£14.99
Paul Walkey
Publication Date: 2021
Format & Edition: Paperback, Second Edition
Pagination: 130 Pages, 145 Illustrations
Condition: New
Genre: Waterways
Status: In Stock
China Clay Ships’ of the Past from Fowey, Par and Charlestown Volume 1 by Paul Walkey. This revised edition covers 1880s to the 1960s and provides a brief history of a few of the 1000’s of vessels that carried ‘white gold’ from Cornwall.
The ‘world changing’ Cornish china clay industry is well documented. Having a valuable and much in demand commodity was one thing, but having the means of getting it to where it was needed was another. The infrastructure of Cornwall at the time dictated that there was only one method available, this was by ship.
In its infancy this was achieved by shipping china clay in small quantities from many small ports such as Looe, Porthleven, Germoe and even St. Michaels Mount. As demand increased four ports in the St. Austell Bay area eventually became ‘dedicated’. They were Charlestown, Par, Fowey and Pentewan.
The shipping that carried the clay around the UK and rest of the world came in all types and sizes, from little wooden schooners of 90 tons to ocean going steamers carrying 10,000 tons.