HARBOUR SCENES FROM THE PAST
c1900 and c1954
By John Hills
Picture postcard c1900
Click to enlarge
The scene from the old swing bridge around 1900, On the left the "P.S. Paris III" moored by the sheerlegs which were erected in 1881 and capable of lifting 80 tons using its steam driven winch. Moving up from the Paris is the steam hopper "Trident" which was built to lay the foundations of the 2700' long west breakwater in the 1880's and early 1890's. Then a lot further along the railway quay in the distance is the "P.S. Sussex Belle" which was used for excursions along the coast.
On the right moored on West Quay nearest is the Paddle tug "Tipper" named after the Tipper brewery, behind her is another pleasure paddle steamer which could be the "P.S. Princess May".
Picture postcard c 1954
Click to enlarge
Moving on to the aerial picture c1954, the "Mudhole" is waiting to be developed together with "Huggetts field" which in a few years time became home to the RAF camp.
The railway line is still intact from the west side of the bridge along West quay round the mudhole and off past the "Hope Inn" and terminating at the end of the Breakwater.
Just three larger vessels in harbour two steamers moored on the railway quay and a ship moored on North quay with the East quay strangely empty.
Bottom left is the Newhaven Fort which was built to defend the port and was completed in 1872 taking over 6 million bricks and 10 years to construct.