Covered in Coal

A former worker of the dockyard recalls the coal-burning ships, and how coal had to be carried on to the ships. During the process the workers got covered in coal and had to queue up to have a bath in a bucket of water; there were only three buckets available, which 40-50 men had to share.

This miniature piece is part of a collection of short compositions that make up the collective work Whispers of the Past.

The geolocated soundwalk ‘Whispers of the Past’ explores and presents stories from archives from men and women who worked at the Chatham Dockyard before it became a museum. We hear personal accounts, moving stories, descriptions, memories and anecdotes that become vivid and alive again through the voices of those who experienced them. The soundwalk is presented at the Chatham Historic Dockyard, a maritime heritage site, through the free downloadable Echoes app. As visitors move across the site they trigger sounds and memories on their mobile devices creating new resonances with this iconic location.

This collection of short stories is commissioned by SparkedEcho as part of the Electric Medway Festival taking place between 21-30 August 2021.