We came across this fascinating message on the back of a Half Penny Packet Post Panoramic Card of Victoria Pier sent in 1905 to May Brewin in Burnley from her friend, W, who was having a great time in Hull.
I’ve carefully restored the photographs below the letter from the original glass plate negatives. All are from the early 1900s to show and imagine what the pier was like in it’s heyday. Two of the photographs are views from the pier of boats on the Humber taken on the 22nd May and 9th June 1900. The photographs are published as galleries so you can click on them if you’d like to have a closer look.
Dear M
Got your note. Iām sending you a picture of where I have spent most of my nights this week.
It is grand on this pier, all the young folks come here at night & as steamers are always coming in it is very pretty.
This is the most interesting place I visit, Swedes, Frenchmen, Russians, Germans, Italians, Spanish, people at every turn.
The sea breeze has made me feel in the pink.
I shall paralyze Henry on Saturday night.
Iām going to learn to skate, a friend is dying to take me & he shall have the chance.
W
We’re sure that’s Henry & W on the edge of the pier checking out that steamer on Saturday night.
The pier is special and holds lots of memories.
We came out of a quiet Oberon one cold and misty September night. As we walked, a company of Morris dancers appeared, dancing in the fog under the street lamps in front of the once Vittoria Hotel. We made our way to the end of the pier, the gates to the pontoons chained and padlocked, with two full and laden Rix barges moored, and just visible in the lapping water below. You could see nothing else on the Humber. And there we were, just us, as the high tide turned under a hiding full moon.
Rich & Lou Duffy-Howard
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This is loverly stuff.
Just being on the Pier or ferry was pleasure enough. It had a simplicity to it. You can plainly see this in the demeanour of people in the imagery. The photos have a certain calmness about them.
Being from opposite sides of the Humber, Janet and I spent a lot of time at the Pier in the early 70s. I think we picked up that mood – that spirit of place.
You are compiling quite an archive, aren’t you?
Gary Janet kat x
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Hi Gary, Janet & Kat
Thanks very much for commenting, and with your thoughts on the pier too.
Rich & Lou
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