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We want to hear your opinions. Contact us with them!
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The one with the endless history of the Dock Tower
20 August 2003
In this week's Postbag: bladdered and bladders in Brum; la torretta del bacino; tea time; rhyming slag; oh Siena; bag off; um, Dock Tower letter; er, um, other Dock Tower letter; and transmission vamp
My friend Darren Tucker ought to pay me a visit before I leave Birmingham for a quieter life and cheaper beer, and I will demonstrate to him the interesting architectural similarities between the Dock Tower and Birmingham University's clock tower. For me, the chief difference between the two is that I have never got steaming drunk after playing a gig and
pissed up the Dock Tower.
Pete Green
via email
On a serious note for a change. A letter last week mentioned the design of the Dock Tower being based on an Italian Design. This is infact true. The design of the Tower is based on the Clock Tower of the Palazzo Publico in Sienna.
Mr B.L.Ackandwhite-Barmy
via email
Please, Richard, this is the 21st century, and tea-making protocol has moved on.
Until the tea is in the cup, the maker has no way of knowing the quantity of milk required. Putting the milk in first is quite literally a shot in the dark. It's like signing 10 new players for a new season in a division you haven't played in yet.
As the results of my investigation take shape, Diary readers will see that MIF not only contravenes several United Nations resolutions but is chiefly the practice of rubbish dysfunctional southerners who don't even like tea but just want something to hold and sip until their mummy comes to visit.
The Diary
via email
Damn straight. Huh! Yeah! Good God y'all. [Letters Ed]
I can't help but notice that your resident poet doesn't in fact write poetry, but merely writes prose arranged on the page in a strange way.
This is doubly disturbing in that a real poet would never have let a referee called "Prosser" get away so lightly. I remain yours, sir, etc.
Mr Steve
via email
Everthing you ever wanted to know about the Dock Tower can be found here, including the following passage. All fascinating stuff.
"The commission to build the Great Grimsby Hydraulic Tower went to a Mr. J.W. Wild. The design fell to Wild upon his return from his grand tour of Egypt, the Mediterranian and the Middle East; some of his notable public buildings were erected in Alexandria and Tehran, and the mark of his travels can be seen in his design. The Tower is based primarily upon the 'Torre de Mangia' clock tower of the Palazzo Pubblico, in Siena, Italy, but Wild combined the feel of this building with the grand scale of the obelisks of Egypt and the minarettes of the great mosques to
produce a building of terrific grace, power and beauty."
I found several pics of the Siena tower by doing a Google image search. Lovely.
Miles
via email
In response to Glenn Bateman's letter of 13 August referring to the bagwash - I do remember the word 'bagwash', but does he remember the word 'beeroff'?
Bob Santich
via email
In response to the Letters Editor's call for more information on the Dock Tower of Grimsby I have attached below a brief summary of it's
history:
The Dock Tower is modelled on the Torre del Mangia of the Palazzo Publico in Siena, Italy, successfully marrying the
schools of British Industrial architecture with more classical Renaissance and Moorish influences. The tower was designed by Mr. James William Wild. It was built in 1852 by Mr. J.M.Rendel, who was the engineer for the
Royal Dock, and stands 309 feet tall, at the time of construction it was the tallest brick built building in the country, while its single
cast iron spiral staircase was the longest in the world. The main body of the Tower housed the pumping mechanisms for the dock's hydraulic lock
gates and the function of the tower was to provide water pressure to the lock gates to the docks. A wrought iron tank capable of holding thirty thousand gallons of water is fixed at a height of two hundred feet and it is this which provided the pressure needed to work the lock gates, aswell as providing fresh water to ships and houses on the dock premises. A new system to provide the hydraulic pressure was introduced in
1900, deeming the tower redundant. In recent history it has been proposed that it be dismantled, and only the prohibitive cost has prevented it.
Professor Mario Vivaldi
via email
The Dock Tower was based on the Torre del Magia in the Plazza del Compo in Siena, Italy - this and a complete history of the Dock Tower, its construction, all the facts and figures etc etc are in 'Grimsby's Torre del Magia' a 28
page booklet (well written but less well proof read and edited) by S K Hullett - available from the author at 9 Haigh Street Cleethorpes. Tel
01472 602754
Swin
via email
Excellent. I think that's the history of the Dock Tower well and truly covered. Next week: the old theatre that was knocked down and replaced by a drive-thru McDonalds on Grimsby Road... [Letters Ed]
Sorry to bother you again, but could you use a different photo of Tony Butcher on your site please? In real life I know he doesn't resemble Nosferatu, but in your picture he does, and its giving me nightmares. Thanking you in advance.
Mr Steve
via email
Try reading the site from behind a pillow, or being less of a blouse. [Letters Ed]
Enough with the Dock Tower already. Although we'd welcome your feedback on any other Grimsby related matters. Or anything really. Who you gonna call?
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