A most interesting talk entitled “A visual presentation of the jetties and piers of Cromer” was given by Alistair Murphy, curator of the Cromer Museum. He began by explaining that in the nineteenth century, as many seaside resorts developed, they found that a pier for strolling along (as opposed to a jetty for tying up boats) was an attraction to visitors, even more so when the railways came to this region. People would come for the fresh air, the ozone, and even, in some cases, to buy bottled seawater, sold for its healthy qualities!
Alistair took us through the history of jetties and piers in Cromer (with excellent illustrations), starting in 1780 with a jetty which was more of a short breakwater; this was followed by various jetties and piers, each time longer than the previous ones, leading up to the construction of the present pier in 1901. There was initially a bandstand where the pavilion now is. It was interesting at the same time to learn something of the history of the seafront and of the buildings nearby.
Alistair showed in his excellent presentation how much the pier has been part of Cromer’s history, and he was thanked by the Chairman.
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