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A small book about Ferry Bridge was originally produced in 1993 on behalf of the Chesil Area Society and the Wyke Regis Protection Society. It was sold in conjunction with the "Arts and Oysters" Festival that was held at Ferrybridge, Wyke Regis on the 10th and 11th of July 1993. The profits from the sale of the book were used to aid the fight to protect the West Dorset Heritage Coast, alongside the unique waters of the Fleet lagoon. Those responsible for contributing to the book were Don Moxom, Warden of the Fleet and Chesil Bank; Neville Copperthwaite of Abbotsbury Oysters Ltd; and Harold Cailes, a retired employee of Tods, the boat builders based at Ferrybridge. Norman Byden provided several photographs of the old Whitehead Torpedo Works, and the Weymouth Public Library was once again very supportive. The Weymouth Museum at Brewers Quay, under its enthusiastic Curator Rodney Allcock, were a great help in allowing the use of several old drawings and photographs of the Ferrybridge area.

The Chapters on the Whitehead Torpedo factory and the Tod Boat Building Works are not included here because they are covered adequarely elsewhere in the History Forum. The Chapter by Don Moxom on the Natural History of the Ferrybridge area owes much to the work of Dr. Mike Ladle, Dr. Alan Carr, Jean Fitzpatrick, Jim Churchouse, Geoffrey Poole, and Ursula Bowen.

It has also been a great pleasure to be able to include some thought provoking words of several local poets - including those well respected Portland scribes, "Skylark" Durston and George Davey, along with contributions from Michael Tod and Wyke's own April Lee.

Any student of local history will recognise that much of the information about Ferrybridge comes from the work of Stuart Morris and his "Portland, an Illustrated History", and from Maureen Boddy and Jack West's "Weymouth, An Illustrated History". I crave their indulgence for a worthy cause.

Ferry Bridge is the name used on published maps and documents to describe the actual place where bridges to Portland have been built across the narrow channel of water at Smallmouth. However, the alternative version of the name - Ferrybridge - is in common usage to describe the general area of Smallmouth, East Fleet (Littlesea), Hamm Beach, and part of Chesil Beach, and that has been the convention followed in this book - although it has been difficult to be consistent at times.

The use of Ferrybridge is frowned upon by true Portlanders, who maintain that it is important to retain and use the established and separate historic place names. My sincere apologise to any true Portlanders who may take offence.

Obviously all events before 1839 (the opening of the first bridge) occurred at what was then known as Smallmouth, as the name Ferry Bridge did not exist. However, to avoid confusion, the name Ferry Bridge (or Ferrybridge)has been used even when discussing the early history of the area.

I love to walk along the path
Which leads beside the Fleet,
Remembering the local lads
Who there I chanced to meet,
To swim across the ebb or flood
Dictated by the tide,
When vying in those waters deep
To reach the other side,
But that was oh so long ago,
Nigh sev'nty years or more,
When in seclusion lived a man
Upon that Chesil shore.
Depending on those very gifts
Which nature brought to hand,
The fish and timber for his need,
That West Bay would oft land.
His home it was a boat upturned,
To shelter from the gale,
The doorway covered in its way
By remnants of a sail.
Now many of those pals have gone,
Those characters I knew,
And with their passing I have lost
Companions good and true.

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