for the construction of a canal in 1765. The canal built by 1770 at a cost of £28,000 allowed sea-going vessels to navigate to Louth exporting wool and corn and importing coal and timber. With the arrival of the railways, canal trade fell into decline and eventually closed for trade in 1924.

Further reading on humber ferries visit http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66785

If you have any pictures or further information please email me.