Dockside jobs - rigger - erector

[Clive Farmer]

Greetings

I am researching THOMAS BEAN of HULL DOB 1887. I have found him on various crew lists in the period 1910 to 1920 , but have found an entry on Kelly's trade directory of 1922 offering his services as a SHIPPING RIGGER and then a record during WW2 when he was a volunteer warden describing him as a CHARGEMAN ERECTOR employed by BENNINGER LTD of HULL . I have no idea what these jobs entailed googling hasn't made me much wiser and I am hoping someone can advise me , and in particular whether they were shorebased jobs possibly loading and unloading ships at the Hull dockside or similar.

It seems likely that the Kelly's directory entry meant he was self employed whereas the Benninger entry clearly suggests he had become an employee

Clive Farmer

[Ivan Cloherty]

Hello Clive, Riggers are not used for discharging or loading cargo. Rigger can mean different things in different trades, even in the dockside systems.

Having sailed in and out of Hull on trawlers and in and out of Hull docks systems I can only speak from my own experience, others may be able to broaden the picture

In Hull's St Andrews Fish Dock, they boarded the inbound trawler as it entered the locks, thus allowing the crew more time ashore in their very short leave period. The riggers then manned the foc'le and poop to take up docking stations to tie the vessel up alongside the fish quay, they then rigged the derrick and manned the winch and guys to get the fish ashore in baskets, the baskets were loaded by 'bobbers' down the hold and handled ashore by bobbers. Upon completion of discharge the riggers would take the vessel to a lay-by berth and check over all the deck running gear, runners, topping lifts, stays, otter boards etc etc and renew or repair any that required doing so as directed by the owner's supt.

In Hull's main docks system where general cargo was handled their function was not dissimilar but they did not board in the locks. Some companies used riggers on what was known as 'dead ships' where the arrival crew had paid off and a new crew had not boarded, that happened for a number of reasons, the vessel was going into drydock at that port or undergoing lengthy repairs. In that event the riggers topped and lowered the derricks to stevedores requirements, changed cargo runners and other running gear as necessary, opened and closed hatches, moved hold beams on main decks and tween decks, two to four were always kept on board to to alter guys and attend to moorings during discharge, If the vessel was moving into drydock or repair berth a gang of 8 - 10 riggers would be on board to handle mooring ropes and fenders until vessel was secure on her blocks or fast alongside the repair berth.

Chargeman erector was normally working on steel structures in buildings, but were also used when erecting or repairing dockside cranes, but riggers handled the wires(demarcation rules!)

Some of the lads on here have worked as riggers and steel erectors so will broaden the scope of the foregoing

[Charlie Hannah]

Spot on Ivan,Basically A rigger did most of the Jobs the A.B.s did they also did a lot of lashing cargo,also when a ship was doing the Manchester canal run we would drop all derricks and lower the top mast & Jumbo's and lash them down,On some ships the funnel was taken ashore and picked up on return. on one ship as a 16 year old apprentice, Rigger I did the canal trip.For a young lad it was a great feeling ,sad to say it all came to a stop for me a discussion during that run between all the riggers, it was said that the company was claiming adult rates for the hire of a youngster. So on return i saw the Master Rigger Alf Bedford and requested i be paid the adult rate. you can guess yourself the answer i received.The riggers wanted to walk out to back me up,, but i refused i didn't want to see them loosing out they all had kids. The out come was i was confined to the loft . I didn't mind really what ever you were doing there had to do with seaman ship. The rigger did many jobs on vessels tied along side the wharf and at anchor! Cheers.

[Doc Vernon]

Just info if its him?


Print transcription 






First name(s)
THOMAS

Last name
BEAN

Gender
Male

Birth day
-

Birth month
-

Birth year
1887

Age
66

Death quarter
1

Death year
1953

District
Hull

County
Yorkshire

Volume
2A

Page
402

Country
England

Record set
England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007

Category
Life Events (BDMs)

Subcategory
Deaths & burials

Collections from
United Kingdom

[Doc Vernon]

Again only info possible?
Was he in the Army at all?


Print transcription View image






First name(s)
John Thomas

Last name
Bean

Age
28

Birth year
1887

Birth town
Newby

Birth county
Yorkshire

Birth country
England

Service number
104245

Regiment
Royal Engineers

Unit / Battalion
234th Field Companmy

Year
1915

Residence town
Darlington

Residence county
Durham

Residence country
England

Series
WO 363

Series description
Wo 363 - First World War Service Records 'Burnt Documents'

Archive
The National Archives

Record set
British Army Service Records

Category
Armed forces & conflict

Subcategory
First World War

Collections from
United Kingdom

[Clive Farmer]

Thanks to all .The details of the work of riggers is fascinating and very welcome . Re T Beans military service , there is no trace in the 1914-1918 period and other records show he was at sea for much of this period but he did service in mine sweeping May to Oct 1919 on the PANGBOURNE based on ATTENTIVE 11at Dover .service #mc1929 . Unfortunately I can find no detail of the Pangbournes activities online so far

Any more comments or info very welcome
Clive