Samuel Plimsoll
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Samuel Plimsoll (10 February 1824 – 3 June 1898) was a British politician and social reformer, now best remembered for having devised the Plimsoll line (a line on a ship's hull indicating the maximum safe draught, and therefore the minimum freeboard for the vessel in various operating conditions). Its subsequent introduction in regulation resulted in a reduction of ship sinkings and a corresponding significant improvement in seafarer safety from the late 19th century onwards.


Early life

Samuel Plimsoll was born in
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
in 1824. His Civil Servant father's promotions took him to Penrith in 1829 and to Regent Street,
Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, situated south of Leeds and east of Manchester. The city is the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its so ...
in 1839. Leaving school at an early age, he became a clerk at Rawson's Brewery in the town. The managing partner there was Thomas Birks, who was also an Alderman on the town council. In 1849 he was elected as Mayor, and utilised Samuel as an assistant. One of his roles there was to coordinate the borough's many contributions to the 1851
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held at the Crystal Palace in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
. Seeking further opportunities, in 1853, he attempted to become a
coal merchant A coal merchant is the term used in the UK and other countries for a trader who sells coal and often delivers it to households. Coal merchants were once a major class of local business, but have declined in importance in many parts of the developed ...
in London. He failed and was reduced to destitution. He himself told how for a time he lived in a common lodging for seven shillings and two pence a week. Through this experience, he learnt to sympathise with the struggles of the poor, and when his good fortune returned, he resolved to devote his time to improving their condition. His efforts were directed especially against what were known as " coffin ships": unseaworthy and overloaded vessels, often heavily insured, in which unscrupulous owners risked the lives of their crews.


Political career

In 1867, Plimsoll was elected as the Liberal Member of Parliament for
Derby Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...
, and endeavoured in vain to pass a bill dealing with the subject of a safe load line on ships. The main problem was the number of powerful ship-owning MPs in Parliament. In 1873, he published a book entitled ''Our Seamen''. It became well known throughout the country discussing the dangers of 'coffin ships' (ships that were highly insured in case of sinking, with minimum consideration given to seafarer safety). These ships were said to be overinsured and overloaded as a result. Accordingly, on Plimsoll's motion in 1873, a Royal Commission was appointed, and in 1875 a government bill was introduced, which Plimsoll, though regarding it as inadequate, resolved to accept. He continued to campaign for the safe loading of ships despite continued industrial opposition. On 22 July, the Prime Minister,
Benjamin Disraeli Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman, Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician and writer who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a ...
, announced that the bill would be dropped. Plimsoll lost his self-control, applied the term "villains" to members of the House, and shook his fist in the Speaker's face. Disraeli moved that he be reprimanded, but on the suggestion of Lord Hartington agreed to adjourn the matter for a week to allow Plimsoll time for thought. Eventually Plimsoll made an apology. Many people, however, shared his view that the bill had been stifled by the pressure of the shipowners, and popular feeling forced the government to pass a bill in 1876 was amended into the Merchant Shipping Act. This gave stringent powers of inspection to the
Board of Trade The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for Business and Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...
, and the mark that indicates the safe limit to which a ship may be loaded became generally known as Plimsoll's mark or line. The improvements in safety resulted in less ship sinkings and seafarer deaths, with Plimsoll's reforms credited as "saving the lives of countless seaman." Plimsoll's reforms would go onto have a significant international effect in the 20th century, eventually resulting in the 1930 International Convention on Load Lines. Plimsoll was re-elected for Derby at the UK general election of 1880 by a great majority but gave up his seat to William Vernon Harcourt, believing that the latter, as Home Secretary, could advance sailors' interests more effectively than any private member. Offered a seat by 30 constituencies, Plimsoll was an unsuccessful candidate in Sheffield Central in 1885. He did not re-enter the house, and later became estranged from the Liberal leaders by what he regarded as their breach of faith in neglecting the question of shipping reform. He was for some years the honorary president of the National Sailors' and Firemen's Union, and drew attention to the horrors of the cattle-ships, where animals were transported under appalling and over-crowded conditions.


