Discover

'Tilbury' is a town located on the north bank of the River Thames, in the borough of Thurrock in England, at the point where the river suddenly narrows to about 800 yards/740 metres in width. It is notable for being the location of a deep water port, a 16th century fort, the site of what was an important ferry to Gravesend on the south bank of the river and close to the location where Queen Elizabeth I made her famous speech to the troops at the time of the expected invasion by the Spanish Armada in 1588.

Contents

History

Docks

Transport

Appearances in Films

Notes

External links

History

Until the 12th century, the area on which the present town of Tilbury is built was a natural salt marsh. Around 1200, the land was protected from the tidal Thames, but was still an unhealthy place to live - Daniel Defoe ^[1], who lived here for a while, wrote about "the Essex ague".
The first permanent fort at Tilbury was built in 1539 by Henry VIII to defend London from ships sailing up the Thames. It was here in 1588, that Queen Elizabeth I came ashore to review her main army at the nearby village of West Tilbury and make her famous speech. (see Speech to the Troops at Tilbury)
Following the coming of the railways (initially the London Tilbury and Southend Railway which later was taken over by the London Midland and Scottish Railway) a few houses were built for railway workers. The major expansion followed the building of Tilbury Docks at the end of the 19th century.

Docks

For many people Tilbury dock was their point of emigration to Australia under an assisted passage scheme established and operated by the Australian Government. The “Ten Pound Poms” as they were known in Australia, embarked on to ships such as RMS Mooltan and set off for a new life. The docks at Tilbury operated as London's passenger liner terminal until the 1960s,
and were reopened by the Port of Tilbury group as the London Cruise Terminal [1].
The London Cruise Terimnal takes many bookings each year.
Today the port handles a variety of cargo, container, and passenger liner traffic and remains, along with Southampton and Felixstowe, one of Britain's three major ports.
Near the Dockmaster's office, on New Lock, is a memorial to Captain Peter de Neumann, GM, who was killed there in an accident on 16 September 1972.

Transport

Thurrock Council operates a ferry between Tilbury and Gravesend, together with Kent County Council.
Tilbury has one railway station on the c2c (London, Tilbury and Southend) rail route:

★ Tilbury Town railway station
Tilbury Riverside railway station was closed November 29th 1992 and a bus service now connects Tilbury Town railway station and the ferry to Gravesend.
A form of transport in the 19th century as alluded to by Patrick O'Brian in his book "Desolation Island", page 40, "the post-boy...feigned interest in a passing 'tilbury', calling out to its driver 'that the knacker's yard was only a quarter of a mile along the road...'"

Appearances in Films

The docks at Tilbury stood in for those of Venice during the boat chase scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Scenes for the film Batman Begins were also filmed here, as well as a scene in the 2004 Jude Law film Alfie. There was also an episode of London's Burning (A fireman drama show) which was shot in the Old Firestation, in Civic Square in Tilbury

Notes

1. Defoe. D. (1724). ''A tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain''.

External links

★ Port of Tilbury

★ London Cruise Terminal

★ West Tilbury - White's Directory of Essex, 1848