HARBOUR VIEWS

Some nice old views, some from postcards I remember well. 1 and 4 and are pre-1968, as the ferry Falaise has no houseflag on the funnel. 2 and 3 show a French V-boat, bows into the car ferry ramp, so that's after their conversion in 1976 and 1977 respectively. 5 shows the tug Tidworth, after her initial conversion to diesel in 1961, but before her sale and departure from Newhaven in 1963.

What great memories I have of Court Farm in the early fifties. I was waiting to join the Royal Navy and my pal Harry Ince and I were "helping out" Mr Bowles the farmer. We found an old Tandem bike belonging to one of the caravan owners and rode it home and back every day at about 40 mph. What with learning to drive a tractor and ride a horse (for free) it was a wonderful time.

It sounds as if you did have a great time..maybe when we think of the past, we bathe it in a golden glow of nostalgia, but I do think that the ''old days'' were more fun - they seemed more ''innocent'' somehow. As for riding a tandem at 40mph?! That is faster than the Tour de France riders. Dad was in the Navy for his National Service, and in later life he said they were the best days of his life..fresh air, cycling, horseriding, sounds wonderful - a perfect way to live!

What a great shot of the Falaise leaving the harbour obviously taken from the cliffs adjacent to the fort. I have similar views of this but taken in the early 1970's (perhaps 1972 or 1973) with the Villandry and Valencay leaving the port. Although I have the old signals/lighthouse on slides, I cannot remember that circular area adjacent to it. What was this used for and did it have a military purpose? I am really enjoying this site and came across it by accident. I did not live in Newhaven personally but my grandparents lived in Denton from 1960 to 1986, so I was a frequent visitor to the harbour.

Hi Colin! Look under Browse This Site, under West Pier. As you will see, it was a band stand. Colin.

A bandstand, I cannot remember that at all.  I remember the West Quay railway and the Terrier tanks that used it, but the bandstand No,  I have been down to Newhaven twice during the past week, and have sat down the front and it looks in a right sorry state these days with the concrete surfacing past its sell by date and slabs of concrete and bits of wood lying here there and everywhere. It is high time that the authorities spent some money and drastically improve this area, to make it more attractive to those visiting and residing there.

I agree with Colin, a bandstand! At least, that's what it was called.

Just revisiting my comment from 2011, I think I may have misidentified the tug in picture 5. It could well be the Sunnyside, sister to Tidworth and also converted by the local Metrec company. The year would still be correct, though.

Great images of the harbour! I'm a local photographer working on a long form project about Newhaven that will hopefully become a photography book and am hunting down postcards from years gone to include in the project.  I'm actually more interested in what's on the reverse of the cards that have been written and sent than the image on the front... 

If anyone has any old Newhaven postcards from 1900 onwards with interesting writing on the backs please do get in touch.  I can either purchase them from you if you wish to sell them or I'm happy to  simply borrow them to scan.  Any help would be much appreciated and credited!

(personal email address removed)

Many thanks and keep up the great work on the website, such a fantastic resource that I will be donating to! 

Sorry Ben we do not publish personal email addresses.

But anyone would like to get in touch with Ben, please let us know and we will pass on your contact details to Ben.

John - editor

This is how I remember Newhaven. I got married and moved away the following year. In the second photograph I think I can just see the Quarry industrial estate where Bannisters Builders relocated to. They set up a business called Nainshouse making packing  cases. I worked there for a while. One of the companies we made boxes for was Martin Baker who make aircraft ejector seats. The seat used to come to us armed and ready to go with a red lever saying' pull ' which Les Beal our foreman said don't touch that or the seat and the rest of us will be out through the roof. Years later I was contacted by a company who made replica 'C' and 'D' type Jaguars who wanted to send them all over the world and needed packing cases for them. When I asked how they got my details they said through Martin Baker, I rang Les to thank him but he said he  had no knowledge of it, so that remained a mystery .

John - Editor

I would be grateful if you would pass my details on to Terry Howard as i am interested in finding out as much information/photos as i can about the ASR service as operated by the RAF during WWII, I have a particular interest in one boat HSL145 who was stationed at Newhaven for part of her time.

Thanking you in anticipation,

Denis Harvey

Your email details have been passed on to Terry for you Denis.

John -- Editor

I would be grateful if you would pass on my details to Ben Stemming as I am interested in finding as much information/ photos as I can about the ASR service that operated out of Newhaven during WWII, particularly interested in one boat HSL145 stationed at Newhaven

Thanking you in anticipation

Email address dispatched to Ben for you Denis

John -- Editor