Harbour Chambers and Custom House, Dundee, Scotland
Harbour Chambers and Custom House were the headquarters of the Dundee Port Authority. The Grade A listed building is now disused.
Visited December 2017 Dundee, Scotland, UK
Harbour Chambers and Custom House is a unique Grade A listed landmark building located in the heart of the waterfront between City Quay and the Central Waterfront zones. Formerly the Dundee Port Authority headquarters, this late Georgian mansion style building has recently been purchased by Apex Hotels who own the adjacent Apex City Quay Hotel.
Construction to the plans of architects John Taylor and James Leslie commenced in 1842 and took around one year. An extension was added to the rear in 1884 including ground floor level vaults.
Custom House and Harbour Chambers frontage on Dock Street, Dundee
The building, one of the largest port authority headquarters in the country, is a reminder of the importance of the city as a sea-port in the 19th century and the wealth of the trade passing though the harbour.
Custom House has been completely stripped out, and unfortunately not much of interest remains inside. Harbour Chambers, on the other hand, although empty of furniture still contains many of the original features and 1940s embellishments which proved to be quite interesting. The attic was a real treasure trove of history, with may documents dating back to the 1940s and 50s, showing the comings and goings of ships and their cargo, staff wages, purchases, etc. There were even some records and newspaper clippings from World War II.
Custom House
Sadly completely stripped out, just a staircase and some empty rooms really…
The entrance to Custom House
Custom House Doorway
Custom House Staircase
One of the stripped out rooms in Custom House
Harbour Chambers
Harbour Chambers, Dundee – Lettering above front entrance
Harbour Chambers, Dundee – Behind the closed door
Harbour Chambers, Dundee – Revolving Door
Harbour Chambers, Dundee – The entrance lobby had seen better daysHarbour Chambers, Dundee – The building’s side entrance looked a bit betterHarbour Chambers, Dundee – The first floor featured some nice tilesHarbour Chambers, Dundee – And some nice old brass signsHarbour Chambers, Dundee – The Harbour Clerk’s office featured Dundee Port Authority carpet!Harbour Chambers, Dundee – From the Harbour Clerk’s office these doors lead into a grand boardroomHarbour Chambers, Dundee – The boardroomHarbour Chambers, Dundee – The boardroomHarbour Chambers, Dundee – Crest of the Dundee Port Authority carved into the fireplace. The clock says “Ritchie & Sons, Edinburgh. 1884”Harbour Chambers, Dundee – The fireplace
Harbour Chambers, Dundee – Old sign on the old liftHarbour Chambers, Dundee – Lift machineryHarbour Chambers, Dundee – Date of installation: 1949Harbour Chambers, Dundee – The Harbourmaster’s Office with some retro light fittingsHarbour Chambers, Dundee – One of the many offices on the third floorHarbour Chambers, Dundee – Cooker in the staff canteenHarbour Chambers, Dundee – 41 sex change operations on the NHS – that’s surprising for a newspaper dated 1969
1842 Extension
Harbour Chambers, Dundee – One of the rooms in the extensionHarbour Chambers, Dundee – Port Authority logo carving on a fireplaceHarbour Chambers, Dundee – The vaultsHarbour Chambers, Dundee – Ratner makers plate emblemHarbour Chambers, Dundee – Ratner plaque inside vault
The Attic
Heading up into the attic, we find documents dating back to the 1940s
Harbour Chambers, Dundee – Shelves of paperwork in the atticHarbour Chambers, Dundee – Shelves of paperwork in the atticHarbour Chambers, Dundee – Old telephone and a Port of Dundee Official Handbook from 1952Harbour Chambers, Dundee – Wages recordsHarbour Chambers, Dundee – Pilotage day book, 1972Harbour Chambers, Dundee – Tay Ferries wages record, 1948Harbour Chambers, Dundee – A pile of ticket machines at the end of the atticHarbour Chambers, Dundee – Ultimatic ticket machineHarbour Chambers, Dundee – Newspaper cutting of various war updates, dated 10 May 1945Harbour Chambers to the left, and Customs House central to right.Harbour Chambers, scanned from the 1952 Port of Dundee Official Handbook
What a fantastic building. I hope it is listed and conserved. I saw this building every day, growing up in Dock Street, but was never inside it. Not sure if my father ever went inside because he was tug boat master until 1954.
Amazing always wanted to know what it looked like in side. Plus looking at the wage book i saw an entry with i am are sure was my grandfather who worked on the B L Nairn .thank you
instead of building the V&A this beautiful building could have been used instead I really hope that it gets used for something greater than just rotten away.!!!
Just stayed in Dundee. My Great Grandfather was Harbour Master turn of the 20th century I guess so visited to go back to my roots. Like other comments about the V & A I agree. I hope this building can be renovated then I would gladly go back again. Thanks so much for these pictures.
Dundee, Scotland, UK 
Now that is nice mate
What a fantastic building. I hope it is listed and conserved. I saw this building every day, growing up in Dock Street, but was never inside it. Not sure if my father ever went inside because he was tug boat master until 1954.
Some of the woodwork is spectacular. Its criminal that this fine building is being left to rot.
as an old dundonian 77 cannot thank you enough for this experience but is an absolute disgrace to have allowed it to fall into such a state of repair
Amazing always wanted to know what it looked like in side.
Plus looking at the wage book i saw an entry with i am are sure was my grandfather who worked on the B L Nairn .thank you
instead of building the V&A this beautiful building could have been used instead I really hope that it gets used for something greater than just rotten away.!!!
Most interesting, and in a shameful state.
Shocking that the council has left the beautiful building to lie empty…better than the v.a..
Just stayed in Dundee. My Great Grandfather was Harbour Master turn of the 20th century I guess so visited to go back to my roots. Like other comments about the V & A I agree. I hope this building can be renovated then I would gladly go back again. Thanks so much for these pictures.