Sad boat accident at Ryton - 26 March 1877
with thanks to Philip Sanderson for a copy of the account (dated 30 March 1877)
On Monday morning a ferryboat, which conveys passengers across the river Tyne, near Ryton Station, was swamped, and three of the persons who were in the boat were drowned. The salmon fishery in the Tyne near Ryton Station is rented by two brothers named Scott, and with this fishery is let the privilege of ferrying passengers across the river at a point about half a mile west of the railway station.
The ferry is worked by Archibald Scott, who lives in a house near the landing place on the north side of the river. Formerly the boat was rowed from one side of the river to the other in the ordinary manner but shortly before the Scott's became the tenants of the fishery and ferry, a strong iron rope was stretched from the north to the south side of the river, the ends being made fast to trees. A pulley was attached to the wire rope, and a hempen rope, one end of which was fastened to to the pulley and the other to the ferry boat, was used in drawing the boat across the river. On Monday morning about eight o'clock, three passengers were ferried across from the north to the south side of the river by Archibald Scott. The names of the passengers were - Mr John Moore, Miss Elizabeth Veitch, and Miss Mary Dale*. Scott, by means of the wire rope, drew the boat from the north to the south side of the water, and, in order to avoid any risk, exercised great care. The heavy floods of the past few months have loosened and washed away large quantities of soil; and trees which previously were firmly rooted, have now little or no hold on the ground at the river side. The boat was drawn safely across to the south side, and its stern was forced a little way upon the bank.
Scott then took up his boat hook, and caught hold of the shore, and had just got ready to land his passengers when the soil to which the hook fastened gave way.
The strong current of water immediately carried the boat a short distance from the shore, and turning broadside on to the water, the boat filled with water and sunk, the passengers and boatman going partly down with the boat. The sudden jerk given when the boat was turned by the force of the water from the shore, caused the rope attached to the pulley on the wire rope to break. One of Scott's feet was entangled in this rope and had it not snapped, and so released his foot, he would, in all probability, have been drowned. Scott fortunately can swim, and he at once struck out for the south shore, and, owing to the swiftness and force of the current, he had very great difficulty in reaching land. He was completely exhausted when he got near the shore, and but for receiving aid from James Raine, a plate-layer, who was at work on the railway, he would scarcely have succeeded in getting out of the water. The three passengers were carried out towards the middle of the river, and were seen to sink and rise two or three times. They shouted for help, and several persons ran down to the banks but they could render no aid to the unfortunate persons who were drowning.
A salmon fisherman, named John Dobbie, was standing near Scott's house, and saw the accident occur. He at once got into a boat, and rowed out towards the drowning passengers, but he was unable to reach them in time. A large retriever dog belonging to Archibald Scott was on the north side of the river when the accident happened, and it at once jumped in the water and swam towards Miss Veitch. The dog got hold of her clothes just as she was about to sink, and, swimming to the south shore, succeeded in bringing in the body near enough for a man named Rutter, to draw it on shore. The body was removed to the public house of Mr Lishman, at Ryton.
The following are the names of the persons who were drowned -
Mr John Moore, about 40 years of age. He was in the employment of Messers Easten and Bell, tailors, Grey Street, Newcastle, as a book keeper, he was a married man and resided at Heddon-on-the-Wall. He was crossing the river in order to go by train to Newcastle.
Miss Mary Dale, about 18 or 20 years of age, daughter of Mr Dale, coachman in the employ of Mr Thomas Bates, J.P., Heddon House. She was employed in Newcastle as a dressmaker, and had been on a visit to her parents. She intended to have returned to her employment in Newcastle by the train leaving Ryton a few minutes past eight o'clock.
Elizabeth Veitch, between 35 and 40 years of age. She was employed in Newcastle on the week days, and every Saturday she visited her parents, who lived at Heddon-on-the-Wall, and returned to her work on the Monday morning.
The Inquest
Tuesday night, Mr Graham held an inquest at the house of Mr Lishman, Cross Inn, Ryton, on the body of Elizabeth Veitch.
Archibald Scott, part proprietor and lessee of the ferry, at Ryton Island, said that on Monday morning last about eight o'clock, Elizabeth Veitch, John Moore, and Mary Dale, came aboard his boat to cross the river to Ryton Station.
Moore lived at Heddon, and was clerk with Messers Easen and Bell, drapers, Newcastle; and Mary Dale lived at Heddon Bank. She was a single woman. The river was very much flooded owing to the recent rains. As usual when there is a flood, or high wind, he made use of a wire rope, which was stretched above water from bank to bank. The rope had a sheave running along the wire, with an eye below, and a half inch hemp rope through it. The rope was chained from side to side as required.
He propelled the boat with a pair of oars, and sat near the middle. The passengers were sitting nearer the stern. The boat got over all right. Formerly there was a good and safe landing, but by the floods of the last winter the banks have fallen, and been washed away. There was a good landing when the water was low. He took the boat to the proper place, and was about to land them, when he tried to get a little higher up, where there was a better landing. He was pulling the boat up by the hook on the bank.
