Richard
Salmon came from humble origins. He became a Licensed Thames Waterman and later
owned six barges. He was also the publican at Long Reach Tavern on Dartford Marshes
for over 30 years. This biography was written with the assistance of Colin
Williams and Alan Smith, who are descended from Richard.
Richard
was born on March 25th 1843 in St Mary Cray. His parents were
Richard (a labourer) and Matilda Salmon (the birth certificate shows that Matilda
was illiterate). They were both born in Woolwich and had four other children,
all girls. Richard was baptised on August 6th 1848 at St Paul’s
Cray. The 1851 census shows Richard (aged 42, a labourer) and Matilda (aged 30)
living in Eltham with their children Eliza (14), Isabella (12), Emma (10),
Richard (8) and Jane (4). From these ages, it seems that Matilda was only about
16 when she had her first child.
The
family moved to Dartford after the 1851 census. Richard Salmon (senior) died there
on December 16th 1853, when his son was aged 10. Richard’s death
certificate says that he died at his home in Plough Court, Dartford aged 47 of
dropsy. This is an old term for the swelling of soft tissues due to the
accumulation of excess water and can be caused by congestive heart failure. Plough
Court was in a road that was then called Waterside and is now called Lower
Hythe Street. A large scale 1868 map shows that Plough Court consisted of a
terrace of small cottages. In the 1800s, this area of Dartford, which was near the
Wharves on Dartford Creek, contained overcrowded housing with poor sanitation.
Plough Court no longer exists, its site is now occupied by a building supplies yard.
Dartford Creek is the name given to the tidal section of the River Darent,
about 2.5 miles long, which connects Dartford to the River Thames.
I
expect that Matilda and her children would have found life hard after Richard’s
death. Isabella Salmon died in 1854 aged 15. Burial records record show that
she died in Dartford Workhouse. Eliza Salmon (Matilda’s eldest daughter)
married William Goodhew, a waterman, in 1855. Richard Salmon, aged 16, was
apprenticed to him in 1859.
By
1861, Matilda’s family were living in a property next to the Phoenix beerhouse
(named after the nearby Phoenix paper mill) in Waterside, Dartford. The house,
which no longer exists, was opposite Plough Court. The census that year shows
Matilda aged 41, a paper mill labourer, with her children Emma (20) and Jane
(14) plus her nephew William Heather (6). Richard Salmon is shown aged 18, a
mate on the New Phoenix, a 30 tonne sailing barge based at Dartford and
employed on the mill paper trade. The ship was in Dartford Creek on the night
of the census. The other person aboard was Alfred Francis Gee, aged 26, the
ship’s master. The 1861 census shows that a significant number of men living in
Waterside worked as watermen and lightermen. Soon after the census, Richard’s
sister Emma died aged 20. The following year (1862) his sister Jane died aged
16. It must have been a grim time for the family.
Richard
became a Licensed Thames Waterman and Lighterman in 1865. In the 1800s, boats
were often used for transporting heavy goods. In 1839, a group of local
landowners and businesses proposed a scheme to improve the Dartford and Crayford
Creeks by dredging and making cuts to straighten the channel. They applied to
Parliament for authority to do the work and the Act for this was passed in
1840. The work was completed in 1844 and
led to a large increase in the amount of traffic1. Even after the
improvements, Dartford Creek was only navigable to vessels with a shallow draft.
Large boats would sail along the Thames to its junction with the River Darent and
moor there. Materials for Dartford would be transferred by lightermen to barges
which were then sailed and/or pulled up Dartford Creek to wharves, where the
barges would be unloaded. The process would be reversed to export goods from
Dartford. In 1895 a lock was built near the Dartford end of the Creek. This
enabled water levels at the wharves to be maintained at low tide, making
loading and unloading of the barges more efficient and led to a further
increase of traffic on the Creek. Trade later declined, as road transport
became quicker and cheaper. Dartford Creek is no longer used to transport
goods, the wharves have all closed and the lock is derelict.
On September
30th 1866, Richard married Sarah Morris at Bromley St Leonard
Church, Poplar in East London. He was aged 23 and his occupation is shown as
“waterman.” She was born in Dartford and aged 20 years 9 months (although the
certificate says that she was of full age, meaning 21). Sarah was illiterate –
she was not able to sign her name. One of the witnesses was Richard’s only
surviving sister, Eliza Goodhew. Richard and Sarah went on to have eight
children (8 boys and 2 girls). Their names were Sarah Ann (b 1869), Richard
William (b 1871), John Henry (b 1873), William Cyril (b 1874), Walter David (b
1876), Albert Edward (b 1879), Ernest Charles (b 1881) and Beatrice Ellen (b
1884).
