A night to remember...

Occasionally in life, an event occurs that stays with you for the rest of your life. Today, I'd like to talk about a personal such occasion that has fascinated and stayed with me since it happened - not a life changing event or such, but something I will never forget nonetheless. To do this, we have to transport ourselves way back in time, all the way to 1978.

At the time, I lived in Margate, a time I remember as being very happy, with long sunny days and what seemed like an idyllic childhood. (Of course, as you get older, you tend to only remember the best parts). But on the night of January 11th, an event occurred that for some reason had such a profound effect on even such a youngster, that I still frequently  recall it.

A huge storm battered the South East of Kent that night, and caused widespread damage over a large area. I have memories of the carpets in our house lifting up, windows rattling in an alarming way and lashing rains. We lived in Hatfeild Road, Westbrook and were literally just a few yards from the seafront. The damage to the seafront was all too evident the next day, as Margate's main beach was literally buried under the wreckage of it's longstanding jetty. Seeing the beach the next day was a sight I have never forgotten.

Margate Jetty as it was, in it's heyday

Here's a brief history of the jetty, from the National Piers Society. 

According to Walvin's 'Beside the Seaside', claims for a landing jetty at Margate date back to 1800. In 1824, the Margate Pier Harbour Co. erected an 1100 foot wooden jetty called the 'Jarvis Landing Stage'. However, this was only accessible at low tides and needed regular repairs. On 4th November 1851, it was breached in two places by a storm. The Company commissioned a new 'jetty' (so called to distinguish it from Margate Pier Harbour wall) and work began in 1853 to the design of Eugenius Birch (his first pier).

It opened in 1855 (the first iron pier) but was not completed until 1857. In 1875/8, it was extended and a new octagonal pier-head and pavilion were added. On 24th November 1877, a drifting vessel caused £4,000 damage. Further additions were made in 1893 and 1900.In World War II, the jetty was used for troop and supply movements. Steamer services resumed after the War, ending in 1966.

The jetty closed in 1976 on safety grounds, and was virtually destroyed by a storm on 11th January 1978 that isolated the lifeboat station. 

Unfortunately, I don't think I ever ventured on to the jetty myself, as it was pretty much closed down from the time I moved to Margate. But this didn't prevent a real feeling of sadness as I saw it's shattered shell the next day. The pier had gone from the above, to this melancholy sight in a matter of hours. The lifeboat, still inside the boathouse, was stranded for two days before it was safe enough to be recovered.

Photograph courtesy of Paul Mellor

Margate's main sands were covered in wreckage, with people moving the large wooden beams and starting small fires all across the beach.

Photograph courtesy of Tony Withers

Photograph courtesy of Tony Withers

The above photographs are exactly how I remember the next day, and for a lot of people I think was probably quite a shock to wake up to. But the saddest part was what was left of the pier. The iconic lifeboat house, broken and twisted. The octagonal pavillion and boarding area sadly looking back, dismembered from it's well trodden walkways. Victorian architecture sprawled across the sand. The pier was 153 years old at the time, and it's life was ended overnight. 

The East Kent times issued a souvenir booklet showing photographs of some of the damage around Thanet. This is the cover, scanned in from my own copy.

 The pier wasn't the only victim to the vicious storm of course, much damage was caused all around the coastline, but to many the sight of the demolished pier was perhaps the most shocking. Of course, now there was the problem of a pier who's remains, which had been sitting on the sea bed for over 150 years, needed to be removed.
The actual buildings on the jetty extension and the upper part of the lifeboat house were burned (I think) quite shortly afterwards, but the structure and foundations still remained.
In the early 80's (again, I think!), demolition of the lifeboat launch slipway was attempted. 
Despite several attempts, the wreckage proved very difficult to budge. 

One of the attempts to demolish what was left of the lifeboat house with explosives. Photograph courtesy of Paul Mellor

The continued failed attempts to destroy the remains of the jetty made new as far afield as the United States. Here is an article from the Milwaukee Journal, March 1979:

Eventually, the lifeboat slipway was removed, but the main part of the wreck stayed stubbornly wedged for years afterwards, an unofficial landmark and a reminder of what once stood. It survived until 1998, when it was finally taken down for good. 

To most, I guess, it was nothing more than a decrepit old jetty and a blot on the seascape. But for me personally, it was a constant reminder all through my youth of one noisy, windy night in January 1978.

Many thanks to Tony Withers and Paul Mellor for the use of their fine photographs; I could have used so many more and it was hard to choose my favourites. Take a look at their photos on their Flickr pages:
Tony's page is here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/claritoneve/
Paul's page is here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/1yearoffwork/

Besides more photos from the storm aftermath, there's lots of other great pictures on their pages.

Tomorrow, I'll be talking moaning about the joys of being an artist.