7. The Docks in the Twentieth Century
Handling particular commodities

E: 'Well the North Quay [West India Dock] was a place on its own. It was called the "blood hole". It was dreaded by most labourers who worked there 'cos it was all hard work...Sugar used to be one of the commodities over there...

If you're handling sugar. I mean you use a hook - it's like sand in between your fingers, especially when you get sweaty and perspiring with your hook, it wears all the inside of your fingers out like, you know rubbing - handling these bags, your hands used to be red raw... literally wear the skin away.'

'I was only just 21, very tender, got sent down to the meat department...and you'd got to walk with a hind leg of beef about 30 or 40 yards, on your back, up three steps and shoot it in a rack...

Well, they let me have this one, said, "all right, son" and gave me a pat on the back and I couldn't hardly take a pace forward, you know.

Anyway, he gave me a start and 1 started running along, because the impetus of the weight made me sort of run. I got to the three steps there and I've got to climb up three steps with this thingamy.

And I shot it in the bin and as it did so it gave me a haircut more or less, it sort of pulled all me hairs out me nape of me neck and head...And you've got to work 8 hours at that job. End of the day you had two great big sores.'

Bill Abbott

Accidents

G: 'Among other accidents were men getting fingers caught in what we call the bight of the rope.

You might have, say, nine bags of sugar in a rope and as the crane driver heaved it up. the bight would run down, or it might get stuck and the men would put their hand on the long part as they heaved and the rope would run down on to their fingers and many men lost their fingers.

Oh yes, you see them going around the dock with finger tops off through getting caught in the bight.'

Alexander Gander.

H: I've had chaps working with me down a ship's hold that never handled a hook or done a job down a ship's hold in their lives.

On one occasion, put on sugar, and I gave him a hook... And I said. "Now put your hook in there", and I'm saying that, as he did so he went literally - bashed his hook right through the middle of me hand.

I've still got a little hole there now. Almost pinned me hand to the bag of sugar.'

Bill Abbott.

F: Deal porter in the Surrey Commercial Docks.