The tower was built to provide water pressure to power the hydraulic machinery (for cranes, lock gates and sluices) at the Grimsby Docks. The tower was built to carry a tank above the ground with a direct feed into the machinery. Small pumps topped up the tank as the hydraulic machinery drew off water. The tower system was brought into use in 1852 working the machinery of the lock gates, dry-docks and fifteen quayside cranes, and also to supply fresh water to ships and the dwelling houses on the dock premises. The water was obtained from a well, in diameter and deep, with a boring of in diameter to the chalk rock in the centre, situated near to where the "Grimsby Evening Telegraph" has its present offices. The well was also fed by seven borings of in diameter, at intervals in a length of , which discharged into the well by a brick culvert in diameter.