Plymouth, Imports (Port of Plymouth)

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IMPORTS (Port of Plymouth)

Updated: 26 May 2011

In the past a wide selection of merchandise has been imported by sea into the Port of Plymouth. This included goods landed at Sutton Harbour and the Great Western Docks at Millbay.

During one week in October 1853 five vessels landed cattle from France; one ship landed raisins from Spain; two landed cheese and other goods from Holland; one landed wheat from Denmark and another a similar load from Prussia; the "Sophia" landed timber and deals from Russia while similar loads came from Norway and North America; and hides and tallow were landed from Buenos Ayres. It was also reported that France was no longer exporting potatoes, peas, beans and other dried vegetables to Britain, albeit on a temporary basis. [a]

Thirteen cargoes were unloaded in one week in December 1860. The "Emilie and Charles" unloaded wheat; the "Alliance" and the "Prince of Wales" brought in cattle, butter and potatoes; more potatoes and some onions were landed by the "Watersprite", the "Endora" and the Actif"; while the "Deaux Elissa" unloaded beans, all of them from France. Cheese, gin and wine was brought from Holland by the "Eliza Ann"; potatoes and other sundries from Prince Edward's Island were landed by the "Susan E" and there were loads of wheat and flour from the United States of America and Russia. At Millbay Docks 44 bullocks and 108 sheep from Cork, in Ireland, were landed by the "Ibis". [b]

Imports during 1877 included 23,500 tons of maize; 18,000 tons of wheat; 17,600 tons of barley; 15,000 tons of phosphate; 10,500 tons of pyrites; 10,000 barrels of petroleum; 8,000 tons of oats; 7,500 tons of potatoes; 7,200 tons of guano; 5,500 head of oxen; 5,000 tons of bones; 4,500 tons of nitrate of soda; 1,800 tons of codfish; and about 500 tons of oil cake.

During 1878, no less than 1,712 foreign-going vessels entered the port, mostly to off-load cargoes but some to effect repairs or await orders. Interestingly, only 83 vessels were steam ships, with a total registered tonnage of 7,445. Their visits were processed by the Harbour Master of Sutton Harbour, Captain W Evans, and the Harbour Master for Cattewater, Captain T T Short.

Much of the trade was purely coastal. Thus, in total, some 2,232 vessels had moored in the Cattewater during 1878. They totalled 234,264 tons. Sutton Harbour received 937 coastal vessels, totalling 69,906 tons, and 346 vessels from abroad, totalling 92,818 tons.

Business at the Great Western Docks was just as good, with 2,636 vessels berthing to discharge and receive cargoes. The net aggregate tonnage amounted to 606,291.

The cargoes landed in 1878 were:

155,000 loaves of sugar loaf from France;

28,480 tons of maize from America and the Black Sea;

26,120 tons of wheat from America and the Black Sea;

17,450 of barley from the Black Sea;

16,000 tons of guano from Peru;

14,000 tons of phosphate from Bull River, Portugal and Navassa;

10,870 barrels of petroleum from New York;

10,860 tons of oats from the Baltic and Prince Edward's Island;

10,180 tons of potatoes from France and Germany;

8,500 tons of pyrites from Huelva and Pomeron;

7,856 barrels of flour from America;

6,500 tons of nitrate of soda from Iquique;

6,400 sacks of flour from America;

5,760 tons of gypsum from France;

5,600 tons of bones from South America and other places;

4,350 head of oxen from Spain;

3,680 hundredweight of raw sugar from the West Indies;

2,200 tons of valonia from Smyrna;

about 1,300 tons of oil cake from America;

1,200 tons of ice from Norway;

1,000 tons of codfish from Labrador; and

930 cases of eggs from Spain.

Sources (incomplete):

[a] "Imports", Plymouth and Devonport Weekly Journal, Plymouth, October 20th 1853.

[b] "Local Intelligence: Imports", Plymouth, Devonport & Stonehouse Herald, Plymouth, December 22nd 1860.