Kent Piers - Simplon Postcards

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Kent Piers

This page is under construction

This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the piers of Kent. In addition to pleasure piers, piers and jetties used by ferries or excursion ships are also included. The sole surviving complete pleasure pier in Kent is at Deal. This is also the last pleasure pier completed in the UK, having opened in 1957 after the previous pier was not worth repairing after the war. Herne Bay Pier also survives, but in much truncated form.


Piers on this Page:-
Broadstairs
Chatham
Deal
Dover Prince of Wales Pier
Dover Promenade Pier
Folkestone Railway Pier
Folkestone Victoria Pier
Gravesend Royal Terrace Pier
Gravesend Town Pier
Herne Bay
Margate Jetty
Pegwell Bay - To be added
Queenborough
Ramsgate Marina Piers
Ramsgate Harbour Piers
Rochester
Sheerness
Strood
Upnor - To be added

Other Kent Pages:-
Kent Excursion Ships
Deal
Dover
General Steam Navigation
Invicta Line Cruises
Lower Thames & Medway Passenger Boat Co
Maidstone - River Medway excursion boats
New Palace Steamers
PS Kingswear Castle
PS Monarch (3)
Queenborough - River Swale/Medway port
Tilbury-Gravesend Ferry

Associated Pages:-
UK Excursion Ships, Ports & Piers
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards - Home Page

Other UK Pier Pages:- Norfolk Piers - Suffolk Piers - Essex Piers - Kent Piers - Sussex Piers - Hampshire Piers - Isle of Wight Piers - Dorset Piers (other counties in preparation)

References:-
Guide to British Piers (2nd Edition) - by Timothy Mickleburgh - Piers Information Bureau, 1988
www.theheritagetrail.co.uk

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Kent Piers



Gravesend Town Pier

Gravesend Town Pier was built for the local council in 1834, and was originally open-sided apart from two small pavilions at the end. The Town Pier is the oldest surviving cast iron pier in the world. Steamers were boarded from a series of steps and landings. Initially services were run by Gravesend Council. With the coming of the railway to Tilbury, traffic increased and railway ferries also began serving the Town Pier. A pontoon was added to allow more than one steamer call at a time. The promenade section of the pier was also covered in, resulting in a very attractive structure. Goods and livestock also used this pier, but the railway considered charges to be too high, and built the new goods pier at West Street. Gravesend Council had lost control of the pier to receivers on their bankruptcy in 1852, but it was not until 1884 that the Railway obtained ownership. All ferry services switched to the West Street Pier in 1965, and the pontoon was removed. Following a further restoration, the pier reopened as bars, cafes and shops in 2006

More images of Gravesend Piers


Early photograph of Earl of Essex at Gravesend Town Pier.
The withdrawal date of Earl of Essex is unknown, but it was before 1880.



Postcard of Tilbury (2) at Gravesend Town Pier.
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Photograph of Gravesend Town Pier entrance in 1922.
Photo: © NRM



Postcard of one of the LTSR steamers at Greenwich Town Pier.
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Photograph of Catherine (1) at Gravesend Town Pier.
Photo: © NRM
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Gravesend Town Pier in 2002, prior to latest restoration.
Photo: © David Glasspool - www.kentrail.co.uk
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Gravesend Town Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 13th November 2005.
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Gravesend Town Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 12th March 2006
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Gravesend Town Pier - with Royal Terrace Pier in the background
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
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Gravesend Town Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 5th May 2006
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Gravesend Town Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th June 2008
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Gravesend Town Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th June 2008
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Gravesend Town Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th June 2008
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Gravesend Royal Terrace Pier

Gravesend Royal Terrace Pier was built in 1845, and was used by the steamers from London. It is now used by the Port of London Authority, whose offices straddle the entrance.

