Old River Men

[Popsk]

The Old Foy-Boatmen
I remember watching the Foy Boatmen moving about the river. They had a distinctive method of moving their small boats, standing up in the stern sculling the single oar from side to side and moving the small craft with amazing speed. Their job must have been one of long periods of waiting, interspaced with periods of intense activity, when they were assisting a ship to moor. I can still recall (as a kid) seeing a Foy-Boat, secured alongside a Tug, heading down-river toward the estuary with a huge bow-wave creaming from their bow – that must have been exhilarating. Where are the old river-men now?, they were such distinctive characters, and with such a hazardous job.

[Pilot]

They are still about, but don't use boats as much as they used to, inward bound for Newcastle Quay it was the practise to take a line from the foyboat and tow it up to the Quay with the ship. Slow down just below the berth and let them go. Its now more common for the boatmen to drive up to the quay and wait for the ship to arrive. Not that many get up to Newcastle anymore.

[Popsk]

They are still about, but don't use boats as much as they used to, inward bound for Newcastle Quay it was the practise to take a line from the foyboat and tow it up to the Quay with the ship. Slow down just below the berth and let them go. Its now more common for the boatmen to drive up to the quay and wait for the ship to arrive. Not that many get up to Newcastle anymore.

Thanks Pilot. Was it 'first to the post' to win a job, or did they have arrangements with the different shipping companies?

[Pilot]

In my years they had a rota system, two men to a boat, different ships and tie ups would determine how many boats to do a particular job. It was at times a hard job, freezing cold handling wires and ropes sometimes very close to the ships propeller. All the boats have engines these days so no need to scull anymore. =D> But your right about the characters, I remember as a very young Pilot sailing from Tyne Dock on a ship, the old boatman shouted up for me to give him a lift downriver as he had no transport. He threw off the last rope and jumped from the quay to the deck, he landed with me in the pilot cutter and we dropped him off on the fish quay.

[Axeman]

My ex Brother in laws father in law worked on the river and was well known ( from what I hear ).

I think he worked the tugs though, probably 60's - 70's

Barney Bell.....Anyone know him ?

[Jarrow Pete]

Used to go with a mate of mine Ossie Williams in his foyboat when I had a day off in mid 60s. You might have known him Pilot he lived in Lizard Lane and was about 25 stone, used to play darts for the Lake with him, tragiccaly he died aged 40 odd. On thinking back I think Jake would have known him as well.

[Popsk]

Can you imagine writing a risk assessment for the old way of working - the HSE Assessor would have a fit, poor fella

[Popsk]

I had a brother-in-law who was on the tugs Axeman, 1960s thro' 90s, called Pete, I think he ended up on the 'Northsider' - but I could be wrong about the tug's name, the old memory you know

[Globalmyths]

Not many get up to Newcastle. Would that be because of the draught because todays ships are larger.

[rusty]

thought the Pilots all came from the Purvis family ?

[Pilot]

Not quite all, but there was a lot of them.

[Jarrow Pete]

Not quite all, but there was a lot of them.

Pilot was another family called Whales,seem to remember tv programme about a choir at St Stevens called the big fish, and they were mostly pilots.

[Pilot]

Yes Pete, the Choir of the big fish, featured many of the pilot Whale family, no pun intended. The Tinmouth's were another family who argued they were the oldest their name coming from Tynemouth to Tynmouth to Tinmouth. Burn was another family, but over the years there were many.