Sussex Piers - East Sussex - West Sussex - Ports, Piers - Ferry Photographs


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 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
Images 2009 - 2012
Brighton West Pier
Postcards
Images: 2007 - 2009 - 2012
Brighton Grand Hotel
Brighton - Other Images

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 - Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards - Home Page

References:-
Guide to British Piers - by Tim Mickleburgh - Piers Information Bureau 1988/1994
www.theheritagetrail.co.uk
Trip Out Guides - Written and published by G.P.Hamer - various editions from 1977 to 2005 consulted

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powered by FreeFind Brighton Chain Pier(Royal Chain Pier - Royal Suspension Chain Pier) All images link to larger copies
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.
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 Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Tuck's postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier AWW postcard of Brighton Palace Pier, showing Volk's Electric Railway station Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier at night Postcard of Brighton Palace Pier at night Brighton Palace Pier Images All images link to larger copies Brighton Palace Pier 2009 Brighton Palace Pier in 2009 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 2nd/3rd January 2009 Brighton Palace Pier in 2009 Brighton Palace Pier 2012 Brighton Palace Pier in 2012 Photo: � Ian Boyle, 27th December 2012 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 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. All images link to larger copies Postcard of Brighton West Pier Postcard of Brighton West Pier Postcard of Brighton West Pier Postcard of Brighton West Pier Postcard of Brighton West Pier Postcard of Brighton West Pier in a storm Postcard of Brighton West Pier Postcard of Brighton West Pier Postcard of Brighton West Pier Postcard of Brighton West Pier Tuck's postcard of Brighton West Pier Postcard of Brighton West Pier Brighton West Pier Images All images link to larger copies Brighton West Pier 2007 Brighton West Pier remains in 2007 Photo: © John Hendy, 10th October 2007 Brighton West Pier 2009 Brighton West Pier remains in 2009 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 2nd January 2009 Brighton West Pier remains in 2009 Photo: © Ian Boyle, 2rd January 2009 Brighton West Pier 2012 Brighton West Pier remains in 2012 Photo: � Ian Boyle, 27th December 2012 Brighton Grand Hotel All images link to larger copies Brighton Grand Hotel Photo: � Ian Boyle, 27th December 2012 Brighton Grand Hotel interiors Photo: � Ian Boyle, 27th December 2012 Brighton All images link to larger copies Brighton Photo: � Ian Boyle, 27th December 2012 UK Excursion Ships, Ports & Piers - Ferry Postcards - Cruise Ship Postcards - Ocean Liner PostcardsTop of Page - Simplon Postcards - Recent Updates - Simplon Postcards - Home Page ©1999-2013 Copyright Ian Boyle/Simplon Postcards (all pages on web site) All Rights Reserved Free Web Counter Times viewed since 03/01/2008: