NEWPORT BRANCH MEETING 2016 March 30.
The 1897 Newport Ferry Disaster (Monty Dart)
The town of Newport is divided into two by the river Usk. In the nineteenth century the town and particularly its industries were expanding rapidly. The river was, however, crossed by a single bridge and many of the workers for the east bank- particularly for Lysaghts Steel works and the new dry dock, both in process of construction, lived in digs on the west side. The journey between their accommodation and work place via the only bridge was a loop of several miles.
Monty Dart outlined to us how, after many years of deliberation, the council decided to set up a ferry link between the two banks. It was only a large rowing boat but did serve to transport the men across to their work and back.
On a foggy day in January 1897 the rower overloaded his vessel so as to avoid having to do an extra journey. Unfortunately when the boat was hit by the wash from a passing tug boat (the Albatross), which was excessively speeding, this caused panic in the passengers and when many of them stood up it caused the boat to capsize into the freezing water. Despite the rescue attempts by other tug boats seven of the sixteen men were lost.
Subsequently the council decided to built a permanent bridge at the site and in 1906 our famous Transporter Bridge was opened.
We are very grateful to Monty Dart who so vividly described for us this little known disaster.
Further detail can be found at