LITTLE COASTERS AT THE NORTH QUAY
Smart Dutch and German visitors
By Derek Longly
My old and battered Kodak Brownie camera was kept busy in the late 1950's capturing pictures of the various ships that called at Newhaven and especially at the North Quay.
Amongst these my favourites were the small ships belonging to Dutch and German owners which were often one man operations, the owner both owning and skippering the ship.
It was enjoyable watching them as they sailed up-river, when their arrivals and departures were always accompanied by long queues of traffic as the old swing bridge was opened to allow them to pass adding yet more interest to the scene.
What cargoes they carried into and out of the port was another fascinating conjecture as the cranes worked busily away loading and unloading them.
As a memento of that long past era here are just a few of the ships that called at the time.
Argonaut owned by the Dutch Terwogt & Lagens, built 1958 and of 996 gross tons
Derek Longly
Juno owned by Wijnne built 1957 and of 400 gross tons
Derek Longly
Santa Marcherita owned by Rederij MS Santa Margherita built 1952 and of 500 gross tons. On 30th December 1961 she was in collision at Gothenburg with British Mallard and capsized
Derek Longly
Uni Porr owned by Franz Hagen built 1953 and of 865 gross tons
Derek Longly
Clothilde M heading up-river toward the swing bridge
Derek Longly
Nautilus owned by G de Boer built 1939. She had a long life and several changes of owner before being broken up in 1987
Derek Longly