Friday 1 January 2010

Eastham Dock

Greetings from Victoria BC, Canada. I am doing research on my Father- in-law's war diary and I write you seeking information. According to his diary my Father-in-law shipped overseas from the Eastham Merseyside England in October of 1943. Would you have any information or could suggest any place where I might be able to gather information about this area in this time period. Pictures, news paper clipping or things of that kind would be most interesting.

Thank you in advance for any assistance you may be able to give me in my research. John.




2 comments:

  1. Hello John,

    Eastham is situated on the Wirral across the River Mersey from Liverpool, roughly opposite Garston Dock, South Liverpool. The confusing point about your comment that your Father-in-law left the United Kingdom from Eastham is that Eastham is preliminary the entrance port for the Manchester Ship Canal and not usually considered as as port in its own right. However Eastham does have a holding pool called Queen Elizabeth Dock lower down the Mersey from Bromborough Dock, where ships arriving from or heading to Manchester wait before heading along the canal.
    This dock is adjacent to Eastham Locks and is approached from the River Mersey to its own entrance lock. This lock is 245.97M x 30.48M. The level of the outer sill is 5.60M below chart datum (1975). The Sheerlegs berth, Eastham, although in the Manchester Ship Canal, is also connected to the same storage facilities as Queen Elizabeth II Dock. Eastham Locks are at the entrance of the Manchester Ship Canal. There are two locks, one 182.88m x 24.38m and the other 106.68m x 15.24m. There are a further four sets of locks before reaching the former Terminal Docks in Manchester. Eastham QEII No 1: Berth used mainly as a lay-by berth. Vessels can transfer small parcels via road tanker. Cargo type not specific, but would be subject to the agreement of the Harbour Master.

    As Liverpool Docks were heavily bombed during WW2 Wirral ports where used for shipping heading for the Americas.

    Regards

    Rob Ainsworth

    Programme Secretary & Web Administrator
    Liverpool History Society

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  2. Queen Elizabeth 11 Dock in Eastham was only completed inthe mid-1950s so the guy who emigrated to Canada in 1943 could NOT have gone from there.

    If he did actually ' ship' out he would have gone from the berth on the River Mersey waterfront between Eastham and Bromborough Pool .
    This is a masive wooden jetty which is still there and it reminds me very much of the old Landing Stage at Liverpool for Irish and I.O.M. vessels .

    Roy Dennett

    Birkenhead History Society
    http://www.birkenheadhistorysociety.org.uk

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