Inferno on the Continental Pier in the summer of 1910
No 1 Fire at Harwich Pier. (1910) H&D FW
The devastating inferno broke out on the old Continental Pier (later Trinity Pier) on June 18, 1910, it raged for almost 24 hours.
The local fire-fighters were supported by the Great Eastern Railway fireman as well as army & navy personnel, who together bravely battled to save the pier but were woefully ill-equipped. The sheds used for storing malt and timber were badly burnt to the ground.
This set of postcards show the smouldering devastation in the aftermath of the blaze, which could be seen for miles around the area. Damage was estimated to be around £15,000 - which equates to more than £1.1 million today.
Subsequent investigation by the fire department, suggested that the fire started just before 22:00 hrs in a storage shed and sacks of overheating grain were later being blamed. Buildings the length of the 490 ft timber pier - owned by the Great Eastern Railway Company - were completely destroyed.
Groom’s timber yard imported vast quantities of Scandinavian timber which were unloaded directly into the harbour overboard from ships bringing them in. They were then chained to rafts and taken up the river to the sawmills at the back of Dovercourt railway station. Groom rented some of the sheds on the Continental Pier for storage, along with Godding the Malster
The original pier, which was built in 1866 to cope with ships, which were too large to dock at the nearby Ha'penny Pier.
Railway tracks used to carry cargo can be seen on the surviving postcards. The pier had to be rebuilt using concrete in 1915, to aid Harwich Harbour as important hub during World War One.
This set of cards originally produced in black and white, have been carefully restored in colour, for the first time as seen here.
The local fire-fighters were supported by the Great Eastern Railway fireman as well as army & navy personnel, who together bravely battled to save the pier but were woefully ill-equipped. The sheds used for storing malt and timber were badly burnt to the ground.
This set of postcards show the smouldering devastation in the aftermath of the blaze, which could be seen for miles around the area. Damage was estimated to be around £15,000 - which equates to more than £1.1 million today.
Subsequent investigation by the fire department, suggested that the fire started just before 22:00 hrs in a storage shed and sacks of overheating grain were later being blamed. Buildings the length of the 490 ft timber pier - owned by the Great Eastern Railway Company - were completely destroyed.
Groom’s timber yard imported vast quantities of Scandinavian timber which were unloaded directly into the harbour overboard from ships bringing them in. They were then chained to rafts and taken up the river to the sawmills at the back of Dovercourt railway station. Groom rented some of the sheds on the Continental Pier for storage, along with Godding the Malster
The original pier, which was built in 1866 to cope with ships, which were too large to dock at the nearby Ha'penny Pier.
Railway tracks used to carry cargo can be seen on the surviving postcards. The pier had to be rebuilt using concrete in 1915, to aid Harwich Harbour as important hub during World War One.
This set of cards originally produced in black and white, have been carefully restored in colour, for the first time as seen here.
No 2 Fire at Harwich Pier. (1910) H&D FW
No 3 Fire at Harwich Pier. (1910) H&D FW
No 4 Fire at Harwich Pier. (1910) H&D FW
No 5 Fire at Harwich Pier. (1910) H&D FW
No 6 Fire at Harwich Pier. (1910) H&D FW