Hourglass family tree of Richard
Salmon
The
1871 census shows Richard (aged 28, a navigator), Sarah (25, a rag cutter at a
paper mill) and their daughter Sarah (2) living at 42 Heath Lane, Dartford. This
property was half way along Heath Street on the south side, next to the
Salutation beershop. The building no longer exists, the Phoenix Place housing
development is on its site.
Sometime
between 1874 and 1881, Richard Salmon became landlord of Long Reach Tavern.
This inn opened in the late 1780s2. It was in isolated position on the
marshes, about 2.5 miles from Dartford and looked out over the River Thames,
about 250 yards from its junction with Dartford Creek. It was brick built and
was approached from the river by a landing stage. In the basement there was a
kitchen, scullery and cellar for beer and wine. The ground floor consisted of a
small bar, tap room, public parlour and pantry. The first floor had three
bedrooms and a sitting room. The second floor contained four bedrooms. The inn
was entered via a bridge that led from the top of the river embankment and was
frequented by watermen working on Dartford Creek. It was not connected to a
supply of drinking water, which was supplied to the tavern in barrels.
Long Reach Tavern in 1936
The 1881
census shows Richard, aged 38, a licensed victualler and waterman, living at
Long Reach Tavern. Also listed are his
wife Sarah (35) and their children Sarah (11), Richard (9), John (8), William
(6), David (5) and Albert (1) as well as a lodger.
All six
of Richard’s sons were apprenticed to their father and became Licensed Thames
Watermen and Lightermen3. The Mersea Museum website shows that Richard
owned six sailing barges that were recorded in the Mercantile Navy Lists. The
names of the barges were Ben, Eliza, Elizabeth, Four Brothers, Henry and Lydia.
This fleet handled trade along Dartford and Crayford Creek and also brought
commodities from London. Sometimes the barges were used to transport horse
manure collected from London streets to Dartford and Thameside farmers2.
Sailing barges on Dartford Creek
(1913)
In
1891, those living at “Long Reach Hotel” were Richard Salmon (48, barge owner),
his wife Sarah (45) and their children Sarah (22), Richard (19, apprentice
lighterman), John (18, apprentice on barge), William (16, works with father’s
barge), David (15), Albert (10), Ernest (8) and Beatrice (6).
Joyce
Green Hospital, on Dartford marshes, was used to treat smallpox patients that
were brought downstream from London. The hospital isolated patients on old
ships (called Endymion, Atlas and Castilia) that were moored near the Long
Reach Tavern from 1884 to 1903. One day, a woman patient attempted to reach out
from one of these hulks to talk to Richard Salmon in his boat, when he was
delivering supplies. Richard was concerned that he may have been infected with
smallpox and so returned to the Tavern immediately, where he isolated himself
until he was sure that he didn’t have the disease2. The 1894/5
report of the hospital’s Medical Superintendent contained the following item, which
relates to a different occasion:
The Contractor for Household Coal
and Coke has employed Salmon of Long Reach Tavern to deliver his consignments.
A barge load of coal arrived on Saturday last in charge of his two sons. They
both refused vaccination. As these men live on the river bank and gain access
to the Hospital by boat, it is practically impossible to keep them off the
premises. I recommend therefore that the Clerk to the Board be instructed to
write to the Contractor and point out to him that he holds his contract on the
condition that men employed by him shall submit to vaccination and that this
condition is not being complied with.
The
winter of 1895 was unusually cold and Dartford Creek was frozen for 6 weeks.
There were also large chunks of ice in the Thames Estuary, which restricted
trade on the river2. In January 1896, Richard saved a man who had
fallen overboard from a barge into the Thames. The rescue required a heavy
rowing boat that was high on the shore to be speedily launched. This was done
by the combined efforts of Richard, one of his sons, his wife and daughter
Sarah. A poem about the incident “The Launch of Salmon’s Boat” was written by
George Dunlop, a local farmer. It is included as an appendix to this article.