More images of Gravesend Piers


Gravesend Royal Terrace Pier.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 12th March 2006
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Gravesend Royal Terrace Pier.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 12th March 2006
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Gravesend Royal Terrace Pier.
Photo: Ian Boyle, 12th March 2006
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Gravesend Royal Terrace Pier.
Photo: Ian Boyle, 12th March 2006
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Gravesend Royal Terrace Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th June 2008
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Gravesend Royal Terrace, Town and West Street Piers
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th June 2008
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Gravesend Royal Terrace Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th June 2008
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Gravesend Royal Terrace Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th June 2008
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Upnor

To be added





Strood


Kingswear Castle at Strood Pier, seen from the new promenade.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th March 2005
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Strood Pier from Kingswear Castle.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th March 2005
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Rochester

Rochester Pier
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Princess Pocahontas at Rochester Pier in 2008
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th June 2008
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Princess Pocahontas at Rochester Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 9th June 2008
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Chatham

Chatham Pier.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 26th March 2005
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Queenborough

Queenborough became a continental ferry port in 1876 when a branch was built to a new pier from just north of the town station. Services were operated by the Stoomvaart Maatschappij "Zeeland" (SMZ - the Zeeland SS Co) to Vlissingen (Flushing) in Holland, between 1876 and 1927, with various breaks due to pier fires, the First World War etc.

In 1882, Queenborough Pier was seriously damaged by fire, and the passenger service moved to Dover for four months. Cargo services to Queenborough did not restart until 1885, and cargo steamers were chartered to operate into London in the interim. In 1897, a temporary transfer to Dover was made again, following damage to the railway to Queenborough. In 1900, Queenborough pier was damaged by fire a second time, and the service moved temporarily to Port Victoria, on the opposite bank of the River Medway. Steamer services were operated by paddle steamers until 1910, when three new turbines were delivered. The turbines were used on the night service, with the less competitive day service being operated by the displaced paddle steamers. After one year, the turbines were moved to Folkestone in 1911, since the Medway was unsuitable for their greater draft than the paddlers. The distance from Vlissingen (Flushing) to Folkestone was 92 miles, compared to 112 miles from Queenborough. The day service remained at Queenborough, operated by the paddle steamers, until 1927, when all services switched to Harwich. The port was used by the Admiralty in the Second World War as a base for Thames minesweepers.


Postcard of an SMZ paddle steamer at Queenborough Pier.
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Photograph of Queenborough Pier, with a Zeeland paddle steamer.






Sheerness

Postcard of Sheerness Pier
Note pier tramway tracks






Herne Bay

Postcard of Herne Bay Pier
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Postcard of Herne Bay Pier
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Postcard of Herne Bay Pier, with frozen sea in 1963
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View from Herne Bay Pier
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Postcard of Herne Bay Pier
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Postcard of Herne Bay Pier
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Margate Pier

Margate Pier was the name given to the stone harbour wall. The later pleasure pier was therefore known as Margate Jetty.


Postcard of Margate Pier
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Postcard of Margate Pier, with the Jetty behind
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Postcard of Margate Pier, with the Jetty behind
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Postcard of Margate Pier, with the Jetty behind
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Margate Jetty

Margate Jetty, so called to distinguish it from the stone harbour wall known as Margate Pier, was the first iron pleasure pier to be constructed (although Gravesend Town Pier was built of iron in 1834). It was opened in 1855 and was the fisrt pier designed by Eugenius Birch - he went on to design many other piers and those at Blackpool North, Aberystwyth, Brighton West, Weston-super-Mare Birnbeck, Eastbourne, Hastings and Bournemouth still survive. Unfortunately Margate Jetty was destroyed in a storm in 1978.


Postcard of Margate Jetty, with Royal Sovereign and Koh-I-Noor of Palace Steamers
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Postcard of Margate Jetty
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Postcard of Margate Jetty
Royal Daffodil approaching
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Postcard of Margate Jetty



Postcard of Margate Jetty
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Postcard of Margate Jetty



Postcard of Margate Jetty, with Royal Sovereign of Palace Steamers
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Postcard of Margate Jetty, with Royal Sovereign of Palace Steamers



Postcard of Margate Jetty, with Royal Navy ships
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Postcard of the Sunken Gardens, with Margate Jetty in the background



Postcard of Margate Jetty entrance
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Postcard of Margate Jetty
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Postcard of Margate Jetty with frozen sea, January 1963
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Postcard of Margate Jetty with frozen sea, January 1963
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Postcard of Margate Jetty
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Broadstairs

Postcard of Broadstairs Pier
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Postcard of Broadstairs Pier



Postcard of Broadstairs Pier
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Postcard of Broadstairs Pier
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Postcard of Broadstairs Pier
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Postcard of Broadstairs Pier



Postcard of Broadstairs Pier
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Postcard of Broadstairs Pier
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Ramsgate Marina Pier

Ramsgate Marina Pier was a pleasure pier, at the far end of the promenade to the harbour quays. It was opened in 1881 and was 550 feet long. Since free promenading was available on the more conveniently located harbour breakwater, it was never a finacial success. It suffered three accidents of fire, ship collision and being hit by a mine in 1917-18. It was demolished in 1930.


