OLD SWING BRIDGE AREA
A journey through time north and south of old swing bridge
By John Hills
We would like to thank Dave in Eastbourne for allowing us to scan the three picture postcards shown below, each can be viewed in detail by clicking within the picture.
looking north c 1900's
Picture postcard
Looking north from one of the landing stages on the west side of the harbour around 1900. The large wooden building being the Strickland & Co granary on the other side of the bridge.
North quay c1935
Picture postcard
Four freighters unloading/loading their cargos with the aid of the 10 steam cranes that worked this area of the North Quay in the 1930's. On the righthand side is the warehouse of Strickland Granary in its glory before it was sadly destroyed by fire in 1940. The coaster moored by the granary is the "Günther Russ" 1535 DWT which was built in Germany in 1921. The ship was seized by the Allies in May 1945 and renamed "Empire Condorrat".
Taken c1954
Picture postcard
Similar picture to the first on this page, fifty years on, taken from the most southern landing stage before the coal wharf and bonded warehouse, in around 1954, after the Strickland warehouse was burnt down. The landing stages on the west quay have some of the local fishing boats moored up near to where the Ark Inn is today