The astonishing legacy of Edward Watkin Project Resources
What did the Project do?
The Astonishing Legacy of Edward Watkin
About the Project
Who was Edward Watkin?
In 1854, Watkin became the General Manager of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway. In this role, he invested large sums of money to support the development of Grimsby Docks supporting its transition into the world's largest fishing port in the 1950s.
His impact in Cleethorpes was equally important, in 1863 he extended the railway line from Grimsby to Cleethorpes to encourage visitors to the seaside. From this point, the MSLR invested further into Cleethorpes by cutting out the sea wall and building a promenade and saving the area from erosion. The railway company also paid for Pier Gardens to be built, including Ross Castle (which is the approximate height the cliffs in Cleethorpes used to be) and the Pier.
What did the Project do?
Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Create North East Lincolnshire and Historic England, the project has focused on sharing the legacy of Victorian 'Railway King' Edward Watkin with young people in Grimsby and Cleethorpes.
We have created a film, digital trail and educational resources for teachers to use at Key Stage 1, 2 and 3. Our short film focusses on Watkin's impact in Grimsby and the digital trail highlights the impact of Watkin's investment in Cleethorpes.
To create these resources, we have co-collaborated with five local schools in Grimsby and Cleethorpes, these are: St Peters CoE Primary, Laceby Acres, Waltham Tollbar Academy, Cleethorpes Academy and Ormiston Maritime Academy. Five students from each school became Digital Heritage Ambassadors and supported us in the project. Our film and trail were produced by Wide Sky and Cosmic Carrot who delivered workshops with the students and led a filming day at RES Digital in Scunthorpe. Our Digital Heritage Ambassadors feature in our film and trail!
The Watkin Society
Throughout the project, we have worked with the Watkin Society who have provided subject matter expertise and support. The society operates across the UK in areas where Watkin made significant impact and their goal is to engage with more people to share Watkin's legacy. To find our more information about the Society and keep up to date with events and activities please head over to their website: The Watkin Society - Home
On this page, you can find the educational resources, digital media and volunteer research we created for the project.
Resources
