History of
Herne Bay Pier
The first pier opened in 1832. It was 3633 feet long and had cost
£50,000. Designed officially by Thomas Telford, much of the work
is credited to local carpenter Thomas Rhodes. A baggage line was
added, and a sail-powered car made its maiden run on June 13th
1833.
London steamers ceased in
1862, and damage caused by toredo worm and winter storms led to
closure. The pier was sold for scrap in 1871.
A new 320 foot wood and iron
pier opened on August 27th 1873 to the design of Messrs. Wilkinson
and Smith. It had cost £2,000. A theatre was added in 1884.
Work on extending the pier
began in 1896, to plans by E.Mattheson. After a virtual rebuild
(completed in 1899), Herne Bay's 'third' pier measured 3787 feet.
An electric tramway (used during construction work) was retained.
Herne Bay Urban District
Council purchased the pier in 1909, and a Grand Pavilion opened in
1910 on a widened entrance.
World War One ended steamer
services and the old tramcars were used as shelters. After the
war, steamer and tram services resumed, with petrol-engine
vehicles entering service on August Bank Holiday 1925. These were
replaced by a battery car in 1935.
The theatre, which had been
part of the second pier, had been destroyed by fire in 1928.
Trams ran for the last time on
3rd November 1939. The pier was sectioned as defence measure, but
was repaired after the war. Floods in 1953 damaged the pier.
In 1968, an insurance survey
found some of the supports in a critical condition, forcing
closure of all except the shoreward end. The Grand Pavilion burned
down in 1970.
A £900,000 sports pavilion was
built and was opened on September 5th 1976 by the Rt.Hon. Edward
Heath.
On 11th January 1978, storms
destroyed the main neck, leaving only a short section intact. The
pier-head still remains isolated out at sea.
In spring 2009 Canterbury City
Council agreed to the formation of the Herne Bay Pier Trust, the
main objective of which is the preservation, renovation,
reconstruction and enhancement of Herne Bay Pier. Canterbury City
Council does not have the funding for such a project, so it is up
to independent and possibly European Funding to see this beautiful
example of Victorian engineering brought back to its original
glory.
Herne Bay Pier was also unusual
in that the Pavilion housed the Pier Sports Centre
which offered gym, dance and sports facilities and boasted a roller
skating rink which, besides providing facilities for
individuals and families, was the home of some of the best roller
hockey teams in the country. The Pavilion was condemned in
September 2010.
In February 2011, the Herne Bay Pier Trust revelaed plans to
light up the old pier head using solar panels and lighting posts.
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