19th century pier, Clacton-on-Sea Pier (EHER 2998)

A wooden pleasure pier built between 1870 and 1871 by Peter Bruff, with later enlargement between 1870 to 1871 and additions between 1890 and 1893 to 1180ft (359.7m). Before the building of the pier, Clacton had been little more than a village, and the pier was instrumental in the growth of the town as a seaside resort. The pier opened in either 1871 or 1873, it was enlarged and lengthened in 1877 and between 1890-1893; this latter phase was designed by Kinipple and Jaffrey and featured the addition of a polygonal pierhead as well as a wrought iron pavilion by Murdoch and Cameron of Glasgow. In the 1930s, the pier was widened with use of reinforced concrete, and a berthing arm was added. In the 1930s, a lido was also added at the pierhead (please see monument record 1442054). During the 1920s and 1930s other attractions on the pier where added, which included a theatre, a dance hall, a casino (demolished 1940), open air bandstands and a rollercoaster. These were built under the aegis of the then owner, Ernest Kingsman. From the 1930s to the 1950s the pier was a commercial success, but its fortunes declined with changes in the British Holiday market by the late 1960s. The pier was damaged by a fire in 1973, which destroyed the rollercoaster. In 1978 the Ocean Theatre closed. Since 1994 the pier has undergone some refurbishment.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import. Clacton Pier was originally built in 1870-1 and was enlarged in 1890-3 to Kinipple and Jaffrey's designs. Its length was increased to 1180 feet (360m), the pier neck was widened and a polygonal pierhead in pine added. An iron pavilion was erected by Murdock and Cameron, Glasgow. A wide variety of amusements are carried on the pier. <1> <2> <3> <4> <5> Photos in SMR. <3> The Pier opened 1873. Basically a wooden structure 1,150ft (350.5m) long, the pier was enlarged in 1877 but remained only 30ft (9.1) wide until 1930's, when it was widened to over 300ft (91.4m) with reinforced concrete, and a berthing arm was added for pleasure steamers. <6> Clacton Pier, built between 1870 and 1871 by Peter Bruff, with later enlargement and additions. It opened in 1871. It was enlarged and lengthened between 1890-1893; this latter phase was designed by Kinipple and Jaffrey and featured the addition of a polygonal pierhead as well as a wrought iron pavilion. In the 1920s and 1930s Other attractions on the pier included a theatre, a dance hall, a casino, open air bandstands and a roller coaster built under the aegis of the then owner, Ernest Kingsman. From the 1930s to the 1950s the pier was a commercial success, but its fortunes declined with changes in the British Holiday market by the late 1960s. The pier was damaged by a fire in 1973, which destroyed the rollercoaster. In 1978 the Ocean Theatre closed. From 1994 the pier has undergone some refurbishment. <7> <8> <9> <11> <12> <13> <14> <15> <16> <17> <18> Clacton Pier opened in 1873. <8> The Ocean Theatre was added to the pier in 1928, the Crystal Casino was built in 1932, but demolished in 1940. <9> Before the building of the pier, Clacton was little more than a village: the pier was an important part of the growth of the town as a seaside resort , made possible by the arrival of steamer and railway access from London. The source contains contemporary illustrations of the early pier in Victorian/ Edwardian times. <15> This development is also recognised in 'England's Seaside Resorts' <16> Additional bibliographical sources mentioning details of the pier's architecture, with photographs. <12> <13> <14> The website of the National Piers Society includes an image of Clacton Pier taken in 1910. Current 2007. <17> The official Clacton Pier website carries a history section with images and film clips. Current 2007. <18> Essex Historic Environment Record holds a record of the pier giving an overview of its development and images of the pier. Additional Sources: <11> <19>