He did not use the oars, being so close to tbe shore. The bank being loose came away with the boat hook, and the boat’s head went off down the river. The rope fouled witness’s legs and then broke. The boat being broadside on to the stream swamped, and the weight of the boat broke the rope. He was in the water and then swam on shore, and as he was doing so he saw some person in the water, and heard them shouting. The boat sunk, and it had not been seen since -By the jury: he had repaired the landing many a time himself, but be did not know whether he was bound by his lease to keep it in repair. The landing belonged to Mr Thorpe, and he paid 25s. a year for it, and half -a-crown for the right of landing. -The Jury expressed their belief that the landing was very unsafe, especially since tbe dredging of the river at Blaydon, and the recent heavy floods.
The land was rapidly being washed away, and if some means were not taken the water would soon reach the railway. -The Coroner said the public required a safe landing place, and it was desirable that it should be ascertained by Mr Scott who was the responsible party. -Various suggestions were made by the jury for erecting a landing stage, and it was ultimately agreed to allow Mr Scott to put up a temporary stage. -William Bell, painter, Thorpe Cottages, Ryton, said he was going down to the ferry with some others at the time in question, for the purpose of crossing the river. They were going down the bank, when they heard shouts and saw a woman struggling in the water. They saw two other persons near together in the water, and hurried down to the shore. He followed the body of the female down the river side. He saw a brown retriever dog belonging to Scott bring the body ashore, and he got hold of it. She was quite dead. It would be fully half a mile below the landing where the body was got out. He jumped about five feet down the bank to get at the dog, and a ladder had to be procured before the body could he got up. -The Jury thought the witness deserved great praise for his conduct, as he might have been drowned himself. -The Jury then found that the deceased had been “Accidentally drowned”.
Archibald Scott, part proprietor and lessee of the ferry, at Ryton Island, said that on Monday morning last about eight o'clock, Elizabeth Veitch, John Moore, and Mary Dale, came aboard his boat to cross the river to Ryton Station.
Moore lived at Heddon, and was clerk with Messers Easen and Bell, drapers, Newcastle; and Mary Dale lived at Heddon Bank. She was a single woman. The river was very much flooded owing to the recent rains. As usual when there is a flood, or high wind, he made use of a wire rope, which was stretched above water from bank to bank. The rope had a sheave running along the wire, with an eye below, and a half inch hemp rope through it. The rope was chained from side to side as required.
He propelled the boat with a pair of oars, and sat near the middle. The passengers were sitting nearer the stern. The boat got over all right. Formerly there was a good and safe landing, but by the floods of the last winter the banks have fallen, and been washed away. There was a good landing when the water was low. He took the boat to the proper place, and was about to land them, when he tried to get a little higher up, where there was a better landing. He was pulling the boat up by the hook on the bank.
He did not use the oars, being so close to tbe shore. The bank being loose came away with the boat hook, and the boat’s head went off down the river. The rope fouled witness’s legs and then broke. The boat being broadside on to the stream swamped, and the weight of the boat broke the rope. He was in the water and then swam on shore, and as he was doing so he saw some person in the water, and heard them shouting. The boat sunk, and it had not been seen since -By the jury: he had repaired the landing many a time himself, but be did not know whether he was bound by his lease to keep it in repair. The landing belonged to Mr Thorpe, and he paid 25s. a year for it, and half -a-crown for the right of landing. -The Jury expressed their belief that the landing was very unsafe, especially since tbe dredging of the river at Blaydon, and the recent heavy floods.
The land was rapidly being washed away, and if some means were not taken the water would soon reach the railway. -The Coroner said the public required a safe landing place, and it was desirable that it should be ascertained by Mr Scott who was the responsible party. -Various suggestions were made by the jury for erecting a landing stage, and it was ultimately agreed to allow Mr Scott to put up a temporary stage. -William Bell, painter, Thorpe Cottages, Ryton, said he was going down to the ferry with some others at the time in question, for the purpose of crossing the river. They were going down the bank, when they heard shouts and saw a woman struggling in the water. They saw two other persons near together in the water, and hurried down to the shore. He followed the body of the female down the river side. He saw a brown retriever dog belonging to Scott bring the body ashore, and he got hold of it. She was quite dead. It would be fully half a mile below the landing where the body was got out. He jumped about five feet down the bank to get at the dog, and a ladder had to be procured before the body could he got up. -The Jury thought the witness deserved great praise for his conduct, as he might have been drowned himself. -The Jury then found that the deceased had been “Accidentally drowned”.
Ryton Ferry accident report. Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette - Tuesday 27 March 1877.
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Ryton Ferry accident. Newcastle Courant - Friday 01 June 1877.
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Links
Notes
* Document refers to Mary Ann Dodds but gravestone [78] in St Andrew's Churchyard is inscribed:
In affectionate remembrance of Mary Ann the beloved daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Dale of Heddon Banks who was drowned in the River Tyne March the 26th 1877 aged 17 years.
I have changed her name in the above account from Dodds to Dale.
The bodies seem to have been found at different times as Elizabeth Veitch aged 38 was buried 29th March 1877, Mary Ann Dale of Heddon Colliery aged 17 was buried on 27th May 1877, and John Moore of Heddon aged 40 was buried on 22nd August 1877.
There is some discussion on RootsWeb here.
