Chapter XXVIII: Past and Present Pastimes (2)

REVENUE: s. d. Pier dues from 4 Stream-boats, each 400 0 0 100 yearly ,, 25,000 passengers to and from 2500 0 0 France, per Steam-vessels, in the course of the year, at 2s. ,, Luggage, packages, &c. &c. 500 0 0 ,, French vessels to pay 1s per ton, 200 0 0 and the crew to be exempted from dues, viz.--200 vessels averaging 20 tons each, 1s ,, Goods, packages, &c., from French 300 0 0 vessels ,, 100 carriages to and from France, 100 0 0 20s ,, 200 horses ditto ditto, 10s 100 0 0 ,, Pleasure Yachts, crews exempted, 50 0 0 supposed ,, Company embarking and landing, 2s 100 0 0 ,, Parties of pleasure in the 50 0 0 Brighton shore boats ,, Ship boats landing and embarking 50 0 0 passengers 5s for the use of the Pier, which will exempt the crew ,, Produce of the Pier as a 3650 0 0 promenade, at 10 per day 8000 0 0 CHARGES: s d. Pier 200 0 0 Master, yearly Boat's 150 0 0 crew, 4 men, yearly Two 104 0 0 Toll- keepers Wear and 40 0 0 tear of ropes, &c. Painting 40 0 0 Pier twice a year Wear and 30 0 0 tear of gangway of Pier Lighting 20 0 0 of Pier Night 38 0 0 watchman Secretary, 300 0 0 office, &c. 922 0 0 922 0 0 Net produce yearly, or 25 per Cent. 7078 0 0 on amount of capital

The merits of the plan are here brought to a very narrow compass, and
it is confidently believed that there will appear no disposition to
overrate the advantages, or to excite any undue bias in the public
mind that might ultimately lead to disappointment.

Subscriptions will be received at Messrs. HALL, WEST, and BORRER;
Messrs. WIGNEY, STANFORD and Co., Brighton; and Messrs. WILLIS,
PERCIVAL and Co., London.

It is much doubted whether the expectations of either the projectors or the shareholders have ever been realized, except as regards outlay and charges. The structure was commenced in October, 1822, and completed in twelve months. On the 25th of November, it was opened by the skilful projector, Sir Samuel Brown, R.N. The Pier, which projects 1,150 feet, is approached by an Esplanade 1,250 feet in length. The foundation consists of four clumps of iron shod and nail-mailed piles strongly bound by cross and wale pieces of great substance. The clumps are 250 feet apart, and are crowned with cast-iron towers, over which pass the main suspension chains that emerge from the cliff, into which they are canned fifty-four feet, and are there fastened to a mass of iron, three tons in weight, firmly embedded in masonry. The south ends of the chains pass down a casing of wood to the rock, into which and the massive piles of the extreme platform they are bolted and keyed.

Just one year after the completion of the Pier, namely, on the 23rd November, 1824, the structure underwent a severe trial, but it nobly stood a storm which devastated the southern coast of England, some portion of the wooden platform and the ornamental iron-work alone receiving slight damage. Two dolphins, however, to the west of the Pier in an angular position, consisting of small clusters of piles, over the crown of which to the Pier-head large chains were stretched to fend-off any vessels that might be driven in by a south-west gale, were completely washed away. The havock to property along the sea-front of the town was tremendous.

On the 15th of October, 1833, the structure received some injury from lightning, and on the 22nd of November following a dreadful gale of wind, after causing the platform to writhe like the action of a serpent, heaved-up the chains, twisting the pendant rods into fantastical shapes, discharging the wooden roadway into the raging surf, and wrenching one of the towers from its perpendicular. The inhabitants, looking upon the injury done as a calamity to the town, immediately set a subscription on foot, and in a very short time, 1,200 was raised to effect the restoration of the edifice, which was further secured by a chain cable beneath the platforms, attached to each clump of piles, to check all future oscillation and heaving.

