THIS week in Down Memory Lane we help to celebrate the centenary of Tilbury Town Council, formed in 1912.

With the coming of the railway in 1856 and the opening of Tilbury docks in 1886, the southern marshland of the parish of Chadwell St Mary was changed dramatically.

The industrial age had arrived and with it came a new community of workers. The shanty development of labourers who tolled to build the docks changed to a new work force of dockers and railway staff.

New retail enterprise to supply the needs of the growing workforce then started and with new roads and houses the need to develop a masterplan.

By Local Government Board Order number 57,469, came the formation of Tilbury Town Council on April, 1, 1912. One clear objective was to borrow from government funds to help construct new housing estates, with appropriate sewage, street lighting, roads and paths, all based on a masterplan of development.

The plan included open spaces for play, but also a Town Council building (Civic Square) with high street and shops. Development continued with a series of housing estates over many years.

Town councillors worked hard to get the best for the families in Tilbury and their early work was continued in 1936 by the new Thurrock Urban District Council, now Thurrock Council.

My featured photograph from the Thurrock Museum collection is of the Tilbury Marine Friendly Society c1912 outside The Bethel. I wonder what happened to those young children?

Centenary celebrations will be held on Sunday, April 1, from 10am to 4pm at the London Cruise Terminal thanks to the Tilbury Riverside Project and Thurrock Museum Service, supported by Port of Tilbury. Talks on the history of the town, heritage walks and bus tours of the port will go on through the day and it’s all free. We are also proud to launch the new website, Tilbury and Chadwell Memories, which will allow you to discover the wide range of experiences people have recalled.