Shipping, Trade and Traders
Water transport was much more important before modern roads and railways, particularly for heavy industries such as tin mining. Both visiting and locally built trading vessels used the port.
Wooden sailing ships were once built on Back Quay and there were other ship-builders at Newham, Sunny Corner and Malpas.
The 82 ton schooner ‘Lizzie’ was built at Malpas in 1881. The ship operated a regular service to London before being wrecked in 1905.
As trade shifted to more reliable steamers, local traders ran the Truro shipping company between 1814 and 1876.
From this grew the Truro based Chellew steam navigation company that traded around the world until after the Second World War.
Tin trading through the port made Truro important, but from almost the earliest days, mining also caused Truro’s rivers to silt and there have been many attempts to clear the choking mud.
The images to the right show: A ship on fire in Truros port, 'Lizzie' (the 82 ton schooner), a ship moored at the quay before it was filled in, a shipping company poster for the schooner Boscawen and a tin trading ship.