File:Annan Harbour.jpg

English: Annan Harbour’s once thriving past hails from the end of the 18th century when the first building was erected.

Douglas Sibson & Co excavated and built the mill lade through merse ground belonging to the burgh and constructed a large building in Port Street, south of the railway line, for use as a brewery in 1785.

It was used as a cotton factory but a few years later a brewery sprang up nearby. In time more warehouses and buildings appeared, with the southern portion of the lade widened occasionally to keep up with the development.

Records show that in 1810 the burgh built a quay a 100 feet long at the southern end Port Street and a further extension was made later.

In 1897 the quay was again extended southwards and the lade was also widened and deepened, forming the harbour.

Up to then the harbour was vested in and controlled by the town council and certain trustees but a parliamentary order moved responsibility to the Annan Harbour Trust.

The statistical account of Dumfriesshire in 1837 shows that trade and shipping in the port was flourishing. It was mainly due to the regular calling of steam packets from Liverpool, with cargo dispatched at Waterfoot where two jetties had been constructed.

At that time there were 34 vessels belonging to Annan in employment with two engaged in foreign trade, 30 in the coasting trade of Great Britain and Ireland, and two pleasure yachts.

The main imports were coals, slates, salt, iron, herrings and grain. The exports were grain for Liverpool and Glasgow, timber and freestone.

The statistical account also states that the embankment of the Merseland at Hallmeadow from the harbour to the mouth of the river was built by John Irving, the proprietor of Newbie Estate.

An inn with stabling was erected and the coaches from Dumfries to Annan used to go to the jetties to meet the steamers.

However, the 1914-18 war put a drain on funds as no boats other than fishing vessels came into the harbour. The situation continued for some years after the First World War and when shipping was resumed it was hampered by small revenues because of the increase in road transport instead.

Archives show that from 1929 to 1939 upwards of 70 boats used it.

But by the time WW2 started, the trust still had outstanding liabilities and, like other harbours during the war effort, was banned from carrying out any repairs or maintenance.

With no income other than from fishing boats by 1949, the harbour was badly in need of repair.