Once upon a time barking was once known as Britain’s busiest fishing port. In
1850 Barking was home to more than 200 boats and there were at least 220
fishing smacks that were leaving Barking, the crew’s number altogether was
roughly around eight men and boys making it one of the largest fishing fleets in
the world. Because barking was Britain’s busiest fishing port all types of
businesses that were supporting the fishing industry stared to appear. Business
such as sail makers, mast makers, pork cask makers, net makers, knitters of
fishermen's sweaters makers, makers of waterproof clothing and boots and many
more and all these business where very successful due to barking being Britain’s
busiest fishing port. Also because barking was filled with boots and men the
Royal Navy employed the fisher men in time of war. But the great barking golden
age did not last for long as ended in the 1860s when the Short Blue Fleet was
moved over to Gorleston in Norfolk. But the Hewett’s family retained a ship
repair yard at Barking until 1899, when it became the epicentre of a devastating
boiler explosion which killed ten people. When the fish industry left Barking in
1860’s people started to struggle because back in those days women were not
allowed to work and women had to stay at home to clean, look after the children
and do other house chores and most of the men who live in barking where
fishermen so in order for people in barking to survive Barking had to find a new
industry to fall into because many men where jobless and had nothing to support
their families. In 1866, Barking was able introduce to the largest jute works in the
world opened in Fisher Street, employing women and children to make mail
sacks from jute imported from India.
Barking jute industry
After barking golden age of fishing ended the Jute Industry was the saviour of
barking residence as it provided the local women and children of barking in the
form of sack sewing. The jute works was in Fisher Street and a cruel blow was
struck. The cloths were cut to a certain size in the factory and then it was carried
home along with hanks of tarred twine. The sacks had been sewn at home by the
women and then either later that day or the next day depending on when they
got it, was returned back to the factory for payment. The Barking Jute Works,
sometimes were also referred to as the Abbey Works, it was established by a
man named Mr Thomas Duff in 1866, on the east bank of the River Roding at the
southern end of Fisher Street. Because the manufacturing process was unheard
of by the southerners, workers were brought in from places such as Dundee. In
1891 when it was closed down for good after a number of problems from
previous years, and a variety of relief measures were brought into operation by
the Church Council, otherwise these poor and unfortunate residences of barking
would have had a difficult time and struggle.
Sources
http://barkingdagenhamlocalhistory.net/page2.html
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