Author to unveil Paignton Harbour's history in exclusive talk

The history of Paignton harbour from the reign of Henry VIII to the present day will be told in an illustrated talk by author and journalist Nick Pannell on December 19.

Nick, a harbour user himself, will reflect on the changing face of the quays through the centuries from the days of sail, when the harbour was busy trading local produce, to its life as a popular base for recreational sailing, rowing and youth activities.

Nick said: “Of all Torbay’s harbours, Paignton is the least changed, built on foundations laid in medieval times. 

“For many years it was derelict but rebuilt in 1847. A blue plaque honours the appointment of the country’s first woman harbourmaster Stella Gale in 1931. At the beginning of the last century it was a hive of industry with many boat builders located there and their boats can be seen in some of the old photographs of the harbour I’ll be featuring in my talk.”

Nick added: “I’ll also be telling some of the quirky stories associated with the harbour, like the day it was dammed up for engineering work and the old sea walls leaked like a sieve, quayside mishaps, to the storm of 2018 when many boats sank.

“I also hope people will bring their own stories for the question and answer session afterwards.”

The talk, for the Paignton Heritage Society, will be at the Gerston Chapel in Torquay Road (opposite Paignton post office) on December at 7pm. Members £4, guests £5.