For many years the arrival and departure of steam packets, employed in the passenger intercourse between Brighton and Dieppe, formed a great attraction for visitors to the Pier. The first steamer employed in the station was the Swift, of eighty-horse power. A packet service by sailing vessels, previously existed, during the times of peace, dating as far back as 1792, when the Prince of Wales, a schooner, Captain Burton; the Princess Royal, a schooner, Captain Chapman; and the Speedwell, a cutter, Captain Lind, were the vessels employed. These were succeeded by the Nancy, Captain Blaber, which was run down in mid-channel; Ann and Elizabeth, Captain Daniels; Nautilus, Captain Wingfield, who is still alive and vends pork in Brighton Market; Elizabeth, Captain Lind; Lord Wellington, Captain Cheesman, who was afterwards, for years, in the General Steam Navigation Company's service, on the same route; Prince Regent, Captain Bulbeck; Neptune, Captain Wallis; and the Thomas, Captain Clear. This vessel was instrumental in saving the life of Mr. Charles Green, the celebrated aeronaut, on the occasion of his ascent from the Gas Works, at Black Rock, October 1st, 1821, with his Coronation balloon. The Thomas had left some of her passengers and the Captain at Eastbourne, and was just off Beachy Head, in charge of the Mate, Francis Cheesman, who bore down upon the balloon, then unmanageable upon the water, and driving the vessel's bowsprit into the silk of the aerial machine soon liberated the gas, and rescued Mr. Green from his frail wicker-work car.

At various periods the Chain Pier has been the medium and focus of special entertainments in the separate and combined attractions of fire and water. The structure on the evening of its inauguration was illuminated on both sides throughout its whole extent, in coloured lamps forming "God Save the Queen, and the House of Brunswick." More recently exhibitions of fireworks have taken place upon it. The most memorable event by way of pastime was the Brighton and Hove Regatta, which took place on Thursday and Saturday, July 21st and 23rd, 1853, when public money to the extent of 364, was competed for, prizes of 120, 105, and 52 10s, by yachts, and other prizes varying from 20 downwards, to the number of fourteen by sailing and rowing boats. The weather for several days previous to the Regatta--which had been arranged to extend through three days,--was most unfavourable, a strong wind from the south-west preventing the arrival of yachts which had just contended in the Yarmouth Regatta. Several however, of heavy tonnage were in the matches, the first of which was gained by the Alarm, 248 tons, J. Welds, Esq., in a contest with the Sveridge, 280 tons, T. Bartlett, Esq., which was declared by yachting men unparalleled in the superior nautical tactics which were displayed. The Hotel-Keepers' Prize of 50 guineas, with 50 guineas added, was won by the Arrow, 102 tons, T. Chamberlayne, Esq., four competed. The Ship-Owners' Prize of 50 guineas was gained by the Phantom, 25 tons, S. Lane, Esq., beating the Thought, 25 tons, G. Coope, Esq. The First Class Pleasure Boat match, 20, was won by the Skylark, Mr. A. T. Mills; and in the Second Class Pleasure Boat contest for 10 guineas, the Royal Frederick, Mr. B. Kent, successfully contended against three others. In the four-oared Galley contest for 15, the Arrow, Mr. J. Nottidge succeeded against six others. Friday, the intervening day of the matches, was an entire blank; a dense fog with a drizzling rain prevailing from sun-rise to sun-set. On the evening of Saturday, there was a grand display of fireworks on the Chain Pier.

