The Great British Pier
Since the mid-1800s, the seaside pier has been at the heart of the traditional British family holiday: memories of promenading fashionably along the booardwalk glancing downward at the rushing, cold sea, or playing the slot machines in the pleasure palace; or enjoying the sights and sounds of the funfair, and indulging in sticks of peppermint rock, candy floss or fish and chips. How glorious!
Fortunately, the photographers of one company travelled all over Britain between 1860 and 1970 recording thousands of towns and villages for posterity. In doing so they captured reminders of everyday life including photographs of the British piers we so fondly remember, many of which have fallen into disrepair, or worse.
These photographs are now preserved as The Francis Frith Collection. Much of this amazing archive is now available to browse on the Internet and visitors are invited to add their own memories - inspired by individual photographs or towns - and it is these which bring the scenes depicted to life.
We recall the glory days of fun on the pier, with the help of stunning Frith photographs of some of our finest piers in their heyday. Enjoy these images and memories of a vanished aged!
The Grand Pier, Weston-Super-Mare
Recently devastated by fire, but thankfully now re-opened to the public, the Grand Pier at Weston-Super-Mare represents the affection inspired in us all by the great British pier! The pavilion was actually destroyed by fire once before in 1930, but was replaced in 1932-33. This new construction was arguably the biggest single building put up on a pier in the inter-war years, though it never housed a theatre it was home to a large fun fair instead.
The People's Pier, Blackpool
The "People's Pier" opened in 1868 as the South Pier, then changed its name to Blackpool Central when the Victoria (now South) Pier opened. Its fervent popularity was due to the vast range of amusement activities on offer including a roller-skating rink, a joy wheel, a "guess-your-weight" machine and photo booth, but most particularly for its dancing. A more genteel pier would not have been so covered in advertisements!
Hunstanton Pier
Hunstanton Pier opened on Easter Sunday 1870. Sad to say, a fire on 11 June 1939 destroyed the pavilion, which was never replaced. After 1945 the pier was used by roller-skaters, and it had a small zoo. The Ealing Comedy ?"Barnacle Bill"? (called "?All at Sea"? for the American market) starring Sir Alec Guinness was filmed here in 1956. Post-war attractions on Hunstanton pier included bingo, rock stalls, waxworks, acrobatics and skating. Most of the Pier was swept away during the gales of 1978, and it was finally burnt down in May 2002 when flames destroyed a three storey building at the entrance to the pier.
Hastings Pleasure Pier
The pier at Hastings opened in 1872, and was another designed by Eugenius Birch. It was originally some 900ft long ?- a dramatic structure for strolling along (it would have cost you 2d to walk to the pierhead) and for seaside entertainments. Whilst the majority of the pier is open, its long-term future remains uncertain.
Eastbourne Pleasure Pier
Designed by Eugenius Birch, Eastbourne pier opened in 1870. Its first theatre seated 400, and cost a mere £250 - it eventually became a cattle-shed at Lewes! The saloons visible here halfway along the decking were added in 1901, the same year that work on the new pavilion was completed. The year 1925 marked the building of a new 900-seater music pavilion at the shoreward end of the pier. By this time, coach (or charabanc) traffic was having an impact, bringing visitors to sample the pier's delights. We may be thankful that although a later entrance building was wrecked by fire, both the older theatre and music pavilion seen in this photograph can still be seen today, and the pier remains successful.
Penarth Pier, South Glamorgan
When the 650ft-long pier opened in 1895, it was very plain, with little in the way of leisure facilities other than the refreshment room, florists and weighing-machine seen here. A large shoreward end pavilion was not added until 1927-28, and a concrete landing stage was built at the same time.
