Great Yarmouth’s architectural renaissance is going from strength to strength. The golden era of the seaside is returning with a vengeance as Grade II listed buildings are being returned to their former glory.
There is the restoration of the magnificent glass and cast iron Winter Gardens. Conservation of the Gorleston Pavilion theatre, with a grant of £140,000 from the Heritage Impact Fund, to return it to its original splendour. And now a further relic of a Norfolk town’s seafaring heyday could be given a new lease of life.
Maritime House
Maritime House, on Marine Parade is one of the most prominent buildings on Great Yarmouth’s sea front. The three-storey building was designed by A W Morant in the Italianate style for philanthropist George Harcourt. Opened on 2 February 1859, it was initially known as The Great Yarmouth Beachmen and Fishermen’s Institute and later became the British and Foreign Sailors’ Home and Refuge for the Shipwrecked of All Nations. Finally, it was known as The Sailors’ Home.
Thousands of sailors passed through Maritime House until its closure in 1965. These included 30 seamen shipwrecked after a violent gale on October 25, 1859. The crew from a Cromer crab boat wrecked on Yarmouth beach in September 1910 also found refuge here. Survivors from maritime incidents in both world wars made the Maritime House their home. These included, the crew from a Dutch cargo streamer, which was mined and sunk in June 1916, and over the course of the Second World War it became a haven for 1,400 sailors.
From 1967, the building was used as the Maritime Museum for East Anglia. Its large collection of objects, documents and models recorded the history of the region’s maritime trades from dredging to fishing to long-haul trading.
The museum closed in 2002. Its contents may now be found in the Time and Tide Museum on Blackfriars Road.
After its life as a museum, Maritime House became home to the Great Yarmouth Tourist Authority until 2018 and the Tourist Information Centre until 2020.
Honouring Great Yarmouth’s maritime history
Searching for a new use for the building, Great Yarmouth Borough Council had hoped to turn it into a museum following the recent discovery of The Gloucester, a ship which sank 28 miles off the Norfolk coast in 1682. The ship was transporting the Duke of York – who went on to become King James II of England. It ran aground on the sandbanks, nearly killing the Duke.
The Gloucester was described by maritime expert Prof Claire Jowitt, from the University of East Anglia, as being of significant “international importance”. The council’s plans were for a permanent museum to house items recovered from the royal shipwreck. But when those plans fell through, given the £42,000 annual cost of upkeep, they decided to sell the property.
The future
The building was put on the market for £250,000 in February. The new owners plan to transform it into a venue, which includes a café, office space and flats on the upper floors. This choice has signalled a turning point in the destiny of the building and has resulted in the current renovation plan.
The refurbishment project is being undertaken by Kenzoku Properties, a Norfolk-based firm that specialises in renovation work. The RNLI will also assist with, and benefit from, the project. Their plan is to ensure that the revamp will maintain the building’s connection with its nautical past through a “themed concept that recognises its rich history.”
The apartments will be named in honour of notable figures associated with Great Yarmouth’s maritime history. These include Norfolk native Lord Horatio Nelson, artist George Harcourt, Henry Blogg, a renowned Cromer lifeboatman, James Sharman, a victim of the Royal Navy’s press gangs and David Bartleman, who defended Great Yarmouth from a pirate attack in 1781.
Great Yarmouth’s transformation is a testament to the town’s enduring spirit and respect for its rich maritime heritage. As the architectural gems of the past are revitalised and repurposed, they not only preserve the stories of those who came before but also breathe new life into the community. The restoration of Maritime House is the latest chapter in this ongoing revival, ensuring that the town’s seafaring legacy continues to inspire future generations. As these historic landmarks are brought back to their former glory, Great Yarmouth hopes it can reclaim its place as a thriving seaside destination, where its history can ensure a bright future.
