Sharpness dock: Project celebrates 150th anniversary

A project is encouraging people to share their memories of a working dock as it celebrates its 150th anniversary.

Set up to mark the 1874 opening of Sharpness New Dock, the Sharpness 150 project will be launched on Saturday.

Attendees will be able to record their memories at the free event, at Sharpness Sports and Social club, which will also include guest speakers.

Mike Studden, from the project, said the idea was to "give locals access to its history".

He said: "The distant history [of the docks] is well documented, there's quite a lot of material about it, but it's the more contemporary history [we want].

"It's the lives of people who are brought up nearby, the people who worked there - it's about capturing the last century's worth of history through the people who have lived through it."

Mr Studden said the recordings made by local people will then be presented through a website or through Gloucestershire archives, so future generations can listen.

The launch event, which will run from 12:00 to 17:00 GMT, will also include a treasure and Easter egg hunt for children, a Waller stationary steam engine and a display of the docks throughout its history.

Subject to funding, the group - which is run by volunteers, the Stroud Vintage Transport and Engine Club and the Vale of Berkeley Railway Charitable Trust - also hopes to design a trail around the docks, showing key points of interest and information for visitors.

Local walks and boat trips are also planned throughout the year.

Mr Studden said many people are still unaware of the significance of the docks.

"Sharpness was a very important hub that saw trade from across the world. It's obviously changed dramatically - but it's still one of the biggest ports in the UK," he said.

"You don't just pass Sharpness - you have to go there specifically. It's the end of the road if you like.

"You've got to keep the rest of the world attached to you."

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