The first South Parade Pier, pictured left, was first opened in July 1879 and soon the regular Sunday afternoon band concerts were extremely popular - except with some of the more prudish residents, who tried to persuade the authorities to close the pier on the Lord's Day.

Fortunately for the more liberal minded, this never happened, but then, unfortunately, despite all the "fireproof" claims that were made in the pier's advertising literature, it caught fire and was completely destroyed in 1904.

By this time, however, both Southsea Pier and Clarence Pier had become established landmarks on Southsea seafront and it was unthinkable that one of them should be missing for long.

After a flurry of activity, the new pier was open

in approximately a year - normal service was resumed! (Right is the new pier circa 1920).

The new pier prospered for many decades, only closing to the public during part of the second world war, and generations of locals and visitors alike will have fond memories of the penny arcade machines (sadly they didn't stay at one penny during my lifetime!) the concerts and the fishing that was to be had off the end of the pier.

Tragically, history was to repeat itself in 1974, when the pier was being used by film director Ken Russell, to film the ballroom scenes for Tommy, starring the Who's Roger Daltry, Elton John, Oliver Reed, Ann-

Margret and a whole cast of musicians and other personalities, plus a host of extras recruited from among local youngsters and students.

A lighting gantry was knocked against curtains, which flared up and although security staff thought they had extinguished the fire, spark had apparently drifted up into the roof and soon flames were springing up into the sky.

Security staff and then firemen successfully evacuated everyone and there were no reported casualties - throughout the action, Ken Russell stood across South Parade, on the patio area in front of what was then the Savoy Ballroom and

filmed the entire episode, using a hand-cranked movie camera! As a result, there is footage of the pier burning in the original version of Tommy.

There was a great deal of debate as to whether it was going to be worth rebuilding the pier yet again, but thankfully the "pro" lobby eventually won out - let's face it, we can't have Southsea without a South Parade Pier, can we?

Today, among other things, the Pier is a popular venue for live music and Christmas parties.

Photographs (from the top):
1. The original South Parade Pier
2. The "new" Pier, probably taken in the 1950s
3. The Pier in 1974, just before the second fire
4. South Parade Pier circa 2000