The Regatta was of simple origin. A few of the principal tradesmen who were accustomed to meet of an evening in conviviality at the New Ship Hotel, chanced in the early part of March, 1853, to have in their company Captain Moore, connected with several yachting clubs. He spoke of the admirable position of Brighton for yachting matches, and the attraction they would be to the inhabitants and visitors. A communication was forthwith made to the Commodores of the various Royal Yacht Clubs, and the idea being favourably entertained by them, a committee was formed, with Mr. H. P. Tamplin, the High Constable, as their Chairman, and the author of this book as their Honorary Secretary. Subscriptions came in bountifully, the whole of the town being most favourable to the project. The Railway Directors presented 50 guineas; the Hotel Keepers gave a prize of 37 guineas; the inhabitants of Cliftonville 50 guineas; the Ship-Owners 50 guineas; and Chain Pier Company 18 guineas. The Theatre was placed at the service of the Committee, and the proceeds of an amateur performance under the management of Mr. D. H. Greenin, aided the funds, as did also a fete at the Swiss Gardens, Shoreham, and a concert at the Royal Pavilion. So anxious and energetic, in fact, was the public in general for the Regatta to be a great success, that at its termination, the sum of 148 remained in the hands of the Treasurer, arising principally from the weather preventing the whole of the programme being gone through.

As an Englishman's conclusion to a popular enterprise, a dinner took place at the Old Ship Hotel; and then, at the New Ship, where the Committee held their meetings, the Committee--of which Mr. Charles Sprake, the landlord, was a member,--gave an invitation dinner to the Honorary Secretary, who was presented, at the hands of the High Constable, with a most gratifying testimonial, thus inscribed,--surmounted with the Brighton Arms,--upon a silver-mounted portemonnie:--"Brighton and Hove Regatta, 1853. Presented to Mr. J. A. Erredge, with a Complimentary Sum, by the Committee, for his Valuable Services, as their Honorary Secretary." As a feature of and to commemorate the Regatta, Mr. John Smith, King's Road, who fitted-out several of the Committee in nautical attire, had an appropriate gilt button struck, of neat design.

Amongst the matches not contended for in the Regatta, was that for the Cliftonville Prize, which remained in abeyance till the Autumn of 1856, when fresh subscriptions and the interest of the money in hand, accumulating the Fund to 304, a second Regatta was arranged, which came off on the 26th of August, when Prizes to the amount of 207 were awarded. A grand display of fireworks and the discharge of incidental expenses cleared off the balance.

A great attraction to the Chain Pier, after the packets ceased running to and from Dieppe, was a band of music that entertained the company who promenaded the Pier-head. The Military Concerts at the Pavilion, however, are at present the musical feature for visitors, who every Wednesday and Saturday afternoon throng the suite of Assembly Rooms; and, when the season and weather are favourable, the eastern lawn, where also, for nine years past the Brighton and Sussex Horticultural and Floricultural Society have held their Summer and Autumn Shows, which annually increase in attraction and importance. The Museum and Picture Galleries that occupy upper portions of the Pavilion, likewise afford visitors many an hour's agreeable ramble amongst the works of art and other rarities which are daily accumulating. An annual exhibition in connexion with the Brighton and Sussex School of Art, with an Art Union attached, takes place in the Galleries; and there is also an apartment appropriated to the School of Art. In the height of the season, grand concerts by _artistes_ of celebrity take place in the Music Room, which, being easier of approach than the Town Hall, has superseded the large room there, where on the occasion of Jenny Lind--the Swedish Nightingale,--singing on the 23rd of August, 1847, the receipts were 1,200.

A species of diversion, termed a soire, has of recent years been very popular, the intellectual being by it agreeably blended with the recreative; science and the fine arts gracefully admitting a sistership with Terpsichore, the active votaries of which goddess in their sundry modern gyrations of polka and schottische, contrasting strangely with "Lady Montgomery's Reel," led off in the same Pavilion, August 13th, 1805, by the Honourable Miss Seymour and a son of the Duke of Clarence, "with suitable ease, spirit, and vivacity," and in a country-dance to the tune "Murphy Delaney," the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Clarence "taking an active part in the wholesome exercise." There was as great a diversity then in dance music as at the present time, passing events suggesting new ideas to composers and musicians. Upon one occasion, Mr. Kramer, the leader of the Prince's private band, being in the Telemachus Room of the Old Ship Hotel, arranging the music for a ball which was to take place in the evening at the Royal Pavilion, had his attention attracted by the voice of a noted character from Lewes, Jemmy Gosney, who with a peculiar nasal twang was announcing in Ship Street that he had for sale "Book almanack, new almanack, Moore's Almanack." To the surprise of the vendor of _Vox Stellarum_, he heard his words repeated at a window opposite, where, on his clarionet, Kramer so imitated the old man's voice, that, in the evening, he availed himself of the incident to introduce it as a novelty, in the course of a dance, much to the delight of His Royal Highness and the company in general.

