Talk:Port of Manchester

A fact from Port of Manchester appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 26 August 2008, and was viewed approximately 419 times (disclaimer) (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:

Did you know... that the Port of Runcorn in Cheshire, England, was an independent customs port for two separate periods before becoming part of the Port of Manchester in 1894?

A record of the entry may be seen at Wikipedia:Recent additions/2008/August.

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Sections

Any idea how to break up the article? I've found a source from 1908 and am churning out sentences without placing them in any real structure. I was thinking perhaps a section on history, outlining the main events at the port, and one on economy detailing the changes of trade over the years. Nev1 (talk) 01:26, 22 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Creation of Port of Manchester

The following two letters printed in The Times in 1844 show that the Port of Manchester, or at least the term, had been in use for 50 years before the ship canal was opened and there was a bonding warehouse on the Bridgewater Canal at Knott Mill.

FIRST ARRIVAL IN THE PORT OF MANCHESTER OF A CARGO OF GOODS FOR BOND
We have great pleasure in recording the first arrival in the Port of Manchester of a vessel, with an entire cargo of wines and spirits removed in bond, and for bonding in Manchester. The vessel, a flat named the Express, was wholly laden with a valuable cargo of wines and spirits, in all about 40 tons weight, belonging to Mr. William Gibb, spirit merchant, of this town, whose active and long-continued exertions in the struggle to obtain the privilege of bonding for this great and important borough are about to be acknowledged in the form of a substantial mark of respect and gratitude by his fellow-townsmen. The Express arrived from Liverpool on Saturday evening; but it was yesterday morning before she began to unload. She is lying in the Bridgewater Canal, Knott Mill where the Duke's trustees have constructed a large bonding vault, which Mr. Gibb has taken and had licensed for the purpose, and we believe he is now removing his stock of wine and spirits from other ports to Manchester, for the greater convenienoe of sampling and sale. The lockers, gaugers, and other officers of Customs were in attendance, superintending the unloading of the vessel and thus have commenced the operations of the Manchester Custom-house. It is a gratifying circumstance that a gentleman who took so prominent a part in the struggle to obtain the boon of bonding for Manchester should the first to enjoy the fruits of its success. We hope ere long to record the general operation of the system; though it will require a little time, perhaps, as it, must have a beginning.^[1]
— Manchester Guardian

MANCHESTER A BONDING PORT

After the pressing demands which have been made by some of our principal manufacturing towns for the privileges of inland bonded warehouses for goods subject to Customs duties, it would naturally be supposed that the formation of a Custom-house establishment at Manchester would have occasioned a vast quantity of business in that extensive seat of British manufacturers; but we are informed that the result is very different from what had been expected. Although the system has been introduced into Manchester only as an experiment and a large establishment has been formed entirely of old and experienced officers; under the impression that the extent of business there would require the constant services of well tried men, we believe that, up to the present period, little trade has passed through the Manchester Custom-house and the officers’ duties are nearly approaching to a sinecure. The total annual expense of this. Establishment, exclusive of that for the Custom-house and warehouse is 2,620. The town council of the borough of Manchester, however, are made liable, under the act of the 7th and 8th of Victoria cap 81, to the charges of maintaining this establishment, and the public are thereby exonerated from the expense. - Observer^[2]

Richerman (talk) 09:33, 2 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]

(copied from my talk page) The problem seems to be in the definition of port. Customs ports are more than ports, and the presence of a bonded warehouse didn't make Manchester a customs port. "The whole coastline of the United Kingdom is included within the limits of one Customs port or another; where one ends another begins. Landwards a Customs port extends up rivers to the limits of navigation unless otherwise specifically defined." So Manchester didn't become a customs port until the ship canal made it accessible by sea-going ships; that Times article talks about the goods being unloaded at Liverpool, and then transferred up the Bridgewater Canal by barge. Having said that, we obviously need to include a bit about the Bridgewater in the History section, to make all this clear. --Malleus Fatuorum (talk) 09:38, 2 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Over 2 years later I've come up with a date for this. Manchester first became a port in 1734 see [1]. Richerman (talk) 00:43, 11 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

References

^ author unknown (10 October 1844), "First arrival in the Port of Manchester of a cargo of goods for bond", The Times, p. 6 {{citation}}: |last= has generic name (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
^ author unknown (3 December 1844), "Manchester a bonding port", The Times, p. 2 {{citation}}: |last= has generic name (help); Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)

[1] uthor unknown (10 October 1844), "First arrival in the Port of Manchester of a cargo of goods for bond", The Times, p. 6 {{citation}}: |last= has generic name (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)

[2] uthor unknown (3 December 1844), "Manchester a bonding port", The Times, p. 2 {{citation}}: |last= has generic name (help); Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)

[1]

[2]