A FORMER port worker has written a book telling the history of Harwich and its transformation into a busy shipping town.

Stephen Brown, of Great Oakley, worked at Parkeston Quay, for both British Rail and Sealink, for more than 18 years.

But for the past three years, while working at Manningtree Railway Station, he has been compiling details and photographs of the ferries that called into Harwich, making it one of the “most versatile of all Britain’s ferry ports”.

Harwich Ferries traces the development of Harwich and Parkeston Quay, which Mr Brown said was the only port in the country where such a wide variety of passenger ferries, freight and container ships, train ferries and car boats could be seen in such close proximity.

“Ships sailed from Harwich from the 1600 onwards,” he added.

“The port was the lifeblood of the town."

Harwich Ferries is available by e-mailing Stephenab@aol.com or by going to ferrypubs.co.uk