Following on from my previous blog about the remains of the wherries at Newburn Bridge, I decided to investigate this wreck which is further upriver, although on the same (south) bank of the River Tyne. At low tide, it is clearly visible from the path between the river and railway line, on the stretch between Ryton Golf Club and Ryton Ferry House. The stern section with propeller shaft and rudder can still be seen, but much of the vessel is buried in mud.
The existing woodwork above ground level has had photographic targets attached, showing that it was probably surveyed some time previously. The only publication referring to it I could find online was a short article in the free advertising newspaper, Tyne Valley Express, in 2011.
The existing woodwork above ground level has had photographic targets attached, showing that it was probably surveyed some time previously. The only publication referring to it I could find online was a short article in the free advertising newspaper, Tyne Valley Express, in 2011.
Above photos © Copyright Andrew Curtis and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
The wreck was brought to the attention of local archaeologist, Alan Williams, and Patrick Taylor an undergraduate student at Newcastle University, when they were recording the remains of the wherry hulks just west of Newburn Bridge in 2009.
They established that unlike the wherries, this vessel was carvel-built, and is the wreck of a Steam Drifter, a type of fishing boat in common use around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, often fishing for herring. Many were based at North Shields.
They established that unlike the wherries, this vessel was carvel-built, and is the wreck of a Steam Drifter, a type of fishing boat in common use around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, often fishing for herring. Many were based at North Shields.
Like the Tyne Wherries, very few steam drifters survive.
'Lydia Eva', built in Kings Lynn Shipyard in 1930 with a steel hull, was preserved and is now a floating museum in Great Yarmouth. She is the last surviving Steam Drifter of the formerly huge Great Yarmouth herring fleet.
'Lydia Eva', built in Kings Lynn Shipyard in 1930 with a steel hull, was preserved and is now a floating museum in Great Yarmouth. She is the last surviving Steam Drifter of the formerly huge Great Yarmouth herring fleet.
The Lydia Eva, Great Yarmouth. Photo by Evelyn Simak (2011).
© Copyright Evelyn Simak and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
The North Shields registered Steam Drifter, 'Chris', built 1910 by Smith’s Dock Co Ltd. of Middlesbrough is now in Hamburg, renamed 'Rambler Rose' (a name she had in Scotland after 1932) and has been converted to sail. There is a photo of her at Scarborough.
Another still extant steam drifter, Feasible, was built in 1912 by John Duthie of Aberdeen. She was called up for service as a patrol boat in World War I and assisted in the destruction of U-Boat 48 on 24 November 1917. Once demobilised, she went back to herring fishing, renamed as Meloy in Norway in 1946 and fitted with a diesel engine. She is now in Penzance Harbour awaiting restoration and still has her original steam winches and derricks. The National Register of Historic Vessels gives her dimensions as: length 89.93 feet (27.43 metres), breadth 18.00 feet (5.49 metres), depth 9.08 feet (2.77 metres), and gross tonnage 150.00.
Wooden Steam Drifter 'Radiant' by by Wilton Motley (1920). Collection: Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums.
The name and history of the vessel rotting on the Ryton shore of the River Tyne, is not currently known. Alan Williams told me that his request for information in Tyne Valley Express did however evoke some information.
Two correspondents mentioned a steam drifter called The Sheila, although one of them said that this was located on the north bank of the river before it broke up, so this name is far from certain.
Two correspondents mentioned a steam drifter called The Sheila, although one of them said that this was located on the north bank of the river before it broke up, so this name is far from certain.
Another source told him that the Ryton bank drifter had been formerly used by the Sea Scouts as a headquarters. It is also possible that it might have been converted into a houseboat and moored somewhere nearby. Several were based at Ryton Willows just downriver.
A Memory of Newburn posted by Jimmy Burrows on the Francis Frith recalls the popularity of Ryton Willows for outings:
A Memory of Newburn posted by Jimmy Burrows on the Francis Frith recalls the popularity of Ryton Willows for outings:
It was about 1957 and before, when the Willows was a place to picnic on a Saturday and Sunday afternoons. It was a very popular place, with the Shuggy boats and the river to play in, and there were houseboats galore tied up on the bank side. Rumour has it that there was a brothel on one of these boats.
In years gone by there were ice games on the pond there, but I can't recall this, but what I do recall was when Tommy Watt and his friend, who were both at school, took a houseboat for a joy ride and sailed it down the river. They were nearly at sea before the river bobbies caught them. They were on the front page in the local paper with reports about the two 'pirates' in one way or another and making great fun of the situation.
The same article has more interesting information about the wherries:
The old derelict timbers structures on the bank opposite the Boathouse pub are almost gone now, but when I was a kid these were full size sea barges, maybe two or three roped together that were no longer sea-worthy and were brought here to see their days out. We used to try and get on board but there was a small hut on one and it had a little smoking chimney, this is where the watchman stayed, and when he chased us we would go back and hoy a stone at the hut, eeeee. I do remember seeing someone cover his little chimney with something and him running out choking with a black face. This was a trick learned at the Imperial from one of the cowboy pictures.
 The Boat House, Ryton, 1889. iSee Gateshead. Ref: GL009796. |  Ryton Rowing Club-house at foot of River Lane, c1900. iSee Gateshead, Ref: 04_04 (orientation corrected). |
Volume 113 of The Northumbrian carried the following letter from Dalton Linkleter:
Who remembers the Ryton houseboats?
AT the end of the 1940s to early 1950s Tynemouth Sailing Club arranged a programme of winter racing at Ryton using the boathouse as a base.
At high tide during these races there was sufficient depth of water to be able to sail further up river than the dredged stretch opposite the ferry ramp. On these adventures we could see a few dozen yards upstream a collection of houseboats moored among the trees on the south side.
Can anyone remember these boats and how many there were? I believe they were residential because we met a family of youngsters who crewed for us and must have lived in one of those houseboats.
Alan Williams would dearly like to know more about the wreck so if any reader has more information please get in touch and I'll forward it on.
In July 2013, I was able to add the following photo to this blog, courtesy of Eddie Tingate from Heddon. It is the first photo I have seen of the houseboats on the Ryton shore of the River Tyne and is in the Past Times Collection of his photography website.
Houseboats on Ryton shore of River Tyne. Photo by Eddie Tingate.
River Tyne, Ryton. Old postcard ref. L3111. Postmarked 1961.
LINKS:
A Fishy Tale from the Riverbank' in Tyne Valley Express Issue 19 (November 3rd 2011), p19.
European Logger Project - an article from 'Fishing Boats', issue No. 23 - the newsletter of the 40+ Fishing Boat Association.
Photos of the Ryton wreck from 2011
Wreck of a Steam Drifter on Geograph
A Fishy Tale from the Riverbank' in Tyne Valley Express Issue 19 (November 3rd 2011), p19.
European Logger Project - an article from 'Fishing Boats', issue No. 23 - the newsletter of the 40+ Fishing Boat Association.
Photos of the Ryton wreck from 2011
Wreck of a Steam Drifter on Geograph
'From Tree to Sea: The building of a wooden steam drifter' by Ted Frost (Terence Dalton Ltd, 1985).
Wooden Steam Drifter 'Formidable', built in 1917 at Oulton Broad, Lowestoft. From Tree to Sea by Ted Frost p.164.
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