The Harbour
The first harbour was officially opened on 10th August 1831. Previously, a channel had been dug from the sea to Lake Lothing, whose eastern section became the main harbour. The first swing bridge and an adjacent lock gate were installed in 1830. Two short piers were added on the seaward side. The northern pier was later built up with a fish market and other facilities. Several issues soon caused problems: jammed lock gates, silting, and financial difficulties combined to threaten the venture.
An enlarged harbour rescued the project. Samuel Morton Peto, an engineer and entrepreneur, arrived with a vision for the town. During the 1840’s two much longer piers enclosed the original shorter piers, creating a large, sheltered basin and Outer Harbour for fishing vessels. Lake Lothing became the Inner Harbour and handled cargo. During this decade Peto also brought the railway to the town and built the first phase of the promenade on the south side, effectively creating the template for modern Lowestoft as a port and resort.
The expansion of the harbour was necessitated by the growing demand for herring and white fish. Trawl Dock (pictured top right) and Herring Dock were constructed towards the end of the 20th Century. Finally, Hamilton opened in 1906. The ‘Swing bridge’ (pictured foreground) replaced the first bridge in 1897. Tramcars ran over this bridge between 1903 and 1931. Top left of the picture is a view up London Road North. The current cantilever bridge came into operation on 1972. A third crossing, the ‘Gull Wing’, is being built a few hundred yards west. Open in 2024.
See Maps for harbour evolution.