Nerve 16 - Liverpool Horse Power

The Carters and Working Horses of Liverpool

Liverpool Horse Power

From the commissioning of the first line of docks in 1710 right up to the early 1960s the Liverpool horse was a common sight, and the prosperity of the port depended largely on their strength and willingness.

Liverpool had the reputation of possessing the finest carthorses in the country. This was due to the city being surrounded by the fertile farming areas of Cheshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire and Shropshire, all ideal places for nurturing huge strong horses.

With the great boom in trade in the 1800s men and horses from the countryside poured into Liverpool seeking work and this influx gave work to other businesses. The city horses were stabled far from green fields, so huge amounts of grain and hay were imported from the country areas as well as from overseas. The vast amount of manure produced was then taken back to the country to assist in growing the feed for the city horses. A whole section of the community became entirely dependent on the city horse as the ancillary trades of Farriers, Blacksmiths, Harness makers and Wagon builders mushroomed.

Feed for the day for horses was usually between 14-20 lbs of a mixture of oats, chopped beans with a little of bran, maize or linseed. This mixture called chop or provender was delivered by the forage merchants in huge sacks or bought in bulk and mixed by stable staff.

The iron horse shoes of these Liverpool carthorses weighed 2½ lbs each shoe; the granite setts of the road they walked on made many horses ‘leg weary’ and due to the heavy work they tended to slide their feet rather than lift them. This meant new shoes were needed every 3 – 6 weeks.

If a horse was sick or needed shoeing the Carters would work together and use a spare horse. Each horse had its own number and name, such as Barn Owl, Daredevil, Inkspot and Bluebottle to name only a few. Horses were used in the fire brigade and even for funerals, pulling the Hearse. Pony and traps would make the postal and milk deliveries, while bakeries and factories would have their own teams, or small independent Carters with their own horse. Coal merchants bagged their own coal into sacks then used the massive horse and cart to make their deliveries.

Before the Second World War horses were stabled along docks from Garston in the south to Bootle in the north. Every neighbourhood had its own stable, with many Carters having their own horse. Stables could be as large as the three storey buildings of Liverpool Cartage Co. in Grafton Street, with lorries on ground floor, horses on first floor and hay and provender on top floor. One of the smallest stables could be a single stall shed behind a terraced house, where the horse was taken through the front door, down the passage and out of the back door to the stable.

The working week lasted Monday to Saturday lunchtime, a total of 66 hrs a week. Horses had to rest and be cared for on a Sunday, so a rota was fixed for this in all stables. To work Sunday was a bonus, and meant five shillings extra. The rule though was ‘married men only’.

Liverpool’s Carters and their horses were famous for moving heavier loads than was common elsewhere, yet the men also had a good reputation for the treatment of their animals.

Liverpool Retired Carter’s Association: Ethel Wooding (Treasurer), Harry Wooding, Norman Taylor, Joe Magee, Billy Murphy, Tucker Wingberg, Bobby Sargeant, Billy Fitzpatrick, Jimmy Doran, Joe Hartley (Chairman).

One of the skills of the Carters was to watch they didn’t get their cart too close to the back of the one in front, especially if the load was of sugar or chick peas, otherwise the lead horse would have his teeth into a bag at the first chance.

In the streets of Liverpool during this period the carts were constantly moving in all directions with their deliveries. There was a constant hub of noise, clipping of hooves, neighing horses and clanging from the steel rims of the wheels on the carts. At their peak it is estimated that 20,000 horses worked on the streets, more than in any other city outside of London. During the Second World War the Liverpool Carters and their horses maintained the vital link between the docks and the city, keeping food and raw materials moving during, and after, the devastation of bombing.

Many people only remember the huge horses, decorated with their fine brasses, ribbons and flowers when they walked in the Mayor’s May Day parade. But the horse was a vital part of our city’s heritage and was instrumental in placing Liverpool second most prominent port next to London.

It could be said that Liverpool was built on the back of horses and that their important role in the city’s history should be properly celebrated. For the past 10 years, the Liverpool Retired Carter’s Association have campaigned for this, and as a result, a life size bronze statue of a working horse was unveiled at the Albert Dock, Liverpool on 1 May 2010; this date is significant, as it was the traditional date for the May Day Horse parade.

The eight foot sculpture, called ‘Waiting’ is mounted on a plinth, accompanied by information on the history of the working horse; a fitting monument to honour the city’s hard working dock horses and Carters that worked in our city for 250 years.

In memory of my grandfather: Arthur Adams 1858-1928. Carter.

