Following my post on the Bude Hobble Boat (above, in later years, waiting to guide the Ceres which is entering Bude under her own steam), I thought it would be useful for those who like more detail to see how much work they had to do.
As a demonstration of the numbers of Vessels involved, the following is a list of the Shipping movements for the month of May 1838, taken at random from my Great Grandfather’s notes. This date is before the meetings referred to in the previous post.
May 1 Dasher Hatherly 11/-
” ” Kitty Pickard 8/9
” 3 Rising Sun Lewis 10/6
” 6 Lord Porchester Davey 11/9
” 7 Dasher Hatherly 11/-
” ” Kitty Pickard 8/9
” 9 Rebecca Morton 18/-
” ” Friends Whitefield 8/9
” ” Sisters Cook 12/9
” ” Ceres Greenaway 15/-
” 10 Lion Kivell 18/-
” ” Sir R.Vivyan Mill 11/-
” 11 Maria Metherall 13/-
” 12 Betsy Penzance 10/9
” ” Speedwell Pengelly 16/6
” ” Sisters Cook 12/9
” 13 Margaret Fish 6/9
” 14 Friends Whitefield 8/9
” ” Kitty Pickard 8/9
” ” Dasher Hatherly 12/6
” ” Sprightly Marshall 14/3
” 16 Eliza from Newquay 14/3
” 18 Sir R.Vivyan Mill 10/6
” ” Sisters Cook 12/9
” 19 Rising Sun Lewis 11/-
” ” Victoria Foun(?) 15/0
” 21 Mary from Plymouth £1/0/0
” 25 Friends Whitefield 8/9
” ” Sisters Cook 13/-
” 26 Sir R.Vivyan Mill 11/-
” ” Kitty Pickard 8/9
” ” Dasher Hatherly 12/6
” ” Lord Porchester Davey 11/9
” ” Rebecca Morton 18/-
” 28 Victoria Foun(?) 15/-
You can see that the Dasher lived up to her name and entered (and left Bude) twice during the month. It would be interesting know where she went and what she brought back with her.
There were 18 vessels altogether. The Ceres I have talked about elsewhere and I will be posting more about her shortly. The Hobble fees are an indication of the relative sizes of the ships, the Mary from Plymouth being the largest vessel to enter the canal that month.
The Hobble Boat worked all year round. Between 24th December and 29th December 1836, they handled no less than eight vessels.
And, of course, the coming of the railway brought an end to this means of trading along the coast, and the end to a way of life.
This is one of a number of posts on the Ketch “Ceres” – in this case regarding pilotage. They have been presented in a random order as and when I have found, or been given, new material. They represent steps in a personal quest to find out more about one branch of my family.
If you are interested in maritime history or would like to read more, please use the Search facility at the top right hand side of this page (‘Ceres’). If this is not available on your current screen, then click on ‘Bill’s Boat Blog’ – (or the title of this entry, then ‘Bill’s Boat Blog’), to be taken to the correct page.
Beyond Steeple Point 
Wonderful site. The “Metherall” of the “Maria” in your great grandfather’s shipping movements notes was James Metherall of Bude, my g-g-g-grandfather. It is amzing to see a reference to him online.