PHOTOGRAPHS from the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre archive this week reflect on changing roles over many decades for Hobbs Point.

A prominent feature along Pembroke Dock’s impressive waterfront for nearly two centuries has been Hobbs Point. Located on the eastern side of the town, below Llanion Hill, it is today a popular vantage for viewing the Haven and for pleasure boating and fishermen.

Hobbs Point has a fascinating history, dating from the early 1830s. Initially constructed for the packet and mail boats to Waterford in Ireland this was a short-lived era as this service transferred to Neyland.

The foundation stone was laid in 1830 by Captain E J Savage of the Royal Engineers and completed in 1832 at a cost of £20,250, 19 shillings – and a halfpenny! The name Hobbs came from a former owner of the land, Mr Nicholas Hobbs.

As Pembroke Royal Dockyard rapidly developed and grew in importance for the Royal Navy, a fitting out area was urgently needed for the many warships being launched from the dockyard’s 13 slipways. Initially after launching, warships were taken to other dockyards for completion.

Hobbs Point fitted the bill and the Admiralty took the whole area over. In the following decades warships of all sizes were towed over to Hobbs Point where they were completed before undertaking trials and joining the Royal Navy’s fleets all over the world.

On the approach to Hobbs Point was the Royal Hotel (now known as Pier House) with adjoining stables for the mail coaches which regularly arrived and set off for London. It was a very busy and important area in the dockyard town.

After the closure of the Royal Dockyard in 1926 Hobbs Point remained important to the local community as the southern end of the Neyland-Pembroke Dock ferry service until the ferries were discontinued in 1975.

Photographs from Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre Archive with acknowledgement to the Ken Edwards and Roy Lewis Collections.