Notes taken from William Brown Library: The Cart Horse on the Quay By Edward N Clark (1989), A Countryside Publication.
Also: www.scottiepress.org
Image from: Sharon Brown of National Museums Liverpool

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Comments:

Comment left by lesley on 20th October, 2010 at 21:11
hi i am looking for some information about a william treble who was a carter in the 30s or 40s i know he was killed saving a childs life i am now at a dead end all the information i can find is about the scotland road carters i feel so proud ov them for all there dedication in all weathers please can u help yours lesley

Comment left by Billy Fitzpatrick on 1st November, 2010 at 16:59
Looking Forward to May 1st m2011

Comment left by Anne (Nee Jackson) on 31st May, 2011 at 21:43
All my dad's family were carters, The Jackson family. Living in Leadon St, the stables were down the road. They were Frank, Jimmy, Tommy (and wives) and sons Jimmy Frank (my dad) and their cousins Arthur and Tommy. Does anyone have any further information or could direct me where to go to get more information please? I would love to have more information about a dearly loved family and I was raised on "stable" stories of favourate horses called Brother and Sister. Thankyou.

Comment left by Alan Brassey on 13th October, 2011 at 17:18
My Grandmother 'Ma Cater' had a shop on Smith Street, Kirkdale upto 1955 and the carters from the haulage company in Whittle Street would buy their cigarettes, etc before or after work. I on many occasions would accompany the carters to the docks and warehouses on Saturdays or when on school holidays.

Comment left by Albert Martin on 11th November, 2011 at 16:18
I was picked up by George Summner the runner for The Liverpool Cartage Co and taken yo husskisson dock to load trailers for the Scammel Horses. After 2 days of this George asked me if I would take a team of horses in Grafton St.This I did and finished up with "Jackie and Prince"a team of dapple grey shires.The horse keeper was Sammy Robinson and I think I am right in saying that Dick Benson was the only coloured carter in L,pool,I once commented on the fact that his horse named "Velvet"had a nice shine to its coat and he said"All Black things shine son".Some times when we were working the north end docks the counter off would say"Sett up Carter and we would leave the waggon and load at the dock and take the horses home,in a case like that we would stable the horses at Cotton St. I worked for G,D,&Son,Thomas Harrison &son,William Harper &son.Horse Keepers;Billy Turner(waleoil)Harpers,Bill Parker Harrisons,Sammy Robinson Lpool Cartage.Sammy Marsh GD&S Runners;John Spencer,Freddie Moss,George Summner.

Comment left by Rita Curtis (nee Robson) on 14th November, 2011 at 17:09
I am researching my family tree and found that my Great Grandfather, George Robson, was a Carter and team owner around 1901.

Comment left by donna Lee on 8th December, 2011 at 15:59
Hi My Grandad and his father where Carters. Joseph Lee from Scotland Rd the Bootle...My Nans family Cassidy where also Carters and I think her relation was a Bainbridge

Comment left by mattymays on 22nd December, 2011 at 3:11
hi www.catalystmedia.org.uk-ers merry xmas to all of you - matt-mays

Comment left by j gerrard on 22nd January, 2012 at 10:44
hi my father was a carter when he come back from ww1 and his brother,they were well known on the dock road like all dockers they looked after each other.thats when men were men

Comment left by Jay Jones on 27th February, 2012 at 19:50
My great Grandfather,Tom Jones, was a carter who lived in Foley Street,Kirkdale.I'm not too sure of the date(s),sometime in the mid 1800s I think.

Comment left by Michael Stratton on 29th February, 2012 at 16:15
Hello, My Mam's side of thefamily were Carters then Motor Wagon Drivers. The family name is Meredith.My G/Grandad James Highton Meredith,had two teams of horses,think they were stabled in Back Great Mersey Street.Which I think were co-owned with the Barnes Family. James H.Meredith died in 1926,his son James Meredith lived in Luther Street,Everton and went on to work at Goddards in Litherland as a driver. Any help with finding info on more info on this Carter would be appriated,Thanks

Comment left by Billy Fitzpatrick on 26th March, 2012 at 9:45
Are we so Quickly Forgotten? We worked so hard With Jim Doran (Deceased).To have a Monument Installed to To the Carters and Horses.Let not that Memory Fade...Billy

Comment left by Peter Bedson on 30th March, 2012 at 13:57
In reference to Albert Martin although my name is BeDson my mum was a BeNson and Dick was her grandfather and was supposedly Liverpool's only black carter. There used to be a large picture of him with his horse velvet in the old Liverpool Life Museum but not sure what happened to this when the old museum closed and the new one opened. Shame as it was a good exhibition even if i am a bit biased

Comment left by Sharon Brown on 23rd April, 2012 at 14:00
Hello Peter - there is a photo of Dick Benson in the new Museum of Liverpool plus lots of other information and images of Liverpool Carters. There is an event celebrating May Parades at the Museum of Liverpool on 1st May 2012, between 11am and 3pm - see www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk for more details. Thanks, Sharon Brown, Curator, Museum of Liverpool and Secretary, Liverpool Carters Working Horse Monument Fund

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