Maritime and Railway Photographs from Holyhead, Anglesey
The employment history of Holyhead since the 1850s revolved around the London and North Western Railways and the Port, whose ships carried not only passengers across the Irish Sea, but also the all-important Royal Mail. Prior to that time, the Port virtually offered the only employment in the town. This remained the case right up until the 1960s, and was relieved only by the arrival of Anglesey Aluminium (Rio Tinto Zinc) circa 1969.
Original position of the Station Clock 
Holyhead Station Hotel and a train at the railway station 
Holyhead, the SS Hibernia later renamed HMS Tara leaving the harbour c.1905
For the present people of Holyhead, whose roots are in the town, it is extremely likely that their ancestors either worked on the railway or on the ‘boats’. You will find lots of old photographs of Holyhead on that page, but below are pictures related only to our present subject.
One of Holyhead’s mailboats entering the harbour 
Mailboats in the inner harbour – The Earl Spencer on the left 
British Rail Ferries 
The British Rail Fire Brigade 
A 1927 staff photograph of British Rail workers 
British Rail workers in the 1980s 
The ‘Civil Service Rifleman’ Locomotive and British Rail workers 
British Rail workers 
The Freightliner Container Terminal at Holyhead 
Holyhead Railway Station and inner harbour in 1905 
One of Holyhead’s mailboat steamers 
Joining a ship bound for Ireland at Holyhead Railway Station 
The now demolished Holyhead Station Hotel – with BR workers – Maurice (now sadly passed on) and Gerry Maguire 
The M.V. Cambria and other boats in the inner harbour at Holyhead
When Sealink bought out the harbour from British Railways in Holyhead, it heralded the arrival of some great ships like the ‘St Columba’, ‘St Christopher’, and the ‘St David’.
Here are several more photographs for you to enjoy:
An early picture of the Admiralty Pier 
An aerial photograph of Holyhead 1923 
Mailboats in Holyhead Harbour – probably in 1905 
The Hibernia run aground 
Holyhead inner harbour in 1880 – just after it was opened
