As Cardiganshire was an agricultural region, many of the materials that were essential to the local economy in Cardigan needed to be imported.

The 'Harparees', which was named after its three owners - Harper, Parry and Rees - was one of the last vessels to operate in South Ceredigion. Built in Sittingbourne in 1920, it was a wooden screw barge weighing 161 tons, and it was used to import culm for villages on the Cardiganshire coast.

Source:
J. Geraint Jenkins, Maritime Heritage: The Ships and Seamen of Southern Ceredigion (Llandysul, 1982)