Portsmouth England United Kingdom UK History
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This picture of the second South Parade Pier was taken shortly after it opened, circa 1904. The original pier was destroyed by fire, as, sadly, was this one, its replacement. This is my favourite "incarnation" of South Parade Pier, and you could say that it also had a second "inarnation", when quite extensive modifications were carried out (I think just after WWII) and the wonderful pergolas were removed. I wasn't the only person pleased to see similar pergolas restored when the pier was rebuilt after the 1974 fire.

This photograph was taken some time around 1920, from the eastern side of the pier - why is it that almost every other photograph we see of South Parade Pier is taken from the west? - and not much seems to have changed ... until you take a VERY close look at the outfits the women are wearing. One world war and hemlines have risen several inches, as they would continue to do for the next ninety years! Wonder if that's an Isle of Wight ferry at the end of the pier, or just a Solent pleasure cruiser? Anyone know?

Above is the oldest picture of South Parade Pier that I've been able to find, taken sometime in the 1880s, apparently, which means that we're probably not going to dig out an earlier image, as this original pier was opened in 1879.

And this was the result of a very slow Saturday morning in Bookworms, our book, DVD and CD shop in LondonRoad, North End (plug over!) - I sat for a couple of hours, experimenting with Corel Draw, and eventually came up with this iconic image of the current South Parade Pier, which I've included here as a bit of fun.

There is a dedicated South Parade Pier Gallery elsewhere in this site, but we still have to add quite a bit of additional material to it. If you want to see what it looks like so far, click on the silhouette image above here.
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