Qualla: River Dee Ferryboat Disaster

River Dee Ferryboat Disaster: Introduction

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

William Masson went to get his colleague a drink of water. When he came back, the boat was already crossing the river. It was the only crossing that day he did not make. On 5 April 1876, the wire ferry that connected Aberdeen to Torry capsized at the mouth of the River Dee, drowning thirty-two people. Masson, the more experienced of the two ferrymen, had been worried about the overcrowding and the fast current. He had raised his concerns. No one had listened -- or so it was later claimed.

River Dee Ferryboat Disaster: Two Banks, One River

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

In 1876, Aberdeen and Torry existed in different worlds despite being separated only by the River Dee. Aberdeen was a Royal Burgh on the north bank; Torry, on the south, belonged to Kincardineshire and would not be incorporated into the city until 1891. The ferry between Pocra Qu...

River Dee Ferryboat Disaster: The Day the River Rose

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Several days of rain had swollen the Dee, and snowmelt may have added to the current. The day before the disaster, the wire-boat had been taken out of service for a time because the flow was too strong, with passengers ferried by rowing boats instead. The wire ferry itself was 25...

River Dee Ferryboat Disaster: Thirty-Two Lost

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The overcrowded ferry entered the new channel of the River Dee, where the current ran fastest. What happened next was swift and terrible: the boat capsized, spilling its passengers into water that was tidal, swollen, and bitterly cold. Thirty-two people drowned. They were ordinar...

River Dee Ferryboat Disaster: The Bridge That Grief Built

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Plans for a bridge to Torry had been discussed for years before the disaster, but nothing had been done. The deaths of thirty-two people provided the final impetus. Queen Victoria Bridge was formally opened on 2 July 1881, funded partly by public subscription and partly by the Co...