Clacton-on-Sea 1871-1914
Mr Peter Bruff a Civil Engineer working on the London to Norwich Railway Line, owner of The Clifton Hotel in Walton On The Naze. Truly a man of vision buys Seaside House Farm with 50 acres in 1865.He could see the potential of a virgin site, fine sandy south facing beaches, and near zero coastal erosion plus his railway line not far away. A dream was about to come true.

Mr Bruff obtains a Parliamentary permission to build a 300 yard Pier and an extension to the railway. Due to cash flow problems he only manages the Pier with the help of The Woolwich Steam Packet Com already running very successful trips from London Bridge to Margate and Ipswich. Someone else bought the railway to Clacton a bit later.

Our own deeds are written out with Peter Bruffs idea of a quality town for quality people.

The first Steamship arrived on 18th July 1871 as a trail run named SS Queen of The Orwell, then on 27th of July the SS Albert Edward brought 300 guests to Clacton-on-Sea. The dream was beginning to take off.

1871 also saw the introduction of the Bank Holiday Act with the first one in August.

By July 1872 The Royal Hotel was officially opened. The directors of the Steamship Com were making a name for them selves. Able Penfold, William Agate, James Ellis, William Jackson and Thomas Hayes all form major road names in Clacton. They also formed the Clacton Gas & Water Com. The population in the 1881 census records 651 people in the new town of Clacton-on-Sea. In 1892 the Town Hall was built, now Barclays Bank on the corner of Rosemary Road. The Royal Hotel is the pale blue building to the right and above The Weatherspoons Pub The Moon and Starfish by Pier Ave. now sadly in disrepair, but I'm told absolutely beautiful inside. The building is now awaiting planning permission for a £10.000.000 refurbishment and extension project.

The Clacton Urban District Council was formed and started to take control of all the development popping up everywhere. Replacing the eel & pie shops either side of the pier with beautiful flower gardens to name one of its first jobs.

The people were coming by railway (1882) and by steamship in there droves, in 1880 6780 visitors, by 1890 it was 71.922 by boat alone. In 1886 at Ellis road a man by the name of Riggs was serving 1200 meals a day in his establishment called Riggs Retreat. In 1893 the Pier was extended into deeper water to allow longer visiting times.

But for Mr Bruff the cheap trains were not bringing the right kind of people, day trippers from East London was not what he wanted.

During the 1890's it was all happening in Clacton, the Victorians were here for the Operetta Houses, Open Air Concert Parties, Indoor Theatres, Bathing in the sea.. In 1894 a London Concert Group called Graham, Russell and Bentley arrived, they performed in the open in Westcliff Gardens with a tent for bad weather. Mr Graham and Mr Bentley went on to form The Westcliff Theatre still putting on good acts to-day. Stanley Holloway joined them in 1912 for two years.

The day trippers were still coming and filling up the Pubs and having a great time. A lot stayed or came back on retirement.

The First World War bought Clacton to a Stop. Fortunes came and went.

After the War the Council filled in the cliff top trenches with the Gardens of Remembrance still maintained to the highest standards one could expect.