Norfolk Shipping

A history of Norfolk shipping

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The county of Norfolk is surrounded by water, with the North Sea to the east and north, the Great Ouse, Little Ouse and River Waveney to the west and south, and for hundreds of years ships have played a vital role in the economy of the country. No doubt the first boats were log boats from pre-Roman times and evidence of Roman, Anglo-Saxon and Viking boats have been found. From the late eighteenth century onwards, dramatic changes in marine technology saw the growth of steam ships and the gradual decline of traditional sailing craft. Norfolk has, though, been a haven for craft such as the wherries that once plied the Broads, as well as the sailing fishing vessels that once used the harbour at Great Yarmouth. By the 1890s, steam was king and many ships of all types, from tugs to tramp steamers and passenger vessels, were powered by the steam engine.Tourism saw a huge rise in the number of pleasure steamers while the growth of sea travel saw the introduction of lifeboats along the coast from Cromer to Caister. Inside Norfolk Shipping are 200 photographs and images of just some of the many craft that have plied both the North Sea off the coast and inland to the Broads and along the country's main rivers.