Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Birkenhead Ferries 1905

I've just received from America (via e-bay) a little 32 page book of timetables/fares etc. which includes the tram timetables, some nice photographs and other stuff of interest.
When I've finished scanning it, I'll be posting some of it here.
Watch this space.

Very good Chris, sounds really interesting, really look forward to reading it.

out of curiosity Is there any you may have regarding the industrial revolution era towards the back end? I believe that the first tram actually started in Birkenhead did it not?

First street tramway in Europe, 1860.

I've nothing from the era of the Industrial Revolution, although I'm lucky to live within a few miles of its birthplace in Coalbrookdale.

Here's a couple of pages from the book. The book itself is only postcard size. These pages show the frequency of the Woodside ferries and of course they ran all night. I didn't know that when the goods boat wasn't running, you could take a car on the passenger boat.

Great stuff Chris. I never realised that they allowed Motor Cars on the passenger boats. Only after the Luggage boats had stopped and on Sundays according to the blurb (p5).

A bewildering scale of charges. Note the "lavatory is provided in Room No.2 for the use of all Stall Holders" (Sheer luxury!!)

Any more pages ??

Thanks.

Yes, there's more to come. Wait till you see the goods ferry charges!

Anybody looking for a job? How about being a porter at Woodside? Look at the rates of pay!!

I too never knew they carried cars,thanks for sharing.

I say my man. I have a bundle of shawls, one portmanteau and a bonnet box. There's a halfpenny in it for you if you take them to my carraige.

Look at the rates, guv'nor; three items at a penny each = 3d. (Unless any of them weighs more than 10lb., in which case it's tuppence): bring the scales, Alf, those shawls look heavy.
Interesting that the minimum charge on the Liverpool side is 3d. Bl**dy greedy scousers.

Here's the timetable of the Woodside goods boat and the goods charges on that service and from New Ferry/Rock Ferry. Although there was a separate goods boat from Woodside to Liverpool, on the New Ferry/Rock Ferry route, goods were carried on the passenger boat.
Note that certain dangerous goods were prohibited: if you were caught carrying nitroglycerine, you'd get a large fine and the nitro. would be thrown overboard!!

Looking at these goods charges raises a problem.
Our mate Fred has died in New Ferry. Being a true scouser, he wanted to be buried in Liverpool and it's up to us to get him there.
Problem: do we grit our teeth and pay ten bob to take him on the New Ferry boat, or do we hire a handcart and wheel him to Rock Ferry and pay five bob, or do we take him all the way to Woodside and pay half a crown?
What isn't clear is whether, if we use the Woodside luggage boat, the charge for the four of us bearers is included or not. I suspect not, in which case, that will be another fourpence.

Answers on a postcard please.

A real minefield of charges there! Pity the guy on the Landing Stage checking the goods against what is payable.

If I was one of Fred's relatives, I'd be folding him in two and bunging him inside a harmonium! That way it only costs a 1/-d.

Trouble with that, Pinz, is that with rigor mortis you'd never fold him.
Maybe the best bet would to be to prop him between two mates and "walk" him on; on a morning rush hour boat you'd probably get away with it, and only tuppence from New Ferry.

Excellent post chris