During the 20th century,
Thurrock appeared to turn its back on the river
Thames. However, the river has played an
important role in Thurrock's history - as a
source of food; as a means of communication and
as the reason for many military associations with
the area. For many
years, Purfleet was the home of a succession of
wooden sailing ships - Wooden Walls .
The river was also home to
generations of boys who served on the Training
Ship Exmouth.
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Since the reign of Henry
VIII, the riverside forts in Thurrock have played
a key role in protecting the country from
invasion and defending London -
Tilbury
Fort
Coalhouse Fort The importance of Thurrock as a
defensive site led to Queen Elizabeth's speech at
Tilbury which is one of the most well known
events of Thurrock's history - Armada
speech
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For hundreds of years,
crossing the river to Kent was by means of the ferry. There were ferries at Tilbury,
Grays and Purfleet at different times. In 1991,
with the opening of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge,
it became possible to drive across the river.The Thurrock riverside was home to a
number of Inns
used by vistors and locals alike since at least
the 17th century.
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During its peak years,
Tilbury was a major passenger port. Douglas
Jardine's England cricket team left from Tilbury
for the infamous bodyline series. One of the most famous arrivals was
the Empire Windrush bringing the first immigrants
to Britain from the Carribean.
Tilbury is now primarily a
container port, but the occasional cruise liner
serves as a reminder of its recent past.
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The Thames foreshore is a
rich source of archeology, described in a society
lecture by Fiona Haughey.Recent
finds include a Georgian artifact - finds.
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The river at Thurrock
remains one of the busiest waterways in England.
It is used for recreation and commerce and a wide
variety of ships can be seen heading up stream to
London or begining their journey by the Thames to
all peoples of the world. |
