11 July, 1885
NA
Illustrated London News
Illustration on Page 37, article on page 38
Burning of the Lowestoft Promenade Pier
The fire which broke out on the 29th, ult. in the floor of the reading-room erected on the promenade pier in Lowestoft, entirely destroyed the centre part of the pier, with the handsome structures upon it, the reading-room, the pagoda for the band of music [sic.], and a small kiosk used as a bazaar. It was soon after eleven o'clock at night that the fire was discovered, and the efforts to quench it were of no avail till next morning. We are indebted to a local correspondent for a sketch of the scene upon this disasterous occasion. The damage is estimated at £20,000; the pier is the property of the Great Eastern Railway Company. The South Pier will be speedily put into a state for the accommodation of visitors to Lowestoft during the season.
Caption: Burning of the Lowestoft Promenade Pier
Many people think that the Reading Room we see on so many postcards was the first building on the South Pier. In fact, it was the second. You can also see that at this time the South Pier was wooden and open- like the Claremont Pier- and was not a solid concrete and stone mass that you see today.
