Aerial shots of Hastings Pier

photos © Hastings Public Library

Jim Peckham… Far better back then than now. But things sometimes have to change for all sorts of reasons. At least Hastings still has a pier

Michael Linskey… Look at that a real pier back then buzzing full of life entertainment all year round for all age groups . And plus a real attraction for tourists to enjoy, and what a beautiful focal point of a architectural structure of Hastings history then , to what it is and now become a total eyesore whatever direction you view it from, just a length of empty space looking more like an aircraft carrier deck with a conning tower in the middle and now only used if anything half the year round as winter months there’s nothing to offer with the empty unused space now . It’s truly sad now to see what it’s now been turned into simply because the lack of investment or incompetent management of invested money wasted .

Sandie Carlyon… Oh look. A proper pier.

Tony Court-holmes… happy days

Eileen O’Toole… Happy days and memories

Peter Brazier… Bottom photo has to be after 1966 because of the triodome but not long after it was built I think. The Foreman at about this time was the one responsible for the steady decay of the lower landing stage He apparently would sell the occasional iron grid to the pier in Eastbourne to fix there’s but sadly in doing so started it’s decline into being unstable! Very sad as it made our jobs harder in the late 70’s to 80’s (when I worked there) to keep it together, The “Couldn’t care less” attitude of future owners (after Mr Knight) meant it would slowly disappear till it ended up as we see it today, The Foreman in charge when i joined the maintenance squad was Fred Cooper who told me about his predecessor and how the landing stage was the key to the Pier’s survival as it acted as a break water for the rest of the pier (as it moved with the tide unlike the main pier structure) he told me. “If The Landing Stage Goes the Rest of The Pier won’t last for too many years afterwards!” Pity the New Owner doesn’t hold that in mind! I’ve had a look at the ironwork at the furthest end where the stairs to the landing stage used to be and i’m not impressed with it’s condition, i think if someone was to hit one of the beams you can see sticking out with a hammer, most of the thickness would turn out to be rust, leaving a thin tin thickness of the remaining steel left! We had bits like that when I worked there and had to replace large sections of the framework which meant closing sections of the pier down for public safety reasons! Personaly I don’t feel safe on there anymore

Nick Hunter… Looks like the zoo on the pier

Matt Thomas… top photo, first time I’ve noticed those corner sunbathing spots. Wonderful

Peter Ellingworth… Anybody any idea of the year ? Looks to me immediately pre-war, if the bus on the pier side of the road with a white roof is one of the original centre entrance single decker trolleybuses, several of which survived in public service until around 1948, following the delivery of the 1946-7 batch of double deckers. If immediately post war (1945-48) unless doctored up for the photo, the buildings look too pristine to have survived the ravages of the war.

Nigel Ford… Triodome era in the long shot, so late 60’s? …50’s for buses in front of White Rock or earlier?

Stuart Moir… And the boat jetty at the end is complete

Graham Sherrington… A breakwater yes I see that now

Peter Ellingworth… Bottom photo certainly post-war with the Triodome… this was added around 1966 to house the embroidery for the 1066 exhibition. Top photo debatable, although I think it is possibly pre-war – unfortunately the bus setting down/picking up from outside the pier is not shown clearly enough in the photo,  to see if it has double rear wheels, if so this would be one of the single decker trolleybuses used pre-war and as mentioned before a few remained as spare until 1948. I remember my late Mother saying they had a habit of breaking rather sharply.