Postcard of Ramsgate Marina Pier & railway station
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Ramsgate Harbour Piers

Postcard of Ramsgate Harbour Pier
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Postcard of Ramsgate Harbour Pier



Postcard of Ramsgate Harbour Pier



Postcard of Ramsgate Harbour Pier



Postcard of boat at Ramsgate Harbour Pier






Pegwell Bay

Pegwell Bay Pier was built in1878 for use as a landing stage for steamers. It was not a success and had been dismantled before 1900.


Postcard of Pegwell Bay with jettys
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Deal

The first Deal Pier was built in 1838. Only 250 feet of a planned 445 feet was completed, and it was demolished in 1857. A new pier, designed by Eugenius Birch, was built in in 1864. It was breached during WW2 as a security precaution and was not deemed repairable after the war, so was demolished in 1954. A new concrete pier was started almost immediately, opening in 1957, the last new pleasure pier built in Britain.


Postcard of the second Deal Pier entrance



The second Deal Pier
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Postcard of the second Deal Pier



The second Deal Pier



The second Deal Pier
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View from the second Deal Pier
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View from the second Deal Pier
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Postcard of the second Deal Pier



The third Deal Pier of 1957 - the last pier built in Britain



Entrance to the third Deal Pier of 1957 - the last pier built in Britain
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Deal Pier from the north
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 30th April 2007
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Deal Pier entrance
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 30th April 2007
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Deal Pier from the south
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 22nd April 2007
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Deal Pier from the south
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 30th April 2007
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Dover Prince of Wales Pier

The Prince of Wales Pier was opened at Dover in 1902. This had a stone outer end connecting to land by a cast iron section. Liners of Norddeutsche Lloyd and the Hamburg America Line called here for a short period. This was before the completion of the Admiralty Breakwaters and the pier proved to be too exposed for the large liners in bad weather. The cast iron section was boxed in with concrete when the Western Docks Hoverport was built in 1978.

More images of Dover Piers


The Prince of Wales Pier with a large steamer.
The exposed nature of the pier before additional breakwaters were built is obvious.
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The Deutschland (3) of Hamburg America Line at the Prince of Wales Pier.
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The Amerika of Hamburg America Line at the Prince of Wales Pier.
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The Pennsylvania of Hamburg America Line at the Prince of Wales Pier.
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Entrance to the Prince of Wales Pier



Prince of Wales Pier at Dover
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 4th August 2007
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Prince of Wales Pier at Dover
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 4th August 2007
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Dover Promenade Pier

The Promenade Pier was opened in Dover in May 1893. This was a typical seaside pleasure pier rather then a pier for shipping. Unfortunately a ship ran into it the following November, and a year later a 100 foot section was swept away in a storm (the Admiralty Breakwaters which would have protected it were not completed until 1909). The pier did not reopen until August 1895. In 1899 a pavilion opened. The pier was acquired by the Admiralty in 1913. After WW1, the pier was leased for use as a pleasure pier again, but by 1927 it had become dilapidated and was demolished.

More images of Dover Piers


Promenade Pier with pavilion in the early 1900s.



Promenade Pier, posted 1927.
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The Parade, Dover, showing the landward end of the Promenade Pier.



View towards the Castle from the Promenade Pier.



View from the Promenade Pier, showing the Burlington Hotel (also now lost).



View from the Promenade Pier, showing the Burlington Hotel






Folkestone Victoria Pier

Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier
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Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier
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Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier
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Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier



Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier
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Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier
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Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier
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Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier
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Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier
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Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier after pavilion burnt down
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Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier



Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier



Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier



Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier



Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier from the Railway Pier



Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier
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Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier
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Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier



Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier
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Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier
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Postcard of Folkestone Victoria Pier
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Folkestone Railway Pier

Aerial postcard of Folkestone Railway Pier (Victoria Pier behind)



Postcard of Folkestone Railway Pier, with paddlesteamer



Postcard of Folkestone Railway Pier, with turbine



Postcard of Folkestone Railway Pier, with turbine leaving for Boulogne



Postcard of Folkestone Harbour with railway steamer
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