Raine's Eye Plan of 1785-90 shows a number of flat bottomed keels on the river carrying their eight chaldrons (53 cwts.) of coal. Some are propelled by means of large (red-dyed) sails, but in the shallower reaches they were 'puyed', or poled, along using a forked 'set'. The keelmen were prosperous, hardworking and independent, but the coalowners resented the extra cost of transporting the coal down river compared to that using waggonways. The first waggonway to reach Sunderland, at the Lambton Staithes, was built by the Nesham family company, and opened sometime before March 1815. The Wear keelmen were incensed at this threat to their livelihood, and on 20th March 1815 they placed empty keels across the river, destroyed the Gill bridge of the waggonway and set fire to the coal store. Order was only restored by the arrival of troops from Newcastle. Although there were keelmen until the 1850s their importance gradually deminished as more and more coal was brough directly to Sunderland by the waggonways and railways. Stan

Sam & Geoff Thank you very much for your most interesting replies on Keelmen. Finding it very interesting so I shall have to do more research. Judy

Sam, Forgot to ask what "Raine's Eye Plan" is. Judy