In 1848, in the City of Kingston Upon Hull the commute to work for a contingent of poorer industrial workers rapidly developed, through a series unfortunate yet avoidable events in to a major tragedy.
The Kingston Cotton Mill was on the western side of the tidal River Hull on Cumberland Street in the Wincolmlee area which had a concentration of factories and premises in manufacturing and production.
Many of the employees lived in the densely populated terraced and back to back house streets on the eastern side of the river corridor such as The Groves off Cleveland Street and required the services of a Ferryboat for the daily crossings from home to workplace. This was a viable short cut avoiding a longer walk to the nearest bridge crossings.
One such ferry crossing point was known as Old Harbour being some 40 to 50 yards from bank to bank.
Although the perception of a Ferry is now something substantial and robust the 1848 equivalent on the River Hull was just a small boat with a single crewman and oars or operated on a rope or chain.
The tariff for passengers was sixpence a week for an unlimited service although in reality dictated by patterns of shifts and the state of the tides and prevailing weather.
On the morning of Friday 8th December 1848 the small ferry had been delayed after having run aground on the thick River mud banks and so causing a build up of workers understandably keen to get to work and not upset management or supervisors at their place of employment .
It will have been a dark and cold winters morning at 6am and tempers were frayed with quarrels and a clamour to get on board. This led to some panic and a number making a jump from the bank onto the boat.
The Boatman, Charles Ireland who lived in nearby Church Street, was heard trying to discourage the impatient passengers and that the vessel could take no more.
In addition the tidal River Hull was running rapidly towards its confluence with the Humber Estuary which made conditions treacherous.
The arguments and bad behaviour of the passengers continued as the boat reached midstream.
Under normal circumstances and a smooth passage the boat could usually cope with a bit of larking about and belligerence amongst its occupants but with an estimated 25 to 27 persons aboard the vessel keeled over throwing everyone into the icy cold water.
The men and lads were able to strike out and swim for the shore but a number of the women were heard to scream on hitting the water and a few clung together for a few moments before the shock of the cold and weight of saturated clothes caused them to disappear into the murky brown depths. There had been no protocols or allowance of time for an organised abandon ship along the mantra of women and children first.
There followed an eerie and sobering silence before the mustering of a search and rescue attempt.
This was difficult given the state of the tide which prevented other boats on the banks from being launched. Shipyard and Staithes workers alerted to the tragedy were powerless to do anything.
The only course of action was to assist the survivors who had reached the shore and retrieve the unfortunate lifeless bodies of those who had perished.
The death toll was shocking from what should have been a simple journey to work.
14 died, amongst them 3 sisters and with two children aged 13 years.
At the Inquest held the following July at the Reindeer Tavern the Boatman was exonerated of any blame and the cause given as accidental drowning due to the misconduct and unruly behaviour of individual passengers.
A subscription was organised for the burial of the unfortunate victims
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