SENTINELS of the WEAR

THE RIVER WEAR WATCH

A History of Sunderland's River Police and Fireboats

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Sentinels of the Wear will appeal to a wide range of interests. In particular, it will fascinate those who wish to learn more about Maritime History, Police History, Firefighting History or Local North East History. In fact, it's a good read just out of General Interest.

The book's fourteen chapters chronicle the development of policing and firefighting in the Port of Sunderland from the creation of the original River Watch in 1810 to the dissolution of the River Wear Watch in 1961. The final chapter brings up to date subsequent evolution in the provision of marine policing and fire protection within the port.

Mr. David Mellish, OBE, QPM, the former Acting Chief Constable of Northumbria Police has written the foreword and six appendices are included. Two of these, a listing of River Wear Watch Commissioners and a roll of River Police personnel, will be of great value to family historians.

The following is a listing of topics which can be found in the chapters of Sentinels of the Wear and gives an insight into the wide variety of material which has been included:

Chapter 1:SUNDERLAND IMPROVEMENT COMMISSION RIVER WATCH (1810 - 1837)

Establishment of Original Watch on the Wear; The Sunderland Improvement Act of 1826; The tale of the Captain's supper; Cessation of the River Watch.

Chapter 2:CONCEPTION OF THE RIVER WEAR WATCH (1839 - 1840)

Sunderland and the River Wear; Disquiet by Shipowners over lack of River Watch; Formation of temporary Private Watch by Shipowners; Proposed creation of permanent Watch; Opposition from the Town Council; Compromise reached; Passage of the River Wear Watch Act of 1840.

Chapter 3:ESTABLISHMENT OF THE RIVER WEAR WATCH (1840)

Inaugural meeting of the River Wear Watch Commissioners; Appointment of Commissioners; Functions of the Commission; Arming of the Watch; Superintendent of the Watch; Duties of River Police Constables; Conditions of Service; Levy of the River Wear Watch Rate.

Chapter 4:THE EARLY YEARS (1840 - 1859)

Appointment of Superintendent Brown; Ralph Annison appointed Inspector; Captains of the Watch; Boatmen; The evils of drink; Vessels adrift; The Great Ice Rush; Patrolling the river; The scourge of fire; First firefloat enters service; Fires ashore; Wear Engine 'B'; Great fire at Newcastle and Gateshead; Initial effects of the Watch; Preservation of life; Hazards of waterfront duty: Death of P.C. Newby Wilson at Wylam Wharf; Drowning of P.C. Robert Heird at North Dock; Death of Borough P.C. Grey - Was it murder?; Existence of Watch Commission under threat; Problems with collection of Watch Rate; Incidental remuneration; Policing the South Dock; End of employment of Constables on seasonal basis; Pay of the River Police; Relationship with the Borough Police.

Chapter 5:THE ERA OF INSPECTOR NATHANIEL ALLAN (1860 - 1875)

Nathaniel Allan appointed Inspector; Reorganisation of Watch duties by Superintendent Stainsby; Rules and Regulations; The pay of the River Police; Statistics of work undertaken, 1864/65; Collection of Watch Rate by R.W.C. and the policing of South Dock; Serious incidents and occurrences: Attempt to blow up stationary engine at South Dock; Murder off the Durham Coast - A question of jurisdiction; Fire hose turned upon crowd during visit of French frigate, 'La Danae'; The hazards of Cholera; P.C. Benjamin Wilton drowned in South Dock; Death of Constable William Hird; Danger at the Docks; Conflict with the Coastguard; Alleged manslaughter at South Dock; New Police Station at Bodlewell Lane; Acquisition of steam firefloat, 'Fire Queen'; Charles Kidson appointed as Clerk to the River Wear Watch Commissioners; Untimely Resignation of Inspector Allan.

Chapter 6:THE WATCH UNDER INSPECTOR JAMES LAKIN (1875 - 1899)

Appointment of Inspector James Lakin; Superintendents of the Watch; New physical requirements; Pay and allowances; New Clerk to the Commissioners; Proposed transfer of the Watch; Friction with the Borough Police; Firefloats; The second 'Fire Queen'; Steam launch, 'Patrol'; A river pirate named Thompson; Murder in the Roads; Some notable rescues; Sad drowning incident off Roker; Explosion on board the schooner, 'Thelma'; Great fires: The day the Wear caught fire; The Wear Patent Fuel Works fire of 1891; Death of two police officers in East End warehouse collapse; The Havelock House fire; Serious fire on board Greek steamer in Hendon Dock; Fires at Southwick; The role of salvor; A chapter of accidents; Salvage of 'S.S. Lero'; Collision involving 'S.S. Surbiton'; Sinking of the 'County of Durham'.