Richard Salmon on one of his
sailing barges (date unknown)
The
1901 census shows Richard (aged 58, waterman, barge owner and licensed
victualler) at Long Reach Tavern. Also resident were Richard’s wife Sarah (56)
and their children Sarah (31), David (24, waterman), Albert (21, waterman),
Ernest (18, waterman) and Beatrice (16). By 1911, the inhabitants were Richard
(68, publican and lighterman), Sarah (65), Sarah (41, assists in business),
Ernest (28, general labourer) and Beatrice (assists in business). Also living
at Long Reach Tavern were two boarders who were both Licensed Thames Watermen –
William Coles (25) and Frederick Davis (46). Frederick married Richard’s
daughter Sarah in 1915 and William married Beatrice in 1914.
The wedding of Beatrice Ellen
Salmon to William James Coles on 28 Oct 1914 (photo courtesy of John Tyler).
Front row: Emily Maria Salmon (1901-80)
and Beatrice Sarah Salmon (1899-1985), daughters of John Henry Salmon.
Middle row: William James Coles
(1886-1961), Beatrice Ellen Salmon (1884-1964), Richard Salmon (1843-1915),
Sarah Salmon (1845-1921), Sarah Ann Salmon (1869-1936).
Back row: Florence Ada Salmon nee
Homer (1873-1958), William Cyril Salmon (1874-1958), a family friend, Emily
Maria Salmon nee Hilton (1872-1945), John Henry Salmon (1873-1944), Albert
Edward Salmon (1879-1939), Walter David Salmon (1876-1959)
and Elizabeth Salmon nee Paige (1875-1942).
In
1911, the Vickers Engineering Company (who had factories in Erith and Crayford)
set up an aerodrome / testing ground on Dartford Marshes, near the Long Reach
Tavern. Prototype aeroplanes were transported to the airfield in sections and
assembled in a hangar there. The first fatalities occurred in 1913 when two
airmen were drowned when a new biplane design, being test flown, came down in
the River Thames. Richard witnessed the accident and gave evidence at the
inquest. The incident didn’t deter Richard from flying as he later went up from
the aerodrome in a plane2. After the outbreak of war in 1914, the
airfield was used to base aeroplanes to defend London from raids by German
aircraft. It was also used to train pilots. A Royal Flying Corps camp was set
up on the land around Long Reach Tavern2. In early 1915, the Salmon
family were moved out of the Tavern, which was taken over by the RFC to be used
as a canteen and for sleeping quarters.
Richard
Salmon died on April 14th 1915 aged 72 at the Dartford Union
Workhouse Infirmary, which was on West Hill, Dartford. The cause of death was
hepatic cirrhosis and bronchitis. Cirrhosis of the liver was an occupational
hazard for publicans, as they were expected to drink with their customers.
Richard used to smoke a pipe2, which may explain the bronchitis. He
was buried in East Hill Cemetery. The Dartford Chronicle contained the
following short obituary:
The death occurred on the 13th
inst of Mr Richard Salmon, landlord of the Long Reach Tavern, at the age of 72
years. Mr Salmon was well known in the town and district, his house at Long
Reach being a favourite resort of those who visited the riverside. The funeral
took place on Wednesday at Dartford Cemetery, Messrs Mackney being the
undertakers.
Probate
records show that Richard did not leave a will. Administration of his estate,
valued at £149 14s, was granted to his widow Sarah, who died in 1921 aged 75.
She was buried in the same grave as her husband. Their son Albert Edward Salmon
was also buried there in 1939. The stonework is inscribed:
In loving memory of / my dear
husband RICHARD SALMON who died April 14th 1915 aged 72 years / Also of SARAH
his wife who died March 20th 1921 aged 75 years. Also / in memory of / their
dear son / ALBERT EDWARD / SALMON / who died August 13th 1939 / aged 61 years /
Reunited
Richard Salmon’s grave
After
the war ended, the RFC camp was closed and Richard’s son, John Henry Salmon
took over as licensee until his death in 1944. His daughter, Mrs Emily Maria Hart
nee Salmon, then ran Long Reach Tavern. It was flooded in 1953, closed in 1957,
damaged by fire in 1958 and demolished in the early 1960s. All eight of
Richard’s children are buried in Dartford, six in East Hill Cemetery and two in
Watling Street Cemetery.
Philip
Taylor © 2016
PhilT42LQS@Yahoo.co.uk
References
1. London and South-East England (Historic
Waterways Scenes) by Martyn Denney (1980)
2. The Tavern on the Marsh by Adrian
Herbert, Mr W J R Salmon and Mrs F Salmon, Dartford Historical and Antiquarian
Society Newsletter Number 22 (1985).
3. Apprenticeship
records on FindmyPast websiteAppendix
