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Now known mainly for its agricultural produce, Spalding was once a busy commercial port. This was an industry that affected a large majority of the local population and yet today that rich history is almost forgotten. Here Keith Seaton seeks to recover that lost past, beginning with the River Welland of Roman times, right up to the early twentieth century, when river traffic began to decline. The Industrial Revolution was a boom period for the waterway, and as such special attention is given to the Master Mariners of this important period. By using key sources such as census and shipping records, local family history records, maps, and fascinating illustrations,
The River Welland, Shipping & Mariners of Spalding creates a rich tapestry of the heritage of the area.
About the author
Keith J. Seaton was born and bred in Spalding, Lincolnshire. After joining the RAMC in 1959 for National Service that took him to Malaya, he spent a career in saw mills. Having had a lifelong interest in sailing and canoeing, he has travelled extensively as a Royal Yachting Association measurer and has done tonnage surveys for the association. He has previously written for the Chain Bridge Forge Museum on subjects relating to family history and local shipping history. He lives in Spalding.
Summary
In its heyday Spalding was a busy commercial port, with a shipping industry that affected a large majority of the local population.
