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Southwold
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the Suffolk town of Southwold. There is also a list of
other Suffolk pages
on this site.
Sections on this Page:-
Southwold - Original Pier
Southwold - New Pier
Southwold - Views from the Pier
Southwold - Lighthouse
Southwold - Walberswick
- ferries on the River Blyth
Suffolk Pages:-
Suffolk Ferries & Excursion Boats
Suffolk Piers
Felixstowe Ferry - Bawdsey
Harwich-Shotley-Felixstowe ferry: Brightlingsea
Harwich-Shotley-Felixstowe ferry: Explorer 12
Lunch Cruise on Lady Florence
- Orford restaurant boat
Orford
- Excursion boats and ferries from Orford Quay to Orford Ness and Rivers Alde, Ore and Butley
Orwell River Cruises
Shingle Street
- Suffolk costal hamlet
Southwold - Photo Diary - 4th December 2009
Southwold - Photo Diary - 30th March 2008
Associated Pages:-
UK Excursion Ships
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards
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Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards
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Home Page
References:-
www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/piers/southwold
- Pier history
www.suffolkimages.com
- Superb images of the fascinating Suffolk Coast
www.trinityhouse.co.uk
Rivers Alde, Ore & Blythe
- Robert Simper -
Creekside Publishing
1994
Trip Out Guides
- Written and published by G.P.Hamer - various editions from 1977 to 2005 consulted
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Southwold
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Original Southwold Pier
The Coast Development Company, who operated the
Belle Steamers
fleet between London and East Anglian resorts, built Southwold Pier (along with Lowestoft and Felixstowe). Construction was authorised in 1899, and a design from W Jeffrey was accepted. Opened in the summer of 1900, the wooden pier extended to a length of 810ft (245m), and had a T-shaped landing stage at the head. A wooden pavilion with refreshment rooms was later erected at the shoreward end. Despite offering these basic facilities, Southwold Pier (and the other Coast Development Company piers) were always designed with the functional purpose of bringing visitors from London to disembark at various places along the East Coast on route to Great Yarmouth. The Amusement Equipment Company took control of Southwold Pier in 1906 when the Coast Development Company was succeeded by the Coast Development Corporation Ltd. Belle Steamers continued to operate the London to Great Yarmouth service until the early 1930s. The T-shaped landing stage at the head was swept away in a violent storm in 1934 and was never replaced. In 1936 the timber buildings at the shoreward end were replaced with the two-storey modernist pavilion that remains today.
In common with the majority of piers on the east and south coasts of England, Southwold Pier was sectioned in 1940 for fear of invasion. A drifting sea mine subsequently struck the pier, destroying a further section. Southwold Pier was repaired in 1948, at a cost of £30,000. In October 1955 a storm isolated the seaward end, and a further gale in February 1979 reduced the piers length to only 150ft (45.4m).
The pavilion building has performed many roles during its time - in the 1960s it was a public house. Purchased by the Iredale family in 1987, the pavilion's first floor theatre and function rooms were completely restored, the former cafeteria re-opened as Flippers Diner, and a fitness studio replaced the old Neptune bar. Part of the ground floor remained as an amusement arcade, with a bar to the rear. Access to the surviving section of the pier neck was from the bar, and served as a beer terrace. A fund raising campaign, started in 1999, secured sufficient money to extend Southwold Pier to its former length. This was officially opened on 3rd July 2001. The T-shaped head has also been restored, and when the
Balmoral
pulled alongside in June 2002 it was the first ship to do so in nearly half a century. In 2005, the pier was bought by Stephen Bournes and remains a family-run business.
This early photograph is captioned 'Building Southwold Pier', but I have no other information
Belle steamer approaching the original Southwold Pier
Postcard of Southwold Pier with Belle steamer arriving
Postcard of Southwold Pier
Postcard of Southwold Pier
Postcard of Southwold Pier
Postcard of Southwold Pier
Postcard of view north from Southwold Pier
Postcard of the view north from Southwold Pier
Postcard of the view north from Southwold Pier - alternative copy of card above
New Southwold Pier
In 1987, the Pier was bought by Chris Iredale and work to rebuild it started in 1999 making new legs with the latest piling techniques. In 2001, the work was completed with the pier reaching its current length of 623 feet. It was named Pier of the Year in 2002 and is Britain’s only 21st Century Pier. In 2005, the Pier was bought by Stephen Bournes and remains a family-run business. A variety of different shops, cafes and bars are open along the length of the pier, which is extremely popular. The next develpoment phase appears to be the restoration of the 1936 pavilion, partially to provide apartments to let.
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier -
Balmoral
weather vane
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier -
Balmoral
weather vane
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
The new Southwold Pier
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd October 2007