Chapter 7:THE END OF THE LAKIN ERA (1900 - 1913)

The Commissioners look to the future; The 'Fire King'; Esparto Grass fire on board 'S.S. Ella Sayer'; Men entombed in fire on board 'S.S. Lavinia Westoll'; 'S.S. Craigearn' - another Esparto fire; The third 'Fire Queen'; Crime on the Wear; Fatal Stabbing at No. 21 Staith; Bizarre drowning cases; Mysterious death of Inspector James Lakin; Appointment of Inspector John Rochford.

Chapter 8:THE GREAT WAR PERIOD (1914 - 1918)

War restrictions; 'S.S. Startforth' fired upon in Wear by Territorial Army; Detective Sergeant George Royal - Alien enemy?; The new steam launch, 'Patrol', Frederick Crawley appointed Superintendent; Enemy action against Sunderland; Captain George Butchart; Recognition of bravery of Sub Inspector William Humble; Willcox Bros. appointed as Superintending Engineers; Wartime finances; Three major waterside fires; The Watch's finest hour - Fire on board 'S.S. Hornsey'; Service to King and Country.

Chapter 9:BETWEEN THE WARS (1919 - 1939)

Reorganisation of Watch duties; John Caffrey V.C.; Post-war pay award; Proposed Corporation takeover of the Watch; Contraction of the Force; The River Wear Watch Bill; Hostile reaction to the new Watch Rate; Fine work by firefloats at serious timber fire; Continuance of anti-Watch crusade by John Edward Dawson; Police box system applied to the Watch; Floating H.Q. for the Watch; Motor launches 'Vigilante' and 'Vigilant'; End of the Kidson era; Special Watching and foam generators for firefighting; The River Wear Watch Rate again; Sergeant Engineer Hamp; The Depression years; The embarrassing tale of the 'J.E.D.'; Superintendent Ruddick replaced by George Henry Cook.

Chapter 10:THE SECOND WORLD WAR YEARS (1939 - 1945)

Controversy over attendance of firefloats at land fires; Agreement with Sunderland Corporation concerning use of firefloats; R.W.C. Air Raid Precautions; Effects of war; Death of Constable Page; Powers to increase Watch Rate; Extraneous duties of war; Rescues, drownings and bodies; Resurgence of the 'Fire King' and 'Fire Queen'; Binns' Stores gutted during air raid; Formation of the National Fire Service (N.F.S.); Wartime salvage duties; Nights to remember - May, 1943. 

Chapter 11:THE EARLY POST-WAR PERIOD (1945 - 1953)

A new Clerk to the Commissioners; Launch facilities granted to the Port Health Authority; The search for a new headquarters; Acquisition of 'Pikes' No. 10'; The end of the road for the 'Manual'; Steam launch replaced by new motor launch; Retirement of Inspector Rochford; Visit of German Waterways Police Chiefs; Post-war salvage duties; Fire at R.W.C. Workshops, South Docks; Fire on board 'M.V. British Navigator' at Manor Quay; Assistance to shipwrecked survivors; Offbeat duties; Financial matters; Report of the Docks and Inland Waterways Executive.

Chapter 12:DEMISE OF THE WATCH (1954 - 1959)

New moves to secure Corporation takeover of the Watch; Rejection of Watch Commissioners' proposal by Sunderland Corporation; The River Wear Commissioners become involved; Tripartite meeting; Meeting of Corporation and R.W.C. representatives; Counsel's opinion sought by R.W.C.; Drastic economies; The final nail in the coffin; Pay and allowances; New Inspector and Clerk to the Watch; Statistics of occurrences, 1954 - 1959; Royal Humane Society Certificate awarded to P.C. Joseph Dunn; Serious outbreaks of fire at Bartrams and Joplings; Salvage of the 'Cornhill' and 'Wear Hopper No. 34'; Unorthodox duties; Police, fire and salvage services on the Tees and Tyne.

Chapter 13:DISSOLUTION OF THE WATCH (1960 - 1966)

Wheels of dissolution set in motion; The River Wear Watch (Dissolution) Act, 1961; Premature resignations; Rescue of the crew of fishing vessel, 'Janet'; The mystery of the rotting torso; Assistance to 'M.V. Mogen' by 'Fire Queen'; The final rescues; The closing day; Disposal of craft; The compensation issue; Final meeting of the River Wear Watch Commission.

Chapter 14:POST-WATCH POLICING AND FIREFIGHTING ON THE WEAR
(1961 - 1998)

Sunderland Borough Police (1961 - 1967); Durham Constabulary (1967 - 1974); Northumbria Police (1974 - 1998); Underwater Search Unit and Diver Training (1959 - 1998); Air Support Unit (1989 - 1998); Sunderland Borough Fire Brigade (1961 - 1974); Auxiliary Fire Service (1949 - 1968); Tyne and Wear Metropolitan Fire Brigade (1974 - 1998).