A view across to Dynamite Quay, Lelant.
10th May 2009
Dynamite Quay, Lelant
Lelant in mediaeval years was a port.
This was probably on the river (heyl) that gave its name to Hayle, to the east of the Church.
Eventually another quay came to this shore, Norwayman's Quay, where good Scandinavian timber was brought.
The quay was to be seen in 1838, and it appears that it was built in c1775.
To the north of this was to be built another larger quay c1873, as reported in The Cornish Telegraph,
and completed end of 1876 as reported by The West Briton.
Used for general goods flow, to and from the port.
After WWI the wharfs were taken over by Thomas W Ward - In 1920 Hayle joined the rest of his yards;
the firm had yards all over Britain, beginning in 1878;
his policy continued - no waste. A very present view in today's world.
Everything was stripped, cleaned and restored for re-use in another ship; the steel was re-cycled.
In 1939 Lelant Quays eventually changed again to that of handling Bickford-Smith's explosives and fuses during WWII, as well as for coal,
so the quay became known as Dynamite Quay, with its steel framed building (which remains in frame only).
But Thomas W Ward's interests continued.
Raymond Forward
