Clacton Pier History  

Clacton Pier was Designed and Engineered by the Engineer and Manager of the Eastern and Union Railway, Mr Peter Schuyler Bruff. He personally oversaw the building of a wooden structure . When it was opened it was just 160 yards in length and 4 yards wide. A scale of charges was laid down for landing cargo on the Pier. These included, musical instruments 1d per cubic foot, gunpowder 6d  and corpses £1, turtles 2s 6d each opening to the public on 18^th July 1871. This was all completed despite local opposition. Peter S. Bruff could see the potential of turning a small fishing village into a magnificent Seaside Resort which it is today.

He could imagine the people from London travelling along the River Thames by boats to visit Clacton, which they done in droves. The Deck was just a flat pier without buildings, designed to dock pleasure boats with tourists and vessels carrying their wares. This attracted people from London and various points along the East Coast, especially to the seven miles of glorious sandy coastline. The ‘Gold Award’ Beaches of Today.

In 1882 the branch line of the Railway was built from London, together with the Bell Steamers, Clacton became a most popular place for ‘Day Trippers’ from London. By 1890 the demand was so high with ‘Day Trippers’ that the company operating Clacton Pier decided that an extension of the pier was necessary with more improved facilities for the general public. 

By 1893 the Pier was extended by 1,180 ft [360 metres], the end of the pier was designed by Kinipple and Jaffrey built into a polygonal shape, a shape which defied all building conventions at the time using Pitch Pine. The construction of the extension of the pier included a state of the art wrought iron Polygonal Pavilion to match which encased a Concert Hall, Waiting Room and Refreshment Facilities.

It was during 1898 that the present operating company went into Liquidation and the pier was place on the market for sale. It was purchased by the Coastal Development Company and for the next 25 years very little changes were made the owners whom became bankrupt. The pier was purchased from the receivers for the owners.

In 1922 the new owner Ernest Kingsman instigated numerous changes with the help of his wife Ada and Son Barney, they invested some £200,000.0p and included the immediate construction of the ‘Blue Lagoon’ Dance Hall and a Lifeboat House on the Northern Side of the Pier with a long Slipway into the Sea. In 1928 further construction took place with the building of the ‘Ocean Theatre’, also  the  widening of the pier deck in 1931, the building of a Swimming Pool, and the ‘Crystal Casino’ in 1932.

Prior to the Second World War erupting, Ernest had included ‘The Ramblas Concert Party’ open air stage and the ‘Steel Stella’ Roller Coaster. With fear of the German invasion along with the demolition of the ‘Crystal Casino’ and ‘Children’s Theatre’ the pier head was repaired on the cessation of hostilities but the buildings never replaced. 

In 1973 there was a huge fire which destroyed the Roller Coaster in its wake.

Most piers have had their share of wild storms, Clacton pier was of no exception. During 1978, ferocious storms hit Clacton Pier and caused some £100,000.0p of damage. During 1979 having just completed the repairs of the previous year’s storm damage, yet again she was struck with the wild fury of the cruel sea. This time she suffered extensive damage to the Lifeboat House and the Dolphinarium, causing the emergency removal of a Killer Whale, Dolphins, Sea lions and Penguins to a safe haven. The Hurricane of 1987 caused vast problems which were in due course overcome with great

dedication to this instrumental monument of the East Coast.

In 1994 the ‘Ocean Theatre’ closed due to the fact that more and more British Residents were going abroad for their holidays and Clacton was becoming a quieter holiday resort compared to the past.

A further refurbishment programme was carried out towards the end of 1994 when a local business family the ‘Harrison’ purchased Clacton Pier, and like Ernest Kingsman before them, embarked on a major refurbishment schedule, to change, with public needs.

Clacton Pier, after all of its controversies of War Damage, Storms, and changes in ownership has survived, rebuilding its reputation stronger and stronger. Now Clacton Pier is back up on top like Blackpool and Brighton Piers with that Sunshine Paradise one can only compare with abroad. It boasts as one of the best fairground over the sea. With exquisite eating places you would adore, surrounded by some of the best sandy coastline and Driest Area in the British Isles

Clacton Pier Pictures