Catalogue description SEAVIEW PIER COMPANY DOCUMENTS

This collection includes properly records, reports, legal papers and administrative records

One stray document not relating to Seaview Pier Co. was deposited with these documents - see H/SP/87 re: Priory Estate, Seaview

The Extension Pier (Shanklin) - Reference H/E.P.S.

Seaview Pier Co Ltd, 1879, Seaview, management company

The documents of the Seaview Pier Company were deposited by E.J. Taylor for A.E. Hook & Co., Chartered Accountants, of 21A St Thomas Square, Newport, on the closure of their branch at 1 St Thomas Street, Ryde in 1973. They wound up the Seaview Pier Co. in c.1925.

• Seaview Steamship Company, Seaview, steamship company
• Glynn, W.A., fl 1915, company chairman of Seagrove Manor

William Pearson contracted to do the work of erecting Seaview Pier, but by Deed of 21 July 1880 he conveyed the Contract of 6 September 1879 to Frank Caws of Sunderland. The chief promoter of the Pier Company was W.A. Glynn of Seagrove Manor. As late as 1915 he held 871 out of a possible 1466 votes. He was Chairman of the Pier Company for many years and worked in close co-operation with C.G. Vincent. The Secretary of the Seaview Pier Company was for many years C.G. Vincent, Solicitor, of 4 St Thomas Street, Ryde.

The purpose of building the Pier was to establish a direct and reliable link between Seaview and the London trains from Portsmouth Harbour. There seems to have been little interest in the excursion traffic from Clarence Pier. Increasing dissatisfaction with the service provided by steam boats on the route (especially those of the Bembridge and Seaview Steam Boat Co. led a number of members of Seaview Pier Co. as individuals to buy S.S. Alleyn in 1914. This was called the Seaview Steam-boat Company. An attempt to give Seaview Pier Co. a controlling interest in the new Company was successful despite opposition from A.W. Gilbert, who was Secretary of the Bembridge and Seaview Steam-boat Co., (taken over by E.V. James of Portsmouth in 1914). He had been the principal mover in the action between the 2 companies of 1914.

Finance was always a problem for the Pier Company. Both J.G. Fardell and C.G. Vincent were partly paid in shares rather than money. Dividends only were granted in the early days. The purchase of S.S. Alleyn caused substantial losses to the members involved. The adaption of the boat by the Pier Company can not have helped matters, as almost immediately the Board of Trade ordered substantial repairs, which would have been difficult to get done in War time.

Kelly's Commercial Directory of 1924 makes no mention of the Pier Company and the only steam boat running between Seaview and Portsmouth seemed to be 'The Brading Harbour Company' ones. In 1925 the Pier was sold to the Board of Trade.

The same source states that the Pier was erected in 1880/1, 1,000 feet in length. This was in 1889, extended by the erection of a pier head 50 foot long, which has now been enlarged.

The Pier became derilect and collapsed 1931. The Hotel at the end of the Pier (the Pier Hotel alias the Halland) was sold up in 1973 and awaits demolition.

Most of the documents creating Seaview Pier Co. were used in evidence in one or other of the legal cases of 1911 and 1914 and are filed with them.

Richard Caws of London was often Auditor of Accounts.

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