From the handful of houses that comprised the "south end" of Prittlewell parish less than two centuries ago, has grown the popular holiday resort of Southend, with a resident population of approximately 150,000.

It was to the pier, built in 1830, that Southend owed much of its prosperity. Until the pier was built, prospective visitors by steamboat were deterred by the fact that the last stage of the journey must be accomplished on the backs of wading sailors.

In 1768 the following appeared in a magazine : " A scheme is afoot to render Southend a convenient place for bathing, the situation being esteemed the most agreeable and convenient for that purpose on the Essex coast." Southend was first mentioned during the reign of Henry VIII, when it described the south end of Prittlewell parish. By the middle of the eighteenth century Southend consisted of a district known as Arthur's Land and Thames Farm. It is believed that Arthur's Land was situated where now are the Ship Hotel and the Marine Parade. Buildings of various types were erected, and by 1780 Southend could boast of 51 houses. Eleven years later a start was made on the building of the Royal Terrace and Hotel. For some time there was considerable delay through financial difficulty, but by 1793 the new buildings were completed. However, the scheme to make Southend a popular resort seems to have been a failure at first, for there were few visitors. In 1794 the "Gentleman's Magazine" described New Southend as a place containing the gayest shrubs of summer, and spoke of the various walks intersecting each other, and the elegant coffee rooms. The largest proportion of the property in Southend was purchased by Mr. James Heygate in 1800. He carried out improvements and brought the place to the public notice. A daily coach service began and there was a postal delivery four times a week. In 1801 the five-year-old Princess Charlotte had to visit a seaside resort for health reasons. She was sent to stay at Southchurch Lawn, Southend. Later there were further visits by royalty, and the aristocracy began to take an interest. Thus Southend developed into a fashionable resort.

Admiral Rowley encouraged the social life of Southend and patronized the theatre. The first theatre was built in 1804. A well-known actress, Mrs. Powell, at the end of performances of "Children in the Wood" and "Romeo and Juliet", delivered some brilliant lines as a tribute to the lately lamented Lord Nelson of Trafalgar. Such performances were characteristic of Southend during the "season", which lasted until the end of September. In the "Gentleman's Magazine" of 1812, Southend was praised as a watering place, though certain deficiencies were noted. The roads were described as good, and a note was made of a considerable amount of building. The writer referred, as was common at that time, to the part of the town at the foot of Pier Hill as Old Southend, and the more recently built Royal Terrace and other buildings at the top of the hill as New Southend. By 1819, a steamboat service was started up from Southend. This was a big step forward in the development of the town, and more summer visitors were expected. One big disadvantage for visitors, however, was the inconvenience they suffered when disembarking, for they had to be transferred from the steamers to rowing boats and the last few yards were usually covered on the backs of sturdy sailors. It was obviously only a matter of time before someone would realize the necessity of a pier. An illustrated guide to Southend appeared in 1824. A previous guide had been published in 1806, but the 1824 edition was a far larger and more ambitious effort. The guide described the Ship Inn as the principal hotel of the lower part of the town. New Southend, according to the guide, possessed all the advantages over Old Southend in point of situation and style of building, and was, in fact, in every respect the fashionable end of the town. A daily coach service was started from London to Southend, a distance of just over 41 miles. The coaches set out from Whitechapel Church and then travelled via Mile End, Stratford, llford, Romford, Brentwood, Billericay, Rayleigh, Hadleigh, Leigh, and so on to the principal inn of Southend, the Royal Hotel. This growth of communications with London naturally resulted in a proportionate increase in the importance and popularity of Southend. Disraeli is known to have visited the town and to have described it as "very pretty." A Syndicate obtained an Act of Parliament in 1830 for the building of a pier at Southend. When Sir William Heygate returned with the news that the Bill had been passed by Parliament there were scenes of great enthusiasm and Sir William was mobbed by the crowd. Lord Mayor Thompson laid the first stone and eventually a pier half a mile in length was constructed. The full length of a mile and a quarter was not completed until 1846 at a total cost of £42,000. It was purchased by various speculators and finally transformed into an iron structure. A horse tramway carried passengers from the boats to shore along the entire length of the pier. In 1890 the tramway was electrified. On several occasions since its construction the pier has suffered severe damage when ships have been hurtled against it during a storm. Southend has developed into a large seaside town especially popular with the twentieth-century Londoner in search of the healthy influence of the sea yet wishing for the proximity of shops and entertainments. The town is not yet two centuries old, yet since its late eighteenth century beginnings so quick has been its growth that few of those early inhabitants would be able to recognize modern Southend, with its shops, cinemas and many amusements. Yet those who are prepared to walk, and seek with a little patience, may find that it can still be said that Southend is a "pretty place."

by J. K. Milsome
Essex Countryside Vol. 5 No. 2 Autumn 1953

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Published on: 2005-07-11 (2070 reads)