1820 c1820. Prospect House is built, the home of Elizabeth Heygate, later the birth place of George Warwick Deeping. Sheep rustlers are hanged. The offence of sheep stealing attracted the death penalty. In 1820 the last case to have this imposed happened in Southend. Thomas Fairhead (23) a Southend butcher, Henry Gilliott (23) a shepherd from Temple Farm and Henry Jay (21) a butcher from Great Wakering, were convicted of stealing a sheep from Temple Farm, Prittlewell. Fairhead and Gilliott were hanged and Jay was transported for life. 1823 New Landlord at the Hope. George Culham is formally registered as the landlord for the Hope Hotel on Marine Parade in 1823. The Hope can possibly be counted as the oldest and still current hostelries in the town. 1824 Major-General William Goodday Strutt (1762 - 1848) moves to Marine Parade. The town saw the arrival of an influential man to a young Southend, Moving into a prominent building along Marine Parade, Rayleigh House, Major General William Goodday Strutt became a leading figure in local affairs. He was very influential in the building of the first pier and in the building of Southend's parish church St John's. Kents, a partly moated house on the main Shoebury road (A13), 350 yards north of Danger Bridge, was built on the site of a 16th Century mansion. Half the moat was then filled in. 1826 A whale, 46 feet in length was found on Foulness sands and towed by barge to Leigh. 1829 May. The Act (Geo.IV.Cap.xiix) authorising the construction of the first Pier, received Royal Assent. Alderman Sir William Heygate, Bart, Lord Mayor of London in 1822-23 who resided at Porters in Southend was the chief promoter, and was instrumental in securing the erection of the Pier. A great celebration ensued as crowds gathered outside Royal Terrace when Sir William emerged waving handkerchiefs to announce Southend's wooden pier had received Royal Assent, the pier was finally going to be built. The crowds cheered and the band played. July. First stone of embankment of the Southend Pier laid by the Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Sir William Thompson, MP, as Conservator of the Thames. Crowstone Septennial visit, Once every seven years the Crow stone was visited by the Lord Mayor of London. it was custom to 'bump' the Mayor after which he presented the watermen two sovereigns. The children were entertained by scrambles in the water for money. 1830 Chalkwell Hall was built. This building at the time considered to have no historical or architectural significance was erected in 1830. Sitting in the centre of Chalkwell Park and was the home to the art group Metal, who with the help of local authority and Art Council funding turned the building into a modern art house while looking after the historical aspects of this listed building. The origins of this property have shifted around this park area, nearby the original house was thought to have a moat but fell into disrepair. Replaced by another house built during the reign of Henry VIII, this fronted onto the estuary and was closer to Leigh, it was finally demolished in 1832. To the east of this building a mound was identified as maybe having some significant finds beneath but when exploratory work was done only a few coins a chain and some cloth were found. The current property has served as a residence as well as hosting a small zoo during the post war period, even today peacocks are in residence to the rear. June. The first section of the wooden pier, which did not exceed 1,500 feet in length was opened. Until that time passengers who wished to disembark from the steamboats from London had to be brought to the shore in small boats and then carried to dry land by watermen. 1831 The Heygate Baronetcy of Southend in the County of Essex, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 30th September for William Heygate, Lord Mayor of London from 1822 to 1823 and Member of Parliament for Sudbury from 1818 to 1826. 1832 St John's is born on 27th September. Dr Blomfeld Bishop of London presided at a meeting convened in the Royal Hotel where it was agreed a Chapel of Ease was required for Upper and Lower Southend. A committee was formed to see it into action. Subscriptions were promised of £700. This meeting would lead to the building of St John the Baptist Church. 1833 Benjamin Disraeli visited Southend, and resided at Porters', Southchurch Road, now the Civic House and Mayor’s Parlour. It was here he would write to his sister on 15th February, about Southend's kind climate, he said "You could not have a softer clime or sunnier skies that at abused Southend." Pier Tolls. With the extension of the pier to a length of 1,500 ft, it gave the Local Board under the Act of 1829, to charge for its use. 1833 saw the erection of a toll gate at the entrance of the pier. 1834 The town’s first loading pier was built adjoining the east side of the passenger pier, made of timber and stone, it extended 234 feet from the shore. This was demolished when the iron passenger pier was constructed. 1835 Southend Pier completed. Southend's most iconic feature was realised in 1835 when for the first time shipping could use the pier not only for practical reasons but also to enable the growing seaside resort to offer an option to use the waters of the estuary for pleasure. To signify its maritime importance the pier for the first time also appeared on Admiralty charts. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Leigh stalwart Lady Olivia Sparrow, the poor children gained a new school in Leigh Hill. Herschell's School named after the Rev. Ridley Herschell, who had been invited to Leigh to help her raise the educational standards of the children. The school eventually closed in 1913, but the building is still in existence now as a residential dwelling. 1837 A magnificent rectory starts to be built in Leigh and the exterior has changed little to this day. The building now is protected by the local authority and used as a branch library. This fine building lies on the upper part of the cliffs overlooking Leigh old town on the Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea, to the rear are some public gardens. The building was commissioned by Robert Eden when he became rector in 1837, and was completed in 1838. Thomas Dowsett was born, later to become a significant part of Southend's history by being the first person to where the Town's Mayoral Chain. His family later would give to the people of the town Southchurch Hall and Gardens. Small town fun. Southend in the early part of the 19th Century was relatively small compared to other south coast seaside towns. By 1837 Brighton had reached a population of 40,000; whereas Margate from 1831 had 10,000 while Southend including Milton and Prittlewell could only muster 2,266 inhabitants. 1838 The third larger Crow stone was erected, the old one erected in 1755 was moved to Priory Park. It was decided to commence building of St John the Baptist Church. The footprint of this building at this time would have allowed clear views out over the estuary and the church would have been quite a focal point for passing ships. 1839 Prittlewell gained a new Congregational Chapel. No evidence of it now as it once stood almost opposite St Mary's Church in North Street (now Victoria Avenue).

Timeline

1820 - 1839

Watermen

Porters

Crowstone

Hope Hotel

Herschell's Chapel School

St John the Baptist Church

Old Rectory Leigh-on-Sea

Chalkwell Hall