Publications
The Palace Pier, Brighton, by William D. Everest, published 1984 in Sussex Industrial History (issue no. 14, article, pp.2-7) accessible at: The Keep [LIB/506525] Download PDF
Abstract:Amusement Piers are a traditional part of the British seaside and Brighton has featured in their history from the beginning.
Until the early part of the nineteenth century, Brighton was an important seaport for the growing traffic of passengers and goods between England and France. For many years, passengers had been ferried to and from packet boats and other vessels by means of local rowing boats called 'punts'. These boats were also used to pull the rafts on which luggage, horses and carriages were loaded. Even then, the passengers often had to be carried on the backs of fishermen the last few feet to the beach. In the days before the railways most of the heavy goods, like coal, were brought by sea and unloaded onto the beach.
A company was formed called the Brighthelmston Suspension Pier Company and Captain Samuel Brown, a specialist in naval architecture and marine engineering, was appointed the engineer to build a suspension pier. Land was purchased under the East cliff, suspension chains were anchored 54 feet into the cliff below New Steine and the other end into the sea bed under the landing stage. Four cast iron towers build on clumps of wooden piles driven into the sea bed held the chains, from which the deck was suspended. A T-shaped platform, 80 feet wide on its own wooden piles, was the landing stage for the boats.
Built in less than twelve months, the Brighton Suspension Chain Pier was an advanced engineering achievement for its day. The official opening was on the 25th November 1823 and in 1825 the first steam vessels began to operate at Brighton. Like many good ideas, another and more popular use was found for the new pier by accident. It was used by the residents and visitors as a way of affording out-of-door recreation for what may be termed select Society. The toll fee of 2d tended to keep it more or less exclusive as a fashionable promenade. The towers were hollow and contained small shops or stalls and at the head of the Pier was a camera obscura. There was also a floating-bath attached to the north-east end of the pier-head for the convenience of bathers and a band played once a week in the season.
Until the early part of the nineteenth century, Brighton was an important seaport for the growing traffic of passengers and goods between England and France. For many years, passengers had been ferried to and from packet boats and other vessels by means of local rowing boats called 'punts'. These boats were also used to pull the rafts on which luggage, horses and carriages were loaded. Even then, the passengers often had to be carried on the backs of fishermen the last few feet to the beach. In the days before the railways most of the heavy goods, like coal, were brought by sea and unloaded onto the beach.
A company was formed called the Brighthelmston Suspension Pier Company and Captain Samuel Brown, a specialist in naval architecture and marine engineering, was appointed the engineer to build a suspension pier. Land was purchased under the East cliff, suspension chains were anchored 54 feet into the cliff below New Steine and the other end into the sea bed under the landing stage. Four cast iron towers build on clumps of wooden piles driven into the sea bed held the chains, from which the deck was suspended. A T-shaped platform, 80 feet wide on its own wooden piles, was the landing stage for the boats.
Built in less than twelve months, the Brighton Suspension Chain Pier was an advanced engineering achievement for its day. The official opening was on the 25th November 1823 and in 1825 the first steam vessels began to operate at Brighton. Like many good ideas, another and more popular use was found for the new pier by accident. It was used by the residents and visitors as a way of affording out-of-door recreation for what may be termed select Society. The toll fee of 2d tended to keep it more or less exclusive as a fashionable promenade. The towers were hollow and contained small shops or stalls and at the head of the Pier was a camera obscura. There was also a floating-bath attached to the north-east end of the pier-head for the convenience of bathers and a band played once a week in the season.