Glimpse of Preston’s old docks

Photos and videos posted on the web have revealed what Preston’s old working docks were like in their heyday.

The docklands area of Preston, now redeveloped with housing, retail, leisure and office space, used to be a large working port and docks.

The photos show the dock in operation until its closure in 1981.

Flickr user, Nog Tow, who posted the photos says in the description of the photo set:

My Uncle Richard (Dick) Taylor worked on the docks after leaving school at age 14. He began by selling newspapers at the dock gate. He was known locally as ‘Paper Dick’ He went on to become a crane driver operating virtually all the cranes on the dock estate at one time or another. Closure came in 1981 partly due to the cost of dredging the 8 mile channel to the Irish sea.

Dick’s co worker Jack Ryding also worked as a crane driver at Preston Dock for over 30 years. He was also an active member of the Preston Cine Club and during the 60′s made a number of short documentaries showing the docks in action. These short fims provide an interesting time capsule of the daily activities of this once busy port. Several of Jack’s films were compiled into a documentary called ‘The River Through the Years’ introduced and narrated by Derek Thompson.

The films are now available to watch on Youtube and include A Trip To Preston Docks (1966), Lock Gate Mishap (1965) and Turn Around(1967).

Watch A Trip to Preston Docks

These photos and videos offer a vital glimpse into Preston’s maritime past.

Image credit to Nog Tow.

14th October, 2009 1 Ed Walker

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