Bovril Boats
Encyclopedia
Bovril Boat was a scatalogically descriptive slang
term used to describe the specially designed sewerage dumping vessels, also known as "Sludge vessels", that operated on the River Thames
from 1887 to 1998. Their task was to remove London's sludge waste from Beckton
and Crossness
for disposal on the ebb tide at sea, at Black Deep
, an extremely deep part of the North sea
located fifteen miles off Foulness
, on one of the main approaches to the Thames Estuary
. Similar boats operated on the Manchester Ship Canal
and the Tyne
.
in the 1840s caused London's sewers to overflow. In 1858 following the summer of The Great Stink
and outbreaks of Cholera
, Sir Joseph Bazalgette
was appointed to redesign London's sewage system
.
He was only partially successful however as the sludge
part of the sewage began to build up on mud banks further down stream along the Thames. In 1878 the passenger steamer The sank in a collision with great loss of life. When the dead were later recovered by watermen
, it was found that many had in fact not drowned, but had died from ingesting the poisoned waters of the toxic sludge filled river.
of 1882 concluded that it was necessary to create a cleaner river by separating the sludge part from the liquid sewage and remove it via boat for disposal at sea. In 1887 the first ship of a long line of 'pump and dump' effluent tanker vessels was launched. These ships, later nicknamed Bovril
Boats to describe their liquid cargo by those who crewed them, were very well maintained and specially designed for marine disposal. Complex hydrostatic
calculations had to be made when carrying liquid cargo but crews could expect reasonably good pay and regular work. The last of the fleet were:
Bexley
,
Hounslow
,
Newham
named after London Boroughs.
that sewage was contaminating beaches led to the phasing out of the fleet and many were scrapped or sold on to private companies. Newer technology finally allowed the sludge to be incinerated in a self powering incinerator and sold on as fertilizer
pellets for use on food crops
.
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
term used to describe the specially designed sewerage dumping vessels, also known as "Sludge vessels", that operated on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
from 1887 to 1998. Their task was to remove London's sludge waste from Beckton
Beckton
Beckton is part of the London Borough of Newham, England, located east of Charing Cross.Its boundaries are the A13 trunk road to the north, Barking Creek to the east, the Royal Docks to the south, and Prince Regent Lane to the west. The area around Prince Regent Lane is also known as Custom House...
and Crossness
Crossness
Crossness is a place in south-east London. It is situated in the London Borough of Bexley, close to the southern bank of the River Thames, to the east of Thamesmead, west of Belvedere and north-west of Erith. The place takes its name from Cross Ness, a specific promontory on the southern bank of...
for disposal on the ebb tide at sea, at Black Deep
Black Deep
The Black Deep is a channel which forms the most important of the three main permanent shipping routes through the shoals in the Thames Estuary, the others being the Barrow Deep and Princes Channel....
, an extremely deep part of the North sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
located fifteen miles off Foulness
Foulness
Foulness is an island on the east coast of Essex in England, which is separated from the mainland by narrow creeks. The large island had a usually resident population of 212 people in the 2001 census, who live in the settlements of Churchend and Courtsend, at the north end of Foulness. The island...
, on one of the main approaches to the Thames Estuary
Thames Estuary
The Thames Mouth is the estuary in which the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea.It is not easy to define the limits of the estuary, although physically the head of Sea Reach, near Canvey Island on the Essex shore is probably the western boundary...
. Similar boats operated on the Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
and the Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
.
History
The invention of the flush toiletFlush toilet
A flush toilet is a toilet that disposes of human waste by using water to flush it through a drainpipe to another location. Flushing mechanisms are found more often on western toilets , but many squat toilets also are made for automated flushing...
in the 1840s caused London's sewers to overflow. In 1858 following the summer of The Great Stink
The Great Stink
The Great Stink, or the Big Stink, was a time in the summer of 1858 during which the smell of untreated human waste was very strong in central London.-Water supply and sanitation prior to the Great Stink:...
and outbreaks of Cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
, Sir Joseph Bazalgette
Joseph Bazalgette
Sir Joseph William Bazalgette, CB was an English civil engineer of the 19th century. As chief engineer of London's Metropolitan Board of Works his major achievement was the creation of a sewer network for central London which was instrumental in relieving the city from cholera epidemics, while...
was appointed to redesign London's sewage system
London sewerage system
The London sewerage system is part of the water infrastructure serving London. The modern system was developed during the late 19th century, and as London has grown the system has been expanded.-History:...
.
He was only partially successful however as the sludge
Sludge
Sludge refers to the residual, semi-solid material left from industrial wastewater, or sewage treatment processes. It can also refer to the settled suspension obtained from conventional drinking water treatment, and numerous other industrial processes...
part of the sewage began to build up on mud banks further down stream along the Thames. In 1878 the passenger steamer The sank in a collision with great loss of life. When the dead were later recovered by watermen
Watermen
Watermen are river workers who transfer passengers across and along city centre rivers and estuaries in Britain and its colonies. Most notable are those on the River Thames and River Medway, but other rivers such as the River Tyne and River Dee, Wales also had their watermen who formed guilds in...
, it was found that many had in fact not drowned, but had died from ingesting the poisoned waters of the toxic sludge filled river.
Royal Commission
A Royal CommissionRoyal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
of 1882 concluded that it was necessary to create a cleaner river by separating the sludge part from the liquid sewage and remove it via boat for disposal at sea. In 1887 the first ship of a long line of 'pump and dump' effluent tanker vessels was launched. These ships, later nicknamed Bovril
Bovril
Bovril is the trademarked name of a thick, salty meat extract, developed in the 1870s by John Lawson Johnston and sold in a distinctive, bulbous jar. It is made in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, owned and distributed by Unilever UK....
Boats to describe their liquid cargo by those who crewed them, were very well maintained and specially designed for marine disposal. Complex hydrostatic
Hydrostatic equilibrium
Hydrostatic equilibrium or hydrostatic balance is the condition in fluid mechanics where a volume of a fluid is at rest or at constant velocity. This occurs when compression due to gravity is balanced by a pressure gradient force...
calculations had to be made when carrying liquid cargo but crews could expect reasonably good pay and regular work. The last of the fleet were:
Bexley
Bexley
Bexley is an South East London]] in the London Borough of Bexley, London, England. It is located on the banks of the River Cray south of the Roman Road, Watling Street...
,
Hounslow
Hounslow
Hounslow is the principal town in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is a suburban development situated 10.6 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It forms a post town in the TW postcode area.-Etymology:...
,
Newham
London Borough of Newham
The London Borough of Newham is a London borough formed from the towns of West Ham and East Ham, within East London.It is situated east of the City of London, and is north of the River Thames. According to 2006 estimates, Newham has one of the highest ethnic minority populations of all the...
named after London Boroughs.
European Union legislation
In the 1990s European Union legislation forbidding the dumping of sewage at sea and popular environmentalism's concernsPrecautionary principle
The precautionary principle or precautionary approach states that if an action or policy has a suspected risk of causing harm to the public or to the environment, in the absence of scientific consensus that the action or policy is harmful, the burden of proof that it is not harmful falls on those...
that sewage was contaminating beaches led to the phasing out of the fleet and many were scrapped or sold on to private companies. Newer technology finally allowed the sludge to be incinerated in a self powering incinerator and sold on as fertilizer
Fertilizer
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
pellets for use on food crops
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
.