Slightly weird one...
Anyone know the names of the Irish boats that used to drop the cows and passengers off at Birkenhead?
The Ulster and the Leinster spring to mind. There may have been others as well. You could see them discharging immediately downstream of the Woodside Stage. Along the ramp and into the lairage. The last walk ??
Thanks Pinz. It was my mum who was going on about them.
Irish Cattle Boat, The Stormont sank in the Mersey
The vessel sank on the Pluckington Bank off Albert Dk ,after colliding with the Trooper Empire Brent ,former Letitia , in 1946 ,
There's a bit more info on the Empire Brent here
http://www.wayward.com/WN-2006.pdf
Some likely shipping companies in the cattle trade were:
Belfast S.S.Co.
Belfast, Mersey & Manchester S.S.Co.
British & Irish Shipping Co.
but my lists don't say which were specifically cattle boats. They would have been designed or modified for livestock transport probably on one deck, from which the animals would be driven 'on the hoof' down a gangway to the landing stage.
The full fascinating story of 100 years of Birkenhead's and Wallasey's involvement in this important trade is told in the book 'Meat at Woodside' by Ken McCarron (NMGM/Countyvise, 1991). At its height, late 19th, early 20th century, over half a million sheep and cattle were imported. It was killed off by the refrigerated carcase trade from worldwide.
Another part of Birkenhead's past, gone for ever!
Bri
P.S. There's also a thread under 'Wirral History' - 'Birkenhead Cattle Trade' worth a read.
Bri
Where the cattle disembarked, got off the boat for slaughter.
They were told to moove on summer