During the sojourn of William and Adelaide in Brighton, in 1834, Sir Andrew Barnard, at the request of his Majesty, enquired of Mr. Gutteridge, the organist of the Royal Chapel, if there was anything to be obtained in the way of singing amongst the townsfolk. Mr. Gutteridge recommended the members of the Brighton Madrigal Society, with whom, for eight guineas the evening, an engagement was effected, but at so short a notice that the singers were perplexed to procure the appropriate dress for the occasion, namely, black coats and white vests. At the suggestion of a friend, however, a second-hand clothes' shop in the Lanes was visited, and there they found all that was required; but one of the party, who was desirous of the loan of a coat for the night,--for which loan a half-crown was asked,--not having the cash about him for the deposit that was required to ensure its safe return, was necessitated to go out and obtain a well-known hair-dresser in Ship Street as his bond. The performance of the Madrigals took place in the Royal Music Room, in the presence of their Majesties and party, amongst whom was Lady Kennedy Erskine, the King's daughter, an excellent judge of music, who highly complimented them on the efficient manner in which they had acquitted themselves. After the singing, they withdrew and partook of supper, at which they were attended by two footmen in the Royal livery, to one of whom the leader of the party--who had a black ribbon pinned in his waistcoat pocket to simulate that he wore a watch, and who was unaccustomed to a servant in waiting,--said, "Hulloa, old fellow, don't bother yourself about us, sit down and have some with us." The servant smiled, but declined, and only forgot his position as attendant by taking, when urgently pressed, a glass of wine all round with the guests.

In 1834, when Madame Sala, the mother of Mr. F. A. Sala, the novelist, was in the zenith of her profession as a songstress, and also as a teacher of singing, a placard on a board was placed at Eber's Library, now Dutton and Thorowgood's shoe warehouse, Castle Square, announcing a concert at the Town Hall, for her benefit; when some person,--it was supposed envious of her fame,--two evenings previous to that announced for her concert, disfigured the placard by cutting out some of the letters of her name, making it to read thus:--MAD SAL, which, coming to her knowledge, caused Madame to abandon the concert from fear of further insult. Her patrons recompensed her, but could not erase from her recollection the unmerited malignity.

Only a few years since, Brighton was greatly infested with street music from organs, hurdy-gurdies, and pianettes; a crusade, however, of the peace authorities drove them from the town, to which they have not since been allowed to return. Itinerant bands of wind instrument players yet remain, greatly to the annoyance of the inhabitants, of whom the performers most importunately ask remuneration for the woful discord they discourse. An accredited Town Band of no mean talent is in existence, supported by voluntary contributions and subscriptions; but it struggled for some years before it could attain a position, intruders upon their presumed rights frequently drafting off, by offers of superior engagements, their best performers. German bands were at one time very prevalent, but they remained only the novelty of a few seasons; pilferings by their leaders, petty quarrels and jealousies amongst themselves, and the non-appreciation by the public of what by some persons might be termed their talent, causing most of them to leave the town, if not the kingdom. The most respectable of them formed the nucleus of the Town Band, whose most general place of performance is on the lower western Esplanade, contiguous to the principal pleasure-boat station, where parties for a sail or row, or fishing excursion meet with everything they desire for a nautical pastime.

