Whitstable Harbour Information Boards - Whitstable, Kent, UK
Posted by: 
Dragontree
N 51° 21.777 E 001° 01.662
31U E 362692 N 5692033
Around the harbour in Whitstable are several information boards describing the history of the area.
Waymark Code: WMEE2X
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/14/2012
Views: 5
Our main co-ordinates are for the entrance to the harbour where a unique sign showing a lifting device for the whelk fishery holds the welcome board for the area. Around the harbour the information boards below can be found, adding interest and history to your tour.
The topics on the boards include:
1. 'The Whelk Fishery' with details of the West family of West Whelks who are the only remaining family here to remain continuously, through the generations, in the industry. The harbour is shown with whelks being brought into the fishery. The processes involved in the trade are described including the boiling of the whelks to remove them from their shells.
2. 'Thames Barges in Whitstable Harbour' are described on another board. The Greta which was built in 1892 is shown and is still in operation, chartering from the South Quay. Thames Sailing Barges are understandably tied to the Thames estuary and the city of London and were a vital link between Canterbury and the Capital.
3. 'A Vital Part of the Town's Sea Defences' describes the purpose of the harbour as a shelter from flooding. A photograph of the 1953 floods shows firemen at work pumping the water away from the town. Modern day flood defences are then shown to prevent further flooding.
4. 'Aggregates Importation and Asphalt Manufacture' details the history of the asphalt plant which sits next to the harbour. The company Brett Aggregates began in the 1930s with the granite chippings imported into Whitstable by sea.
5. 'The Deck at Dead Man's Corner' is located at the place where the old railway junction once lay. This was where cargo ships were loaded and unloaded. The name relates to the basin in the harbour nearby where flotsam and jetsam collect. Today the deck is a place for people to gather together and is used as a stage.
6. 'Whitstable Harbour A Brief History' describes the actual harbour which was built in the 1830s. It was a direct link to Canterbury and brought goods, including valuable coal into the south from the north east of England. The railway line and its demise is detailed and illustrations, photos and a map show the location of the other historic sites and information boards.
We are including some views of the harbour in this waymark to show the area as a whole.
Type of Historic Marker: Information Boards
Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Whitstable Town Council
Related Website: [Web Link]
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Age/Event Date: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Please submit your visiting log with a picture of the object and include some interesting information about your visit.