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Brighton Piers
Brighton Chain Pier
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Brighton Palace Pier
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Brighton West Pier
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the three Brighton Piers.
Brighton Chain Pier
The Brighthelmston Suspension Pier Company was formed in 1921 and the chain pier was opened on 25th November 1823, at a length of 1134 feet. The pier was primarily intended as a landing stage for packet boats to Dieppe, until they transferred to the more sheltered Newhaven. It also featured a small number of attractions including a camera obscura. An esplanade with an entrance toll-booth controlled access to the pier which was roughly in line with the New Steine. Turner and Constable both made paintings of the pier, and King William IV landed on it. It was damaged and repaired after storms in 1824, 1833 and 1836. The pier's fortunes were declining by the late 1880s. It was bought by the Marine Palace & Pier Company in 1889. They planned to build a new pier in Brighton, but planning consent depended upon the Chain pier being dismantled. The Chain pier closed in October 1896, and was wrecked in a storm that December. The remains were subsequently demolished.
Brighton Palace Pier
The Brighton Marine Palace and Pier, generally known as the Palace Pier, was begun in 1891 and opened in May 1899 after costing a record £137,000 to build. A concert hall opened two years later. By 1911 this had become a theatre, but it was removed in 1986. This was Brighton's third pier. A condition to be met by its builders, in exchange for permission to build, was that the first,
The Royal Suspension Chain Pier
of 1823, which had fallen into a state of disrepair, was to be demolished. They were saved this task by a storm which largely destroyed the Chain Pier. The pier was renamed by its current owners as Brighton Pier in 2000. Brighton Pier suffered a large fire on the 4 February 2003 but the damage was limited and most of the pier was able to reopen the next day.
Brighton West Pier
The West Pier in Brighton was built in 1866 by Eugenius Birch and has been closed and deteriorating since 1975. It was Brighton's second pier, joining
The Royal Suspension Chain Pier
of 1823, and it is one of only two Grade 1 listed piers in the UK, the other being Clevedon Pier.
The West Pier had been cut off from the shore, for safety reasons, since 1975. The structure suffered a serious partial collapse during a storm on December 29, 2002, when a walkway connecting the concert hall and pavilion fell into the sea. On January 20, 2003 a further collapse saw the destruction of the concert hall in the middle of the pier. On 28 March 2003 the pavilion at the end of the pier caught fire. Firefighters were unable to save the building. On May 12, 2003, another fire broke out, consuming most of what was left of the concert hall. On June 23, 2004 high winds caused the middle of the pier to collapse completely.
Sections on this Page:-
Brighton Chain Pier
Brighton Palace Pier
Postcards
Photographs
Brighton West Pier
Postcards
Photographs
Other Sussex Pages:-
Sussex Piers
Bognor Pier
- Additional 2007 images
Eastbourne Pier
- Additional 2006 & 2007 images
Worthing Pier
- Additional 2007 images
Sussex Excursion Vessels
Allchorn Pleasure Boats
- Eastbourne-Beachy Head Services
Bodiam Ferry Company
- Newenden Bridge-Bodiam Castle service
British Railways/Sealink - Page 6
- Newhaven Services
Chichester
- Chichester Canal & harbour cruises
London Brighton & South Coast Railway
- LBSC Newhaven-Dieppe Services
Southern Railway - Page 2
- Newhaven Services
Transmanche Ferries
- Newhaven-Dieppe Services
Associated Pages:-
UK Excursion Ships, Ports & Piers
Essex Piers
Kent Piers
Suffolk Piers
Ferry Postcards
Simplon Postcards
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Recent Updates
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Home Page
References:-
Guide to British Piers
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by Tim Mickleburgh - Piers Information Bureau 1988/1994
www.theheritagetrail.co.uk
Trip Out Guides
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Written and published by G.P.Hamer - various editions from 1977 to 2005 consulted
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Brighton Chain Pier
(The Royal Suspension Chain Pier)
The Brighthelmston Suspension Pier Company was formed in 1921 and the chain pier was opened on 25th November 1823, at a length of 1134 feet. The pier was primarily intended as a landing stage for packet boats to Dieppe, until they transferred to the more sheltered Newhaven. It also featured a small number of attractions including a camera obscura. An esplanade with an entrance toll-booth controlled access to the pier which was roughly in line with the New Steine. Turner and Constable both made paintings of the pier, and King William IV landed on it. It was damaged and repaired after storms in 1824, 1833 and 1836. The pier's fortunes were declining by the late 1880s. It was bought by the Marine Palace & Pier Company in 1889. They planned to build a new pier in Brighton, but planning consent depended upon the Chain pier being dismantled. The Chain pier closed in October 1896, and was wrecked in a storm that December. The remains were subsequently demolished.
Postcard of Brighton Chain Pier, posted August 26th, 1907
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Postcard of Brighton Chain Pier
Variation on the card above
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Photographic postcard of Brighton Chain Pier
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Brighton Palace Pier
(Brighton Marine Palace and Pier)
The Brighton Marine Palace and Pier, generally known as the Palace Pier, was begun in 1891 and opened in May 1899 after costing a record £137,000 to build. A concert hall opened two years later. By 1911 this had become a theatre, but it was removed in 1986. This was Brighton's third pier. A condition to be met by its builders, in exchange for permission to build, was that the first,
The Royal Suspension Chain Pier
of 1823, which had fallen into a state of disrepair, was to be demolished. They were saved this task by a storm which largely destroyed the Chain Pier. The pier was renamed by its current owners as Brighton Pier in 2000. Brighton Pier suffered a large fire on the 4 February 2003 but the damage was limited and most of the pier was able to reopen the next day.
Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier entrance, posted October 19th, 1904
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Tuck's postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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AWW postcard of Brighton Palace Pier, showing Volk's Electric Railway station
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier
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Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier at night
Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier at night
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Brighton Palace Pier in 2009
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 2nd January 2009
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Brighton Palace Pier in 2009
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 3rd January 2009
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Brighton Palace Pier in 2009
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 3rd January 2009
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Brighton Palace Pier in 2009
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 3rd January 2009
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Brighton Palace Pier in 2009
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 3rd January 2009
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Brighton Palace Pier in 2009
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 3rd January 2009
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Brighton Palace Pier in 2009
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 3rd January 2009
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Brighton Palace Pier in 2009
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 3rd January 2009
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Brighton Palace Pier in 2009
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 3rd January 2009
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Brighton West Pier
The West Pier in Brighton was built in 1866 by Eugenius Birch and has been closed and deteriorating since 1975. It was Brighton's second pier, joining
The Royal Suspension Chain Pier
of 1823, and it is one of only two Grade 1 listed piers in the UK, the other being Clevedon Pier.
The West Pier had been cut off from the shore, for safety reasons, since 1975. The structure suffered a serious partial collapse during a storm on December 29, 2002, when a walkway connecting the concert hall and pavilion fell into the sea. On January 20, 2003 a further collapse saw the destruction of the concert hall in the middle of the pier. On 28 March 2003 the pavilion at the end of the pier caught fire. Firefighters were unable to save the building. On May 12, 2003, another fire broke out, consuming most of what was left of the concert hall. On June 23, 2004 high winds caused the middle of the pier to collapse completely.
Postcard of Brighton West Pier
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Postcard of Brighton West Pier
Postcard of Brighton Wesr Pier