A photograph often taken today, although now the skyline is much busier with the heavy industry at Teesmouth and the huge blast furnace. The image was taken from a booklet of picture postcards, showing the original pier. Callum Duff tells us: ”The picture above shows the pier after it was shortened in 1874 after a motor launch destroyed the landing stage and the pierhead. The original length of the pier was 1500 ft and it was shortened to the pictured length of 1250 ft. This length continued until the pierhead was destroyed by heavy seas in 1974 and the pier shortened to it’s present length. I suggest that this photograph was taken sometime between 1924 & 1939. Andy Gibson also advises: ”The latest date I can’t comment on, but I happen to know that the twin houses at the East end of Marine Parade were built in 1928, so the date range must start then, at the earliest.” Callum further adds: ”Looking at this postcard again, the pier has been repaired after the SS Ovenbeg breach so it must be after 1933 and The Spa Pavilion has yet to gain its concrete apron of windows on the east side of the building which were added in 1935. Therefore this card can be dated between 1933 and 1935.”
Thanks to Andy Gibson and Callum Duff for all the updates.
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