The Watkin Project

We are working on an exciting educational project to share and celebrate the largely unknown legacy of Edward Watkin - “Mr Grimsby & Mr Cleethorpes."

Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery Players, and partnering with the Watkin Society, we will over the next two years be working to promote and highlight the significant contributions made by Watkin in Grimsby and Cleethorpes. Some of these contributions include financial investment into Grimsby docks in the 19^th century and connecting the docks with the railway through his role as chairman of the MSLR (Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway), supporting its development into the world’s largest fishing port at the time. Similarly in Cleethorpes, Watkin’s investment in the railway and the creation of a sea wall and the promenade, supported the small fishing village to flourish into a popular seaside resort with some even nicknaming it ‘Sheffield-On-Sea' as the railway.

The project's outputs will include a series of educational and digital resources focusing on the astonishing legacy of Edward Watkin. The educational resources will support educators and schools with a bank of resources to support them in their teaching of the Victorian period and the local history of Grimsby and Cleethorpes. The digital resources will include a film about the wider area of Grimsby docks, past, present and future and a digital trail based in Cleethorpes.