Report upon inquiry as to the truth or otherwise of certain allegations contained in a memorial from the vicar and other inahbitants of Barking, in the county of Essex, calling attention to the pollution of the river Thames by the discharge of sewage through the Northern Main Outfall Sewer of the Metropolitan Board of Works / by Robert Rawlinson... together with minutes of proceedings, abstract, and index.
- Robert Rawlinson
- Date:
- 1870
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report upon inquiry as to the truth or otherwise of certain allegations contained in a memorial from the vicar and other inahbitants of Barking, in the county of Essex, calling attention to the pollution of the river Thames by the discharge of sewage through the Northern Main Outfall Sewer of the Metropolitan Board of Works / by Robert Rawlinson... together with minutes of proceedings, abstract, and index. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.
29/154 (page 7)
![167. You do not know that that thing is called a dredger ?—No, certainly not. 168. You say you used to fill your water-vessels, and drink the water at the mouth of the creek ?—Yes ; we used to cook all our victuals in it at sea after having the water aboard for eight or nine weeks. 169. You took the water from the Thames at the mouth of the creek ?—Yes, before this sewage came there. 170. You know that all the sewage of London was in that water then ?—I do not know about that ; we could dip our buckets at low water and fill our buckets with it, and that would be as clear as what is in that bottle now (referring to a sample produced by Horsley). 171. You do not remember the Thames being foul before the sewage was brought down ?—I do not know anything about the Thames, I only know about Barking Creek; I am not supposed to know about the Thames. Anything you ask me I will tell you what I cau, and I will tell you no stories, for I have come here to tell you the truth, and I am doing so. 172. {The Commissioner.) Will you listen to this. In this paper which has been printed there are some statements made by some Barking gentlemen, who say that there are banks within a few hundred yards of the houses of some of your memorialists composed of solid sewage, six, eight, and 10 feet deep. Do you know any place in Barking Creek where there is sewage of that depth ?—I can assure you that there is a great deal outside the Horse End. 173. That is not in Barking Creek ?—It is the entrance. 174. This allegation says that there is sewage 6, 8, and 10 feet deep ?—It is not there. 175. Where is it? — I do not know where it is 10 feet deep. 176. You do not know of any such deposit ?—No, but I know there is a great deal of filth there ; too much for health. I have had it in my hands when I have been hauling the ropes, when we have been pulling up our anchor. 177. You do not know of any 10 feet depth of sewage ?—No, I do not; and I shall not say if I don't. If I did know it I should very soon say so, but there is a great deal out there that ought not to be there. 178. You know nothing of that 10 feet ?—No, nor nobody else don't, and that is more. 179. It is also stated in allegation No. 2, that there are 11 feet of water less in the Thames ; do you think that is true ?—I do not know about the Thames; I am speaking about the mouth of the creek. 180. Do you think there is a bar—that the Thames is blocked by a bar, and that there is 11 feet less water ?—There is no bar there; there are two folds of mud on both sides that stop a boat going out of the creek at low water. (Mr. Brady.) He said that formerly, before the sewage was taken there, a barge could get out at low water, whereas now a barge's boat only can get FIRST DAY. out. ( Witness.) That is right. Edward Pyner. 181. (The Commissioner.) Do you think that five 21 june ]869 years ago a barge could go out of the creek at low water ?—Five years ago I dare say she might, but she cannot now, and she could not two years ago. 182. I suppose these conservators of the Thames ought to know all about it?—I do not know anything about their business. I know nothing at all about them, I am sure. I only tell you what I have seen them doing. I have seen them lowing up and down measuring the shore this last summer. 183. Do you know anything at all about this irriga- tion by sewage ?—-No, I do not. 184. Do you know anything about the state of things at the time when they let the London sewage out into the Thames ; have you ever been down there then ?— No ; I was only down there once in my life ; this side I have been down thousands of times. 185. Is there any bad smell comes from those manufactories on the banks of the creek or the Thames ?—No, that manufactory at creek's mouth is a very good manufactory ; there are lots of cattle about there, and they get as fat as moles. 186. On the grass ?—Yes, if it was bad they would very soon die. 187. Near the patent manure-making works? — That is the place I am talking about. 188. The cattle get fat there ?—They get as fat as moles, and right in the very marsh, where this is built. If you go and turn in a skinny beast in less than six weeks you can go and have it poleaxed. 189. Did they ever catch whitebait off the mouth of the creek ?—Yes they did a good many years back, but not lately. 190. They do not catch any now ?—No. 191. (Mr. Philbrick.) You are sure of that ?— Yes, quite sure. 192. There was some caught last week ?—Not at the mouth of the creek. 193. Very near it?—Yes, it might be a score of miles off. 194. You do not call a score of miles very near ?— Oh yes, you do. I have been in this very Barking Creek and catched bushels and bushels of fish in a net, but now you cannot go and get one. 195. (The Commissioner.) Did you ever lie in a vessel alongside your own quay here ?—Yes, plenty of times. 196. Did the sewage of the town of Barking ever annoy you when there have been heavy rains ?—No. 197. It never stank ?—Only the dung they bring up in barges, that is a complete nuisance. 198. That is landed there ?—Yes. 199. Is that a nuisance ?—Of course it is, not to me, because I do not live there, but it is to other people. 200. Is there much dung brought up ?—Not much. 201. Is there any conveyed by railway?—Yes, a good deal, it lies at times on the quay. (A voice.) It does not lie on the quay at all. Mr. John C, 202. (The Commissioner.) Are you a resident in Barking ?—Yes. 203. Of what business are you ?—I am a smack- owner. 204. Did you sign the memorial of which I hold a copy in my hand ?—No. 205. Did you hear me read it ?—Yes. 206. Do you know at all whether the main channel of the Thames has been affected to the extent of 11 feet ?—I could not say that. 207. Do you know whether there are banks of sewage 8 or 10 feet deep near the houses of any of the memorialists ?—I never saw any. 208. Do you know as to the tonnage of vessels that formerly came up, and that now come up to Barking ? —I know there were very large vessels that came ash called. Mr_ j_ quus/i up, but as to the amount of tonnage or the burthen I **— cannot speak to. 209. The memorial says that in former days it was no uncommon thing for a vessel of 200 tons to 250 tons burthen to be brought up the creek to the port of Barking ; the port is now closed to all such vessels ? —I should say I have seen a vessel of 200 tons there myself. 210. How many years ago ?—I should think the Mother Goose was 200 tons which used to trade for Mr. Burrell. 211. How many years ago ?—14 perhaps. 212. Would she come up with her full load or full cargo then ?—Yes. 213. Do you think you could get a ship of 200 tons up now ?—I know I have a vessel of 11 feet draught](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24399346_0029.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
