British Piers The Postcard CollectionFew countries went through the level of interest and development of pleasure piers like the United Kingdom. Built during the Victorian age and early twentieth century, they hark back to a romanticised British coastal holiday – donkey rides on the beach, paddling in the sea and strolling along the pier partaking in the penny amusement arcades and the end of the pier show. Coastal towns often developed promenades along the sea front so that people could take in the sea air and would have easy access to the beach to gain the health benefits of salt water swimming. Some promenades were extended into the sea as pleasure piers. The National Pier Society record that ninety-nine such pleasure piers were built, but many dock sides and harbour walls also provided areas for tourists to promenade and adopted the title of ‘pier’. This book takes the reader through the evolution of the pleasure piers, from their heyday to the often sad decline and demolition, using early twentieth-century postcards capturing the piers in their prime and, in some cases, capturing their mishaps. |
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amusement arcade ballroom bandstand beach became popular Birnbeck Pier Bognor Borough Council Bournemouth Brighton Palace Pier Brighton West Pier built ClactononSea Pier Colwyn Bay Council purchased Cromer Pier decking demolish the pier designed by Eugenius destroyed by fire destroyed the pavilion Esplanade Eugenius Birch extended feet ferry Harbour Hastings Pier Herne Bay Isle of White jetty landing stage length lifeboat station Llandudno Pier Lowestoft metres million National Pier Society North Pier openair opened in 1869 owners paddle steamers passengers pavilion was added pavilion was destroyed Pier and Promenade pier designed pier entrance pier head pier opened Pier Pavilion pier was closed pier was demolished pier’s pleasure pier postcard Postmarked Postmarked 1911 purchased the pier rebuilt refurbished repairs replaced Rothesay Ryde Pier seaside seaward end Second World Second World War shoreward end Showing the Pavilion South Pier Southsea South Parade storm damage tourist towns tramway Victoria Pier Weymouth wooden pier Yarmouth