Hastings pier — tragically destroyed by fire earlier this week — was one of the familiar physical landmarks of my childhood. Piers seem fated to fires, and there was in fact an earlier Hastings Pier which was also destroyed by fire in 1917. I never knew this, until I browsed Google images. I did know that there was also a pier in neighbouring St Leonards–on–Sea (the two towns merge seamlessly). I remember taking a paddle steamer with my mother to Brighton in the 1950s — and I think that these plied from Folkestone to Bournemouth, if not beyond. Apart from that, I remember a ‘Houdini’ practitioner lowered into the water off the pier, and escaping from heaven knows what shackles beneath the water. Apart from that, there was not much for a child — or a teenager — to do on the pier. You could walk to the end — over the wet and slippery narrow–planks — gaze at a few anglers, look back at the town and coast, and buy a candyfloss or toffee apple. Not a great deal of fun! Still, the pier with its great superstructure certainly had a special atmosphere. Alas, for some years now, Hastings Pier has been a sorry sight, and has been disused owing to structural hazards. Will it be rebuilt? Possibly. However, Hastings is not Barcelona — and just imagine how imaginative would be the design for a new pier in that city! I fear that Hastings Council lacks the money and the vision — if not the will — to build something that would be truly striking. I hope that I am wrong. [Readers who have got this far may be interested in a a later blog: Hastings pier: the strange appeal of a ruined structure — simply Google 'hastings pier strange']
The original Hastings Pier
The Hastings Pier Fire, photographed in July 1917 by Angus Norman Croyle of 3 Norman Road, St Leonards-on-Sea. This picture postcard carries the written inscription "Hastings Pier Fire, July 15th 1917, Croyle Photo. 3 Norman Road , St. Leonards".
 St Leonards Pier opened in October 1891. Half of its structure was removed during the Second World War as a precaution against its being used in an invasion. Bizarrely, it was hit by a bomb in 1940. Wrecked beyond repair, the remaining superstructure was removed in 1951. |
 “The Waveley” Paddle Steamer |
Paddle Steamer leaves Hastings Pier. Circa 1955 - Thank you to Douglas Goble of Alma Villas for the photo
Got out of bed early from the b&b to get a shot of the pier and reflection
View of Hasting Pier from low tide. Taken on 2nd of December '06. With Samsung SGH-D600 camera phone. By Alex Markwick.
Paddle steamer ticket
2 comments:
It is quite tragic. Reading the post reminded me of the first trip I took to Italy. I saw the Last Supper in the Santa Maria Delle Grazie chapel in Milan. Before I arrived, I did some research into the background of the chapel and discovered that virtually everything around it had been destroyed during WWII. I reflected on how my life would have been somewhat less fulfilled had the chapel been destroyed as well. Whenever a piece of our past vanishes, we are more alone.
I have just spoken to the current occupant of 3 Norman Rd, St Leonards, and Angus Croyle, who took the dramatic photograph above, earnt enough money from the photo to buy the shop at number 3.
Silver linings...
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