'Commerce' from Liverpool with oats, beef and pork.
'Mary' from Dublin with coal, staves and grinding stones.
Throughout the 19th century attempts were made to reclaim land from Wexford Harbour. The first such attempt was made in 1813 when a slobland was formed to the south of the harbour. Initially it appeared to succeed but violent storms late in the year destroyed the embankment and the project was abandoned. A further attempt by the Thomas brothers in 1814 costing £30,000 also foundered.
Meanwhile another venture aimed at improving the lot of those using Wexford Port was taking place at Tuskar Rock. In 1812 work began on the construction of a lighthouse at that notorious point on the coast and a number of Wexfordmen were engaged in the work. Many of them perished when a violent storm with mountainous seas struck the rock in October of that year.
Among the dead were Richard Meyler, John Edwards, William Bishop, William Devereux, Jasper Corish and J. Nolan. But T. Barrington, Patrick Dillon and Nicholas Cahill also from the town survived that horrific event when men had to chain themselves to blocks of stone for days to avoid being washed to their deaths.
It was against such a background that seamen became the first workers to see the value of organising to improve conditions. About 1810 they began to join Friendly Societies and Benefit Clubs, forerunners of unionisation. However, the lack of rapid communication, long voyages and lack of experienced organisers caused most of these societies to be short lived. Meanwhile the port of Wexford continued to grow. In 1817 the area now called Commercial Quay was designated as a market place, stretching from Monck Street, to Anne Street.
In 1832 the Redmond family opened a dockyard in Wexford causing Lewis, in his Topography of Ireland to remark:
"Shipping interests have been materially promoted by the construction of a patent slip and shipbuilding yard at the southern end of his embankment (Redmond was responsible for the reclamation of the land where Trinity Street now stands), from which a vessel of 70 tons has already been launched. Vessels belonging to the port had previously been built at Milford and Liverpool. "
The first vessel built here was 'The Vulcan', for a local shipowner, Nathaniel Hughes. It was launched in 1833. The Dockyard employed 100 men at its peak and was responsible for building schooners and barques up to 360 tons.
Other building was taking place elsewhere in the harbour in 1831. The Harbour Authorities erected the Ballast Bank, opposite today’s Paul Quay. Although it is now redundant it was an important part of the life of Wexford Port. As the name implies its primary function was as a depot for ballast that was essential for the stability of ships leaving or entering port without cargo.
The 1830's also witnessed the beginning of public lighting on the quays. This was in the form of gas lanterns and a man was employed to light each of these at dusk and to extinguish them each morning.
In 1832 Wexford suffered a major outbreak of cholera. This disease was an ever-present danger in a busy seaport whose ships traded throughout the world. The epidemic, which struck the town in 1832, can be traced back through various ports to Bengal India in 1826. The Wexford outbreak began when 2 members of the crew of a schooner called 'The Maria' died while she was berthed at the quay. The disease spread rapidly through the crowded town of narrow streets. The newly built Fever Hospital at Grogan's Road soon had its 60 beds filled as the ten doctors then resident in Wexford fought hard to contain the epidemic. As more people fell ill, a ship, which had been used to hold prisoners in 1798, was fitted out as a hospital ship and moored in the Slaney just above the bridge and the most infectious cases, were housed there.
Besides the deep-sea and coasting vessels, the port was also home to many sailors and they too occasionally bore the fury of the sea from which they sought a livelihood. This is well illustrated in a Wexford ballad 'The Faythe Fishing Craft':-
"Midst the loud crashing elements' dreadful commotion, These two Wexford skiffs braved the horror of the ocean
In viewing our friends to their shattered skiff clinging, A big breaker came, dire death with it bringing.
Brave Roche, ere going down waved a long, long adieu
Home to their families, their bodies were drew.
There was Roche, who, from childhood the seas had been roaming; Then Clarke, Brien and Campbell, alas, they're no more
Their bodies were found when the storm ceased foaming,
Thrown up on the breakers on Blackwater's shore
Think of the Faythemen that are now in a tomb. "
These deaths took place in a storm off Blackwater on December 19th, 1833.
In the 1830s many Wexfordmen were engaged in the deep-sea trade and it is said that parts of Odessa on the Black Sea would have been more familiar to these sailors than the streets of Dublin. The life of a deep-sea sailor was seen as adventurous, - sailing out of Wexford Harbour with the large canvas sails billowing in the breeze, bound for exotic locations - but such romantic thoughts hid a hard occupation.
In those ships there was little time for relaxation. The 'watches' were of four hours duration with a four-hour rest before going back on watch. The off hours were to be used for sleeping or relaxing but many skippers put the men to work scrubbing or painting during that time.
In the days pre-dating deep freezers, keeping food fresh was a problem on long voyages. In 'Going Deep Sea' Seamus Delaney recounts his father's story on such a voyage. Each man got a pound of biscuits, big coarse items called Water Biscuits, a day. These were known as blahs in Wexford but aboard the old sailing
