Goole - History

History

The Dutch civil engineer Cornelius Vermuyden diverted the River Don northwards to the River Ouse in 1626-1629 to drain the marshland of Hatfield Chase at the behest of King Charles I. This also made the lower Don navigable for small barges so that coal from the South Yorkshire Coalfields could be transported to "Goole" at the new mouth of the Don (or "Dutch River") for transfer to seagoing vessels.

The Aire and Calder Navigation Company opened their broad canal from Knottingley in the northern sector of the coalfield in 1826, together with eight transshipment docks at Goole and a company-built town. This gave rise to several innovations in materials handling by the chief engineer, William Hamond Bartholomew. In 1863 he introduced the Tom Pudding system of compartment boats which could each carry around 40 long tons (41,000 kg) of coal. In the docks, Bartholomew introduced large boat hoists which could lift the Puddings and discharge directly into seagoing ships which exported the coal to all parts of the world. These managed to compete with rail and were used until 1985.

For most of the life of the port, coal has been the dominant commodity handled. Another commodity associated with the mining industry was pit props. These were traditionally stored floating in the water at the Timber Pond. With the decline of the mining industry, pit props are no longer imported and the Timber Pond is now a marina trading under the name Goole Boathouse. It has berths for 150 boats and is the largest inland waterway marina in Yorkshire.

Three locks keep the water in 37 acres (150,000 m2) of docks at a constant depth of six metres by preventing the level from rising and falling with the tides in the River Ouse. Ships and barges entering the port must first pass through the locks. Once inside, there are eight docks with a total of three miles (5 km) of quayside at which they can berth. Besides the docks are transit sheds where cargo is stored, many of which are equipped with overhead cranes. Goole has regular cargo liner services to Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Spain, Morocco and South Africa. There is also trade by charter vessel to and from many other countries, including Russia, Denmark and Italy. Cargo from other parts of the world such as United States of America, China and Australia reaches Goole by transshipment services from Rotterdam.

When Goole first opened as a port it was a small new village of about 450 people. Now it is a small town with about 18,000 inhabitants.

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway built a line from Pontefract and Wakefield in 1848 and the North Eastern Railway connected with Doncaster and Hull in 1870. The prosperity from the coal and general cargo trade with the West Riding industrial area continued for 150 years after the opening of the canal. After a period of decline, these commodities were more than replaced by containers, the export of steel and the import of timber from north-eastern Europe. The two original 1826 docks, along with all six others built later, are still in full operation. Goole railway station is on the Sheffield to Hull Line and is the terminus of the Pontefract Line.

Glass and clothing are produced in Goole and it is the focus of an agricultural district.