History of The Pier and Seafront
The Pier
Generations of holidaymakers and Worthing residents have enjoyed visiting Worthing Pier. British seaside piers date from the early 1800s. Worthing's pier was the thirteenth to be built in England at a cost of £6,500 by the Worthing Pier Company. The first pile was driven into the seabed on 4 July 1861. Designed by Sir Robert Rawlinson, the Pier was officially opened on 12 April 1862. Over the years it has been rebuilt and enlarged.
The Pier was a success from the start and inevitably there were soon plans for improvements. Two kiosks were added on the landward end of the Pier in 1884 to house the tollhouse and a souvenir shop. By 1889 a pavilion had been erected at the southern end of the Pier. The landing stage was also at the southern end. It was very important to the success of the Pier as Paddle Steamers regularly moored there. The best known was the Worthing Belle, in recent years the Waverley has been a regular visitor.
Disaster struck the Pier on Easter Monday 1913. Strong gales had developed throughout the day and by 9 o'clock in the evening the wind was blowing at 80 m.p.h. Crowds gathered on the shore to watch the Pier being battered by the waves. Soon after midnight the Pier's electricity supply was lost and within minutes the decking between the pavilion and the shore had been washed away.
The stranded pavilion was nicknamed 'Easter Island' by local and national newspapers and it was soon possible to buy postcards showing ariel views of the wreckage. Repair work commenced immediately and the Pier was reopened on 29 May 1914 by the Lord Mayor of London, Sir T. Vansittart Bowater Bart.
Worthing Borough Council purchased the Pier on 23 March 1921 for the sum of £18,978. 15s. Visitors to the Pier were charged 2d which included admission to hear an orchestra play in the South Pavilion. Five years later the Council demolished the kiosks and replaced them with a new pavilion to seat 1,000 people. It was designed by architects Adshead and Ramsey. A new souvenir shop was built next to the building; the tenant was granted the right to sell photographs taken along Marine Parade.
Disaster struck again on 10 September 1933 when fire destroyed the South Pavilion. Volunteers helped the fire brigade to remove furniture from the burning building and rip up decking to stop the blaze spreading any further. The Pier was repaired within two years. On its opening the new South Pavilion, re-furnished and fully equipped for dances and refreshments, was dubbed by the Daily Mirror as 'the sun trap of the south'. Both the central amusement pavilion and the windshield that runs along the length of the Pier were built in 1937.
When war broke out in 1939 the south coast became a fortress against possible invasion. In 1940 drastic steps were taken to hinder any enemy attack by blowing a 120-foot hole in to the Pier's decking near the South Pavilion. In 1942 when fears of an invasion had lessened the Pier became a recreation centre for troops complete with a canteen, library and billiard tables.
After the war the Borough Council put in a claim to the Government's War Damage Commission to repair the hole in the decking, and refurbish the Pier after years of military occupation and general neglect. The Pier reopened in April 1949 but as materials were in short supply recycled cast iron water mains were used for some of the Pier's piles. In 1947 there was only one shipload of green-heart timber imported into Britain and half of it was used as piles for the landing stage.
The Pier still continues to bring enjoyment to visitors and residents. The South end pavilion is a night club and the Pavilion Theatre sits at the North end. An amusement arcade is in the middle of the Pier. It is a regular attraction for people to take a stroll along the deck and for fishing.
960ft (296m) in length and 36ft wide, the Pier remains a fine example of its kind and for more information see the book 'Worthing Pier - a history' by Dr. Sally White. Available from Worthing Museum.
The Sea Front
One of the most popular pastimes for visitors and Worthing's residents is a stroll along the promenade on a glorious sunny day. The development of the sea front in the 19th century marked the town's growth from a small fishing hamlet into a flourishing seaside resort.
Until the 1700s Worthing's beach was only enjoyed by the local fishing, and farming communities and passing travellers. By the end of the 18th century Worthing had become a popular destination for people seeking a cure for their ailments 'taking the waters'. These first visitors were wealthy fashionable people who expected a variety of entertainments, comfortable lodgings and regular dips in the sea. They would have also enjoyed the fashionable pastime of promenading along the seafront but at the time Worthing's seafront was a narrow roughly made-up road that divided the beach and the few buildings along the foreshore.
In 1821 The Esplanade was built, stretching for a half mile from Warwick Road to West Buildings it provided the right setting for promenading. In 1865 it was extended to Heene Road and renamed Marine Parade. It was possible to stroll along the length of the beach enjoying the sights and entertainments unique to a seaside town.
Over the years it has been possible to hire deck chairs, bathing machines and boats from the seafront, buy ice cream and hot dogs, listen to music and watch puppet shows. During the 1930's the parade began to be extended to Wallace and George V Avenues as West parade. On the east side of the Pier the promenade became Beach Parade from east of Warwick Road and then from New Parade to the Brighton Road, The Esplanade.
An elegant 'birdcage' bandstand was built west of the Pier in 1897. For nearly thirty years holidaymakers and residents enjoyed numerous band concerts; the Worthing Borough Band regularly performed there. In 1907 a shelter was erected between the bandstand and beach to provide seating for promenaders to enjoy the music in comfort. In 1925 the bandstand was demolished and replaced with the Band Enclosure, designed by Adshead and Ramsey, which was later renamed the Lido. The original canopy over the stage was replaced in 1929 by the present domed roof. Over the years interest in band music declined and eventually in 1957 the Lido was converted into an unheated swimming pool. These days the Lido is a family entertainment centre but live music can still be heard there most weeks.
In recent years the promenade has seen improvements such as new lighting columns, new shelters and planting schemes including palm trees. A stroll along the prom' is just as popular today as it was when it began.
