Pier Hotel - Marine Parade 1816 to 1965

 

  

Antony Edmonds in  a series entitled  'Buildings of Old Worthing' 2014 notes that it was in 1816 that Marine Cottage became an inn. It was named the Wellington Inn in honour of the Duke of Wellington, who had won the Battle of Waterloo the previous year. In 1863, it was renamed the Pier Hotel, following the construction of Worthing pier the previous year.

Image left taken by Captain West and kindly donated by Patrick Montgomery (USA) of www.archivefarms.com
   

In 1937/8, the old Pier Hotel was demolished and replaced by a new art deco structure. According to John Melser (quoted in the Herald in March 2014) – whose grandfather, and then his parents, ran the hotel for many years – a temporary building was erected in the forecourt to maintain the continuity of the licence while the new hotel was being constructed. Sadly in 1965, both the Pier Hotel and its neighbour, the Marine Hotel, were demolished.

The temporary bar, pictured right in situ, was later donated to a local school.
   
This excellent picture from of Nicky Chapman shows the residents enjoying the sea air on the balcony
above the ornate ironwork entrance. Date unknown.
   

1938 the Pier Hotel gets a facelift. It became common practice for pubs and hotels to upgrade in order to pull in tourists and their money, but in order not to lose their regular local drinkers, a bar would be opened up at the rear of the premises to cater for local drinkers, separating them from paying guests. These were often called 'shades'

Visible on the left of the picture, you can see an early petrol pump. The passageway between the buildings would have led to a mews for stabling of horses, but as times changed, it became a motor car garage.
   

 Time Line

 A little bit extra

1814 - Marine Cottage
1816 - Wellington Inn
1832 - John Richardson
1839 - Jas Jefferson
1851 - 1856 Sidney Beck*
1858 - Frances Back (wife of Sidney Beck)
1863 - Pier Hotel
1914 - Howell & Sons
1938 - re-fronted
1965 - Closed and demolished

Recollection from Sophie Michell:
The innkeeper from at least 1851 to 1856 (his death) was Sidney Beck. 'Francis Back' was his wife, Frances Beck. Sidney and Frances named their youngest son Duke after the Duke of Wellington. Frances had given up the inn by 1861.

Frances' parents, William and Hannah Marley, were a fishing family who lived on Marine Parade. Sidney originated in London, and had previously worked as a law clerk.