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Whitstable Harbour

& foreshore through the years

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Issue: 5 Date: 10th August 2020

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Whitstable Harbour, foreshore, scenes & working vessels our photographs & archives, historic photographs & old postcards

We plan to add more photographs and facts to this feature as they become available

Rough Seas at Horsebridge Whitstable (1938)

Stormy Seas from Reeves Beach (1938)

Sunset at Whitstable (1938)

Harbour Beach 'MV 'Paul M' on the Main East Quay (1939)

Alternative image - Harbour Beach M.V 'Paul M' on Main East Quay & Old Lighthouse from Reeves Beach (1939)

The above photographs show what is known as the Lighthouse in actual fact the chimney with a top light alongside the Stationary Engine House that was used to haul 'Crab & Winkle' railway waggons in the 1930's

West Beach (1939)

Starvation Point, Ludgate Hill (1940)

The area where dockers would gather hopeful for work, the shops were demolished in the late 1960's the area landscaped with trees, an anchor and mast in 1990

Whitstable Bay (1940's)

Between the Old Neptune and Harbour showing Hoy Trading Company Pier by the Royal Native Oyster Company building

Low Tide Whitstable (1940's)

Whitstable Harbour (1940's)

Reeves Beach (1940's)

West Beach (1940's)

Note the Coastguard station flag flying

Motor Yacht 'Chino' in Whitstable Harbour (1942)

In June 1942, the Motor Yacht ‘Chico’ was towed to Whitstable to undergo repairs at Anderson, Rigden and Perkins ‘Chico’ and her crew served with honour during 'Operation Dynamo' the evacuation from Dunkirk

See 'Chino' history

Colier on Whitstable Harbour old East Quay (1944)

Showing the Old Light House with Whitstable-Canterbury 'Crab & Winkle' Line Waggons

Derrick West at his beloved Whitstable Harbour (July 2013)

Derrick West landing the Oysters, Whitstable Oyster festival in 2017 (Graham West)

Derrick celebrated his 90th Birthday on the 9th January 2019 the superb cake above made by Sarah Callow (Graham West)

Derrick West 2019 (Michael Marsh)

Whitstable Harbour West Quay & Old Lighthouse from the Yacht Club Beach (1940's)

Whitstable Harbour (1945)

Whitstable Sunset from Whitstable Yacht Club (1946)

'Deadman's Corner' Whitstable Harbour (1949)

Where flotsam & jepsam collects, Whelk boasts pictured belonged to Charles Camburn father of Jean of 'West Whelks'

Whitstable Harbour & Bay (1950's)

Main East Quay & Old Lighthouse from the Yacht Club Beach (1950's)

Whitstable Sunset from Marine Terrace (1950's)

Looking towards the Harbour and Long Beach (early 1950's)

Main East Quay and Seawall from Reeves Beach (1950's)

Coast Guard Station Beach (1950's)

West Beach (1950's)

Whitstable's Golden Shore (1950's)

Tankerton Bay by the now Skate Park area

Whitstable Harbour Basin with M.V. 'Vigilant' unloading on North Head (1950's)

Whitstable Harbour Basin with 'Leona' centre (1950's)

Charles Camburn Whelk Boat 'Floreat' (Approx' 1950)

Marine Terrace (1951)

Alternative image - Marine Terrace (1951)

Seawall (1950's)

Looking towards Reeves Beach

Seawall (1952)

Just beyond Reeves Beach towards the Yacht Club

Foreshore towards Harbour from the Horsebridge (1950's)

? & F19 'Mullard' (1950's)

'Lizzonia' & 'Luminence' East Quay Whitstable (26th March 1954)

'Luminance' was built by Clelands Shipbuilding, Willmington Quay on Tyne sank 'in ballast' whilst on passage from East Yellend to Aye after stricking a rock off the Small Lighthouse

Whitstable Harbour Beach (1950's)

Long Beach (1950's)

Often refered to as Tankerton Beach but is Whitstable Bay and Long Beach, Tankerton proper begins in the other direction from the Toilet Block

Whitstable Harbour Beach looking towards Seasalter (1950's)

Marine Terrace (1954)

Harbour Basin (mid 1950's)

W.H Nutton Coal Merchants at Whitstable Harbour (mid 1950's)

Thomas Albert Nutton started the business from a yard at 1 Victoria Street which is now a car park and Victoria Villa, which was taken over by his son William Henry best known as Bob, then passed to his son Stanley before being sold to Harry and Jack Cage at the bottom of Borstal Hill that ceased trading in 1997 the residential development is now Gages Close

Whitstable Harbour Basin (1950's)

Same postcard shown later still in circulation in 1960

Looking towards the Isle-of-Sheppey from the South Quay (1956)

Harbour Basin (1956)

Anderson Rigden & Perkins Boatyard by 'Stellar' (1957)

Middle Bob West, 2nd right Ian Lawson with 'Harvester II' left 'Harvester I' Quayside