Persons who are desirous of witnessing deep-sea fishing can also be gratified by making arrangements with owners of the regular fishing boats; and as the various kinds of fish, the habits, manners, customs, and costumes of the fishers, and the mode of fishing off this coast have not undergone any change by time, the graphic description of the Brighton Fishery by the Welsh Zoologist, Thomas Pennant, who died in 1798, is here most apposite:--

"The fish-market, both wholesale and retail, is kept on the beach, a
little beyond the baths; the boats used in the fisheries are from ten
to fifteen tons, made remarkably strong to secure them against the
storms in their winter adventure. The mackarel boats are navigated
by three or four men and a boy; there are about forty-five for the
mackarel fishery, and twenty-five for the trawling; they set sail
generally in the evening, go eight or ten leagues to sea, and return
the next day. The fishing is always carried on in the night. The
crew are provided with tea, coffee, water, and a small quantity of
spirits, for at sea they are remarkably temperate; their indulgence
is only on shore. They only take with them bread, beef, and greens,
which, and sometimes fish, they often eat with their tea and coffee.
They are a hardy race, and very healthy; yet, during the Summer
season, they have very small interval from labour. They get a good
meal, and a very short repose by lying themselves on a bed during the
few hours in the day on which they come on shore. They bring their
fish in baskets to the beach, fling them in vast heaps, and instantly
a ring of people is formed round, an auction {325a} is begun, and the
heap immediately disposed of; the price is uncertain, according to
the success of the night. Mackarel in the year 1793, were sold from
1 to 7 a hundred; they have been sold as high as 15 a hundred.
{325b} Mackarel and soles are the great staples of the place, nine
or ten thousand have been taken at one shooting of the net. Mackarel
swim deep in calms, and rise to the surface in gales, when the
largest fish and the greatest quantity are taken. {325c}

"The nets consist of a number of parts, each of which is from
thirty-six to fifty yards long and deep, and are kept buoyant by
corks. These united form a chain of nets a mile and a half long.
Before they are used in the Spring, they are taken from the
storehouses and spread upon the Steine; a privilege, time immemorial,
granted to the fishermen. The boats are drawn on shore at the latter
end of the Winter, and placed in ranges on the lower part of the
Steyne, and other places near to the sea. The interval from labour
is very small, for numbers of the boats are in the early Spring hired
out to dredge for oysters, to supply the beds in the Medway and other
places.

"The greater part of the fish is sent to London, packed in baskets,
usually weighing about three quarters of a hundred in each; they are
put into small light carts, which go post, carry from fifteen to
thirty baskets each, and reach our capital in eight or ten hours.

"The mackarel are supposed to come from the Bay of Biscay. In the
early Spring they are taken off Dieppe; they next appear off Mount's
Bay, where they are caught in seines, and sent by land to London in
small baskets; the shooting of nets has not been found to answer off
the Cornish shore. They arrive in the channel off Brighthelmston in
the middle of April, and continue to the middle of July, after which
they will not mesh, but are caught with hooks, and are at that season
nearly unfit for eating. In June they are observed to approach
nearer the shore; they continue in the channel till the cold season
commences, when they go progressively north or east. The fry is seen
of very small size in October and November.

"The herring fishery begins in October; those fish appear in great
quantities along shore, and reach Hastings in November. The fishery
is very considerable, and adventurers from every country engage in
it. A boat has ten last of ten thousand each. The fish which are
not sent to London fresh, are salted or cured as red herrings. The
nets resemble those used in the mackarel fishery, only the meshes are
smaller: they are about twenty feet deep, and are left to sink of
themselves. The congenerous pilchards are sometimes taken here in
the mackarel nets, but in very small quantities.

"Soles, the other staple fish, are taken in trawls in great numbers.
The fishery begins in April, and continues all the Summer: in April,
1794, the weight of two tons was caught in one night. I saw in the
same month a heap of soles on the market beach none of which were
less than nineteen inches long. The other congenerous fishes were
turbots, generally very indifferent; brills or pearl; smear dabs;
plaice, and flounders.

