Island Piers Page 2 - Sandown to Ventnor

Old postcards are sometimes poorly produced and grainy, I've done my best to scan them. Please click thumbnails for full size picture. Dates are from the card or my estimate (where possible). The manufacturer of the card is shown in brackets (where available)

Sandown Pier

Sandown pier was opened in 1879 and was rebuilt with a new pavilion at the end in 1895, the picture above is dated 1915. It is 875 feet long and was in addition to entertainment in the pavilion used for by pleasure steamers, occasionally they still visit. A new pavilion was built at the land end in 1934. The old pavilion at the seaward end was demolished when the pier was rebuilt in the late 1960's. The new pavilion  has in recent years been converted from a theatre to an entertainment complex, including such things as indoor golf.

Shanklin Pier

Shanklin pier was built was built in the late 1880's. It was not a financial success and was put up for sale in 1892, part of the sale prospectus stated:

"The pier is about 1100ft long and 30ft wide, constructed of wood and iron and is most handsome and substantial in character and of safe elevation and is provided with picturesque tollhouses, Ladies and gentlemens Lavatories (connected with the public sewer) and sheltered seats. Gas and Town water are laid on, the Gas Standards and Lamps being very ornamental. It is terminated by and oblong shaped head on which are constructed a Band Stand with elegant sheltered seat with Stage and Retiring Rooms, readily converted into a Pavilion (with canvas awning), capable of accommodating about 500 people."

It was bought by the local council and a pavilion (theatre) built. This had regular shows, starring 'big names' of their times, and the pier was also a regular calling point for pleasure steamers, including those operating day trips to France. It returned to private ownership in 1925. It thrived until the 1970's when frequent changes of ownership lead to its decline. Despite attempts to repair it (in my experience it was in a bad state during the early 80's) it came as no surprise when it was destroyed in a storm in 1987. Various proposals were put forward to rebuilt it, but these came to nothing and the remains were eventually demolished.

Ventnor Pier

There have been three piers at Ventnor, the first built in the 1860's was part of an ill fated harbour scheme and was destroyed by the end of that decade. The second was opened in 1871, rebuilt in 1881 and destroyed at the end of the same year. The third pier, named the Royal Victoria Pier after Queen Victoria, who had a holiday home (Osborne House) on the Island. It had a pavilion at its head, used for entertainment and saw regular visits from pleasure steamers. It was condemned in 1948, but rebuilt with a new pavilion by 1955. The shore end was subsequently covered over and used for amusement machines. This caught fire in 1985, causing considerable damage. Repair was not considered practical, and the whole structure demolished in 1993. The card below is undated, but probably late 1950's. It also shows an aerial view of Ventnor

Piers page 1 - Ryde to Seaview

Piers page 3 - Alum Bay to Cowes

Freshwater  | Totland  |  Alum Bay and the Needles  |  Yarmouth  |   Shalfleet  |  Newtown  |  Calbourne  |  Carisbrooke Castle  |  Newport and Carisbrooke  |  Cowes and Gurnard  | Osborne House  | Wootton, Fishbourne and Quarr  | Ryde  |  Seaview  |  Bembridge  |  Brading  |  Sandown  |  Shanklin  |  Godshill  | Arreton Valley   | Ventnor  |  St Lawrence and the Undercliff  |  St Catherine's Lighthouse's  | Niton   |  Blackgang Chine  |  Blackgang and Chale   |  Brighstone and Shorwell   |  Mottistone to Compton

Round the Island

6 May 2007