Most Wanted - A Pier at Cleethorpes

With the Pier currently being restored to its former glory and due to open later this year, this snippet from the Louth and North Lincolnshire Advertiser in October 1863 is a reminder of how important it is to Cleethorpes and the community:

" We are always glad to hail improvements in any form; and much as it may be thought desirable by the promoters that gas works should be established at Cleethorpes, this scheme is comparatively secondary in promoting the health of visitors. Besides, when gas is most wanted nine-tenths of the residents have left for the season. What is most wanted at Cleethorpes is a public pier down to low water. Every visitor would appreciate and gladly pay a toll for the benefit. Tens of thousands would flock down to the tide. Fishing and pleasure boats would avail themselves of the accommodation, and it would prove, as in other instances, a lucrative investment. We are informed the gas works are being proceeded with vigorously, and we hope the next speculation for Cleethorpes will be the establishment of a pier company.

It took almost a decade but, in August 1873, the newspapers were at last able to report on the opening of the first Pier at Cleethorpes:

"This event, which has long been looked forward to with vast amount of pleasurable interest by the inhabitants of the rising little watering-place, Cleethorpes, deservedly named the Margate of the Lincolnshire coast, took place, amidst much ceremony and rejoicing, yesterday. The weather in the early part of the day was gloomy, but as the afternoon advanced the sun shone out resplendently, and the sands and pier presented quite a festive appearance. The little village was completely deluged with flags and banners, while the cheap excursion trains from the West Riding and midland counties brought thousands of visitors, who, on this the last Bank holiday before Christmas were afforded an opportunity of spending a day in the country.

All along the extensive beach and the marine promenades crowded the delighted “trippers” in holiday costume, while bathing , boating, and many other amusements were entered into with a gusto peculiar to the dwellers in towns when they find themselves transplanted to the seaside. The new pier, which is a light and elegant structure supported by iron pillars, was  commenced by a limited liability company in December last from designs by Messrs J.E. Dowson, engineers, of London, the contractors being Messrs Head, Wrightson & Co. of Stockton-on-Tees. It is 400 yards in length by 20ft in width, and the end is a platform, 120ft long by 85ft broad, with steps descending to the water for the accommodation of passengers.

The opening ceremony took place at two o’clock, when speeches were delivered by Mr Grant Thorold, the chairman, and Mr E. Bannister, the vice-chairman of the company, who spoke in complimentary terms of the manner in which the work had been carried out, and of the great progress which the watering place had made during the past few years, which this new structure was calculated materially to enhance. Cheers were given for the company, and subsequently there were some very interesting trials with the Cleethorpes lifeboat, followed by a series of rowing matches and aquatic sports.

A band of music played a selection of music on the platform, and dancing was freely indulged in by the young people present. The day was a thoroughly enjoyable one, and the event, it is hoped, marks an era of much future advantage for this favourite resort."

(Newspaper reports sourced from the British Newspaper Archives on www.findmypast.co.uk)