"Various kinds of rays are taken here; such as the skate, the fuller,
the thornback, the sand-ray, which has sharp slender spines on the
edges, opposite to the eyes; minute spines along the edges of the
fins, and upon the fins like the fuller; the back and tail
shagreened, marked with round black spots; the teeth sharp and
slender. A ray, not uncommon on the Flintshire coasts, is twenty-one
inches long, of which the tail is eleven; the nose is pointed, and
semi-transparent; two spines above each eye, and three placed in a
row on the back; three rows on the tail, of which the middle runs far
up the back edges of the body from the nose to the anal fin, rough,
with rows of minute spines; back quite smooth, of a fine pale brown,
regularly marked with circular black spots; teeth quite flat and
smooth.

"Of the shark genus, the angel-fish is not uncommon. The smooth
sharks, or topes, are very numerous; they grow to the length of four
feet. I saw opened several of this species, and can vouch for the
truth of the young entering the mouth of the parent in time of
danger, and taking refuge in the stomach. I have seen from twelve to
twenty taken out of a single tope, each eleven or twelve inches long.
This species is split, salted, and eaten.

"I here met with the corbeagle of Mr. Jago. The length was three
feet nine inches, the thickest circumference two feet one inch. It
is a rare species, allied to the Beaumaris shark. The greater and
lesser spotted dog-fish are very numerous.

"The common angler is frequently caught here, and sometimes of an
enormous size; from the vast width of the mouth it is called here the
kettle-man. The launce, and two species or weevers, are very common;
the greater grows to the length of sixteen inches, is two inches
deep, the weight of two pounds, and is a firm well-tasted fish. The
fishermen have a great dread of the spines, and cut them off as soon
as taken.

"The cod fish tribe are rather scarce, except the whitings, which are
sometimes caught in mackarel nets, but chiefly with hooks. They are
taken in April; but the best season is in October. I saw here the
common cod, the whiting-pout, the coal-fish, and the five-bearded
cod.

"The doree is frequently taken here: I saw one of fifteen pounds
weight, and the length of three quarters of a yard. I saw here the
lunated gilthead, and ancient wrasse, the basse, and red or striped
surmullet: the last small. The red and the grey gurnards were
common.

"Salmons are unknown here, which I am told is the case on all chalky
coasts. The gar or needle-fish are often seen here, and of great
lengths. I shall digress improperly in saying that the razor bills
and guillemots, inhabitants of Beachy Head, are frequently caught in
the mackarel nets, unwarily diving in the pursuit of the fish.
Prawns are in their season taken in vast abundance near the shores,
which wanting rocks to give shelter to the lobsters and crabs, those
delicacies are brought from the more distant parts of the coast."

A very general pastime with the low caste of the seafarers, when the weather is too boisterous for their fishing and boating operations, is sea-roaming, watching the margin of the turbulent waves upon the beach, to pick up the trifles which the surge may chance to throw up. Some years since,--before steam vessels were in use,--when weather-bound ships were unable to get out of the bay, of which Brighton forms the northern boundary, wrecks of richly laden crafts frequently afforded rare prizes for the roamers, who now, more than from the spoils, _via jetsam et flotsam_, pick up from strangers whom they may chance to meet on their stroll, many a silver coin, fictitious tales of their losses, bad voyages, and their starving large families, rarely failing to exact a coin of the realm, hence they are known amongst the better class of the nautical fraternity by the name of cadgers. On the faith, too, that "early birds pick up the worms," not to be despised a living is obtained by frequenting at day-break the vicinity of houses where parties have been held the previous night, in search of jewellery, trinkets, or money that by any casualty may have been dropped. For many years this mode of life has been a monopoly by a man named Simmonds, who, also, throughout the livelong day pursues with a keen eye and a raking stick the business of gutter hunter.