Peter Lander, will be talking about “The History of Birnbeck Pier and work of the Birnbeck Regeneration Trust”

A former welder, Peter moved from his home in Derbyshire to Weston-super Mare after taking early retirement, and is now the Trust’s archivist. As well as looking at the recorded history Peter will be talking about his work recording people’s memories of the Pier, researching their stories and gathering memorabilia. They now have a collection of personal photographs, which are used in the presentation.

Taken from the Birnbeck Pier Regeneration Trust’s website: www.birnbeckregenerationtrust.org.uk
“Birnbeck Pier, known locally as the Old Pier, stands on the North Somerset coastline at Weston-super-Mare. Built between 1864 and 1867, it is a unique structure, being the only British seaside pier that links the mainland to an island. Over its lifetime it has enjoyed mixed fortunes. In its heyday, it was the Victorian and then Edwardian equivalent of a modern theme-park, with tourist attractions such as a water slide and fairground rides. It was a major transportation link, with scheduled steam ship services arriving from and departing to destinations including Cardiff, Minehead, Ilfracombe and Lundy Island.  The last of these sailings, by the MV Balmoral, took place in 1979. Since then, the pier has suffered a slow and steady decline in both popular attraction as well as in its general condition.

The Trust has long campaigned for a revival of the entire Birnbeck area. Since 2004, it has actively worked towards achieving its stated aim of:Preserving for the benefit of the people of Weston-super-Mare, and the Nation, the natural, historical, architectural and constructional heritage of Birnbeck Pier and Island, together with associated buildings and structures, and the land and buildings adjacent and above the shoreline.”