The photo above is of a painting by a Mr. Gammidge dated 1880 and showing a sailing ship, the Saffron’, which punched a hole through the newly built Withernsea Pier and was then beached south of the Pier. Clearly a sailing ship, the main mast had been lowered pointing to the stern, and with a very deep draught. The ship, having been tossed around in a storm, also breached one of the early groynes built by the Improvement Company (s.p.b.). The picture, and yesterday’s, are taken from a collection of source materials compiled in 1987 by the Local History Archives Unit of Humberside College of Higher Education (as then), the Unit supervised by the late Chris. Ketchell. It is this source of evidence that informs this, and the next few, blogs/posts.
One document from the pack (see above) copies the Prospectus of the Withernsea Pier, Promenade, Gas and General Improvement Company. The Objects of the Company included the purchase of agricultural land for building, ‘laying out streets, roads, drains etc’ (see posts on Ravenscar), the construction of a pier, an ‘Ornamental Promenade’ and a Spa Saloon ‘providing recreation and amusement for Visitors and Residents’. That last phrase showed that the planned housing would cater for new residents attracted to the site as well as holidaymakers.
The Prospectus also recognises the importance of the railway and infers that commuter traffic to and from Hull would be part of the demand for new housing (as it was to be in Hornsea, but not there by an improvement company but by market forces).
A further objective was to protect ‘the Coast from the encroachments of the Sea, although early photos suggest this was to be by planting grasses below the promenade rather than by building a sea-wall. It also seems that the North Eastern Rail co. had already tried to secure the coast as the Improvement Co. was to follow ‘the same plan’.
(to be continued).