Daniels Brothers (1957)

Looking towards Tankerton from Long Beach (1950's)

Similar to above - Looking towards Tankerton from Long Beach (1950's)

Looking towards the Harbour and Long Beach (1950's)

Reeves Beach (1950's)

M.V 'Militance' & M.V 'Nascence' on Main East Quay & Old Lighthouse from the Yacht Club Beach (late 1950's)

Whitstable Harbour hand over (1958)

The closure of the Whitstable-Canterbury 'Crab & Winkle' line in 1952 and the decline of the Harbour Whitstable Urban District Council purchased Whitstable Harbour from the British Transport Commision on 1st January 1958

With local government reorganisation in April 1974 Canterbury City Council became the Harbour Authority with a Harbour Board established in 2003

Whitstable Harbour & East Quay from Reeves Beach (1958)

Rowland Hilder Illustration of Whitstable (Late 1950's)

Beach Walk (Late 1950's)

Showing Jacques Arcade, Savoy Restaurant & the Sisters Restaurant with sun blind

The Front Whitstable 'Long Beach' (Late 1950's)

Note the Beach Restaurant for Luncheons, Teas and Suppers on the eastern part of Beach Walk

'MV Resurgence' on Whitstable East Quay (1958)

Built by Cantieri Navale, Pellegrino, Napoli, Italy Scuttled of the Oman Coast on 18th April 1980

Whitstable Harbour (1960)

Same postcard shown earlier in circulation in the 1950's

Whitstable Harbour Basin, left the'Harvester II' Quayside (1960)

Old Seawall with Fisherman's Huts from Yacht Club Beach (1960)

Whitstable Harbour (1961)Note the same postcard available as the earlier 1945 edition shown earlier

Whitstable Harbour Basin, Useful', 'Mullard' centre with 'Scotsman' astern (1961) Alternative image from 1962 shown later below

Whitstable Harbour South Quay (1961)

Pictured the Old Crab & Winkle Line Engine Shed left, planning permission has been granted (January 2018) to the Whitstable Oyster Fishery Company for yet another restaurant!

The 'Old Steam Packet' Public House with Harbour Masters flat above was last occupied by John Bloom

The building became Whitstable & District Angling Society (Angling Club) and broadcast centre for Red Sands Radio when it came ashore from the Forts in 2009 - 2014

The building was vacated in 2016 and now used by the Harbour Garden Cafe with Oyster Tanks in the old bar and an office above, it's likely the building will be demolished when the Harbour Board decide on the sites future

Whitstable titled East Beach with distinctive Toilet Block with lookout above & Hotel Continental (1961)

Scene much changed with the 'Bubbles' restuarant above the Toilet Block development of the old Savoy Hotel Snooker Hall Building, the Waterfront Club and new car park (2018)

Whitstable Harbour Basin, with the 'Harvesters I & II' centre (1960's)

Whitstable Harbour Basin, Useful', 'Mullard' centre with 'Scotsman' astern (1962)

Alternative image from 1961 shown earlier

Whitstable Harbour Basin (1963)

Whitstable Harbour (1960's)

Whitstable Harbour (1960's)

M.V's 'Greta' & 'Solent' both Dutch registered ships unloading bags of potatoes on the main East Quay (1960's)The coaster 'Greta' namesake of the 1892 SB (Sailing Barge) 'Greta' Whitstable Harbour South Quay summer resident

The Red Spider Cafe & beach huts (1960's)

I bought the hut with the back window in 1980 which had been there since 1924

The beach huts and Cafe were demolished in the late 1980's for Sea Defence Works which raised the beach level to the promenade

A replacement hut lasted one evening before being vandalised!

I removed the hut which became an outside store at Advance Services in Oxford Street

MV Resurgence (August 1963)

Ran from Whitstable to Esbjerg she's pictured at opening of inner East Quay

Beach Huts and the Red Spider Cafe (1963)

Marine Terrace (1960's)

Old Neptune still under Thompson & Wooton, Note East Quay Harbour Transit Sheds

Coaster 'Stella Matutina', F 121 'Harvester I' F33 ? (1964)

Barge on the North Quay Head, the 'Harvesters I & II', 'Burtonia' on East Quay Ballast Berth, ?, ?, F102 a West Whelk Boat alongside HH36 'Shaena' from the South Quay (1964)

The Burtonia capsized and sank on passage Gunness to Ghent when the cargo shifted with the loss of four men on the 30th November 1972

Marine Terrace (1960's)

Harbour Street (1960's)

'Tartan' enters Whitstable Harbour (1965)

Coaster ? Louise, ?, F21 'Faustilus', F6 'Romulus' (1965)

Coaster 'Nacuoa' with recreational boats (1965)

Coaster 'Saba', F45 ?, Barge ?, Coaster 'Anny', 3 other boats ?, F6 'Romulus', LO 545 'Sea Hawk Queen' (1965)

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