In 1887, John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles described Harwich like this:
Harwich, municipal bor., watering-place, seaport, and par., E. Essex, on peninsula on S. side of river Stour, at its confluence with the Orwell, 21 miles NE. of Colchester and 70 miles NE. of London - bor., 1479 ac., pop. 7842; par., 88 ac., pop. 5821; 1 Bank, 1 newspaper. Market-day, Tuesday. ...
Harwich has been a place of note from a very early period; it was called Harwic by the Saxons. Being one of the best and safest harbours on the E. coast, its shipping is very important, especially the trade with Holland and North Germany. Steam packets ply regularly between Harwich and the Continent in connection with the Great Eastern Ry. (For shipping statistics, see Appendix.) The town depends a good deal upon the success of its shrimp and lobster fisheries. Other industries of the district are shipbuilding, Roman cement works, brewing, sailmaking, ropemaking, and the mfr. of artificial manure. On the snore, or Inner Ridge, abreast of Dovercourt, are 2 fixed lights (Harwich) seen 11 and 9½ miles; and near the extremity of Landguard Point is a fixed light (Harwich) seen 10 miles. Harwich returned 1 member to Parliament until 1885.
Harwich through time
Harwich is now part of Tendring district. Click here for graphs and data of how Tendring has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Harwich itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Harwich, in Tendring and Essex | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/586
Date accessed: 20th April 2024
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