EPW039898 ENGLAND (1932). The village and the River Torridge, Appledore, 1932

It is August 1932 and one can only assume the amount of moored shipping is a reflection of the depression in world trade. The ports of Bideford, Appledore and Barnstaple on the Torridge and Taw estuaries would never have required such a large reserve of ships. No doubt these waters were used in the same way as the Falmouth River in Cornwall was used in the 1960s and 70s to lay-up redundant oil tankers. Indeed the three vessels with 'T' on their funnels and centre bridges appear to be oil tankers while the others seem to be general cargo carriers with their davit cranes around the hatch covers over the holds.