Later life

Later, he visited the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
to try to secure the adoption of a less bitter tone towards England in the historical textbooks used in American schools. He died in
Folkestone Folkestone ( ) is a coastal town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour, shipping port, and fashionable coastal res ...
on 3 June 1898, and is buried in St Martin's churchyard,
Cheriton, Kent Cheriton is a northern suburb of Folkestone, in the Folkestone and Hythe District, Folkestone and Hythe, in the county of Kent, England. It is the location of the English terminal of the Channel Tunnel as well as of the major army barracks of Sh ...
.


Family

Plimsoll married his first wife, Eliza Ann, daughter of Hugh Railton of Chapeltown, north of Sheffield, in 1858. In the 1871 Census, they were enumerated in
Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...
where Eliza Ann is recorded as being blind in her right eye and deaf in her left ear. She died in
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in 1882. Their only daughter died shortly after her birth of 'imperfect respiration'. He married his second wife, Harriet Frankish, daughter of Mr. Joseph Armitage Wade, J.P., of Hull and Hornsea, in 1885. By this marriage there were six children, of whom a son, Samuel Richard Cobden Plimsoll, and two daughters survived him.


Legacy

In 1873, the ''Samuel Plimsoll'', an iron hulled full-rigged merchant sailing ship, used as a Colonial Clipper, was launched at the shipyard of Walter Hood & Co. in
Aberdeen Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...
,
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
for the Aberdeen White Star Line (G. Thompson & Co.). She was assigned the official British Reg. No. 65097 and the signal MKDH. In 1899, she caught fire in the
Thames River The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the ...
and had to be scuttled, but she was refloated and repaired in 1900. In 1902, she was severely dismasted and damaged en voyage to
Port Chalmers Port Chalmers () is a town serving as the main port of the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. Port Chalmers lies ten kilometres inside Otago Harbour, some 15 kilometres northeast of Dunedin's city centre. History Early Māori settlement The or ...
,
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
. Towed to
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and subsequently to
Fremantle Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australi ...
, she was reduced to hulk status the following year. In the 1920s, Plimsoll shoes were named for their similarity in appearance to the Plimsoll line on boats. In Whitehall Garden, a Victoria Embankment garden, there is a monument to Samuel Plimsoll in front of the railings. A monument bust of Plimsoll is located in his native Bristol, on the banks of
Bristol Harbour Bristol Harbour is the harbour in the city of Bristol, England. The harbour covers an area of . It is the former natural tidal river River Avon, Bristol, Avon through the city but was made into its current form in 1809 when the tide was preven ...
in the Canons Marsh area. British writer Nicolette Jones published ''The Plimsoll Sensation'', a highly acclaimed biography – getting the idea for it from living in 1995 in Plimsoll Road in
Finsbury Park Finsbury Park is a public park in Harringay, north London, England. The park lies on the southern-most edge of the London Borough of Haringey. It is in the area formerly covered by the historic parish of Hornsey, succeeded by the Municipal ...
, north London, but knowing hardly anything about whom it was named after. In 2024, on the 200th anniversary of Samuel Plimsoll's birthday, the book was updated with a new introduction to honour his legacy in improvements to ship safety. Samuel Plimsoll appears in the third series of the BBC historical television drama '' The Onedin Line'', portrayed by actor David Garfield. Samuel Plimsoll's life and achievement is celebrated in a song written and sung by Bristol sea shanty group The Severn Whalers around festivals in and around the South West.


References

;Attribution


External links


"Our Seamen: An Appeal" by Samuel Plimsoll, 1873
at The Internet Archive
"The sailor's friend" (book review), ''The Economist'', Jul 6th 2006
(payment required)

* ttp://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/biography/0,,1805185,00.html "The Bottom Line About Mr. Plimsoll"
The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. First published in 1791, it is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper. In 1993 it was acquired by Guardian Media Group Limited, and operated as a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' ...
, 25 June 2006
Review of "The Plimsoll Sensation" in Bookworm on the Net, 2 July 2006

Re: Monument in Whitehall Garden. London Parks & Gardens Trust, London Gardens Online. See under heading 'Fuller Information', paragraph 'The south-western sections..'."
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Plimsoll, Samuel 1824 births 1898 deaths People from Fulwood, Sheffield Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Politicians from Sheffield UK MPs 1868–1874 UK MPs 1874–1880 UK MPs 1880–1885 British reformers British social reformers Burials in Kent