Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral Now and Then Building of King's Parade, New Brighton

In the 1920s, Wallasey’s promenades started at Seacombe Ferry and terminated at Marine Park. Between there and the start of the embankment near Harrison Drive was a stretch of unprotected coast badly affected by erosion and constantly drifting sand. New Brighton’s popularity as a seaside resort was continuing to grow, but there was no room to expand the facilities on offer. However, all this was about to change as Wallasey Council came up with a plan which would provide not only sea defence but also reclaim 100 acres of land which could be used, in part, for new major entertainment facilities – the building of King’s Parade.

These plans were incorporated into the Wallasey Corporation Act of 1927. Even by today’s standards it was a huge undertaking. A massive concrete sea wall was erected sweeping out to sea by Fort Perch Rock and then following the coast to join up with the embankment at Harrison Drive. A promenade 130 feet wide and 1 ¾ miles long was built incorporating a marine lake (10 acres), outdoor bathing pool (biggest in Europe), pitch and putt course, tennis courts, bowling greens and large car parks.

The work was carried out in two phases. The first phase, which went as far as the Red Noses, was started in 1931 and completed in 1934. The first three photos are from this first phase and show what a massive undertaking it was. The first of the photos is dated 19 January 1932 and annotated “General View. Sea Wall facing West, now completed”. Seeing as the work only started sometime in 1931, that was pretty quick! The other photo is from a survey taken by Priestly and Sons just before building work started and gives an idea of the encroachment of the sand.

The second phase of the building of the sea wall and prom was completed by March 1939. The onset of WW2 meant that the interior plans for public gardens and “other development” (see plan) never got off the ground.

I think Wallasey Corporation are to be commended for their foresight back in the 1920s. Don’t forget that at the same time as phase 1 was starting, the Council were building the Derby Pool at Harrison Drive. This was all happening during the Great Depression, so these projects must have provided much needed jobs. It is interesting to speculate ‘what might have been’ but for WW2.

Great set of photos & a very interesting post.

The public try out the newly opened phase two stretch of King's Parade.

Great photo's.

Very interesting indeed. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

Ive noticed that the large sandstone rock in the second picture can still be seen today. Shown here in Dereks picture borrowed from another thread.

Don't think that is the same rock Kevin. No sea wall where the current one is. I suspect that the original photo is far end of Harrison drive by the coastguard lookout.

kev is right it is the same wall

if you look closely in both pictures you can see an area in the middle of the rock face thats had some construction work in it to block a hole maybe and also the strata line running from right to left in the face of the rock

the top surface has weathered and been worn a fair bit, but it does get hundreds of people climbing on it

I think the concrete you can see is not see wall but some sort of retaining wall for backfilling to block up th ecave systems in that area

here

Maybe this answers your query?

The work was carried out in two phases. The first phase, which went as far as the Red Noses, was started in 1931 and completed in 1934. The first three photos are from this first phase

I dimly remember those benches that were built into the sea wall, have you seen 'em now? A load of tat (if there's anything much there at all). OK they maybe under-estimated the effects of salt sea-spray but if they'd have had today's materials? Wow.

It's pretty clear, the erstwhile County Borough of Wallasey had some serious dough at its disposal, back then...!

You are possibly correct but there were many similar rocks all along that front which have been buried. I just don't get that wall at all. If it is where you think it is then there is one hell of a lump of concrete hidden underground.

I dont see any reason why they would have not just left the old wall in place and eventully buried it whilst completeing phase two. It would have needed to carry on doing its job right up to that point.

I have no doubt that the rock shown in the photos is the same one that can be seen today, below “The Clff”.

One thing that confused me was that the wall seems to be in two different styles and thicknesses. I came to the conclusion that the seaward half and the structure sticking out marked how far the sea came in at high tide and was designed as a sea defence to protect the work on the infrastructure. This section seems to be made of the same style of prefabricated concrete blocks as the sea wall. The second stretch leading to the rock looks fairly basic and was probably a retaining wall to allow for the infilling of the site as suggested by Jabber. As Kevin says, the wall would need to stay in place until the second stretch of sea wall up to Harrison Drive was completed, when it became redundant. It may well still be there under the prom.

And don't forget that the remains of the anti-aircraft gun site is still under the grass by the clown roundabout in the golf course field.

Yes of course, I had forgotten about them. Thanks, Tatey.

I wonder what was used to fill in the two huge holes created by the building of the sea wall. There could be all sorts under there!

A couple of random stories I was told about the building of the prom. Don’t know how true they are.

The original boundary of the phase one work was to have been near the bottom of Portland Street. However, under pressure from the rich residents of the part of Wellington Road which would not have been protected, it was extended. The picture from the Priestley survey shows how badly affected by drift sand these houses were. The eventual boundary does in fact mark the end of the then inhabited part of the coast. Or could it just be that there was a handy big red rock sticking out to sea?

To take up CVCVCV’s point about the Council having serious money at its disposal, I think most of the work was government funded, partly grants and partly loans, which were allowed on the basis of sea defence. As the country was stuck in the middle of the Great Depression, there could also have been an element of backing a project that would provide work for a lot of people. However, the story I was told was that that one of the covenants or clauses in the agreements specifically stated that there was to be no charges made for car parking, in perpetuity. This seems a bit odd, but isn’t it strange that Wirral Council have made no attempt to cash in when they seem to charge for parking everywhere else across the Borough?

I was told that a lot of rubbish was buried there. Might be a lot of valuable junk buried underneath.

Interesting that the plans showed the boating lake much further along the prom.

I spose my main thought was that Wallasey did a whole lot better before it was lumped in with the rest of the Wirral.
If it had been Wirral council back then, do you think all this would have been built? I am just guessing - but I reckon that it wouldn't have...

I've just come across this thread and the great photos. Have been trying to work out where the Priestly photo was taken. Is it looking up Portland Street?

Yes it is & that turret feature is still there & I have heard they may have sold ice cream from it at one time!

Thanks for that, Tatey. I took a walk last night to have a look. When you look down Portland Street it's amazing how much land was reclaimed when the prom was built. It's only when you look at such great old pictures that you realise how much has changed. Thanks for posting them Nightwalker.

todays picture of the tower

Excellent comparison Wheels.

There appear to be a few less chimneys on the houses these days!

Survey of phase 1 coastal area, 1931 by Priestley and Sons [img:center]http://photobucket.com/nightwalker67[/img]

There must be a better way of showing them than this. Can anyone help?

i used to skateboard down that road, was super fun especially as it was a one way street heading upwards.

Some cracking unseen before photo's there. Took me a while to realise it was snow and not completely sand. Rare photo of the first house i.e. Atherton's place. Think it was called The Cliff?

Do you know, Helles, I've never thought about there being snow - will have to dig out the originals and examine them. Being taken by a professional photographer the quality is excellent, but they're too big to scan so what I've posted are photos of photos. They're not even in the right order - can't get to grips with this modern technology!

What great pictures, love looking at these old ones.

Fantastic photos

I would love to see this photos, but it's not letting me open them. Is there a way for me to see them?

Lucy

You have to pay to view, annual subscription at £12.99 is hugely better subscription than monthly at £10

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