Withernsea: The 'straggling' Yorkshire seaside village which turned into a popular resort

Extending from Hull, the railway was promoted by the Hull & Holderness Railway and largely funded by Hull businessman Anthony Bannister.

The intention was to develop Withernsea as an upmarket resort and link the industrial port of Hull with South Holderness.

The area along the route was very flat, making construction easy and it was opened on Monday June 26, 1854.

The opening train consisted of 31 first-class carriages and the engine was richly decorated. On the centre was a scroll with the words ‘Success to the Hull and Holderness Railway’.

The event was enlivened by the strains of a band occupying a carriage mid-way along the train. At Withernsea, much of district’s population congregated to welcome the party.

Withernsea building sites were advertised for sale in August 1854 and a contemporary article said new roads to the beach were also in the course of formation.

Involved with some Withernsea design work was Cuthbert Brodrick, architect for Leeds Town Hall in 1853.

According to Derek Linstrum in Towers and Colonades (1999), Brodrick was responsible for the 40-bedroom Queens Hotel (built in 1854-55) and the modest station buildings along the railway line.

He produced drawings for laying out a 21-acre site as a residential development for the new resort, partly with semi-detached villas, but mainly with streets of long brick-built terraces of two-bay lodging houses.

The scheme was not realised although the streets were laid out.

Brodrick carried out work for rebuilding the old St Nicholas’ church in 1858-1859. About the structure, Linstrum adds: ‘Brodrick undertook a very creditable, conservative restoration.

He retained what was left of the old structure, rebuilding the missing aisle walls, the south porch, and the tower parapet.’ The works also included re-roofing, reflooring and refurbishing throughout.

At the half yearly meeting of the Hull & Holderness Railway shareholders, in September 1854, there was an encouraging announcement.

The number of passengers conveyed from Hull to Withernsea, and intermediate stations, to August 20th, a period of eight weeks, was 17,522 and the amount received was £1,001 5s 4d.

Although independent and boasting its own rollingstock, the company leased the line to the North Eastern Railway which then took over complete control in 1862.

In 1871, Antony Bannister formed, along with six others, the Withernsea Pier, Promenade, Gas & General Improvement Company. He was chairman of the company with a capital of £40,000, in 8,000 shares of £5 each.

A prospectus stated the company was formed ‘for the purchase and protection of land at Withernsea, and for carrying out general improvements by making a promenade, constructing a pier, supplying the town with gas and making streets and roads etc in order to make it one of the most attractive watering places on the East Coast’.

From the pier, the company hoped to earn a large revenue, not only from the great number of visitors, who would be expected to pay a toll to use it, but particularly from tolls derived from the landing of fish and other goods.

Withernsea promenade was ready for tourists to enjoy in 1873 and the pier was completed in 1877.

At the pier entrance was a castellated gateway, allegedly based on Conway Castle. Access to the pier with seating and a saloon was gained by paying a 1d entrance fee.

By 1880, one newspaper, posed the question: ‘What is there to see at Withernsea? The answer is easy, the finest features are the sea and sands… Boating and fishing are amongst the enjoyments…. There are chapels for the Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists.’

Against the backdrop of Withernsea’s development were regular reports in the press about shipping incidents along the coast. In one tragic event, during 1890, the captain of the Grimsby fishing smack Genesta was killed.

At the inquest into his death, the coroner said the tragedy may not have occurred if there had been a lighthouse at Withernsea.

In 1892, Trinity House, responsible for the provision and maintenance of navigational aids such as lighthouses and light vessels, bought half an acre of land at Withernsea with the intention of building a lighthouse.

Taking approximately 18 months to complete, the lighthouse first beamed a light on February 1, 1894. The opening ceremony was attended by Captain H. Slader, one of Trinity House's Elder Brethren, and Thomas Matthews, the engineer.

By the early years of the 20th century, Withernsea’s population had increased considerably – in 1901 it was 1,426; 1911, 2,384; and just under 5,000 by the 1920s.

The Kinematograph Weekly of June 8, 1916 states that the Withernsea Picture House had been opened earlier than expected and the commodious theatre should bring a very good return to the proprietor for his enterprise. It was constructed on the most modern lines.

A report from September 1925 said that the proprietor of the cinema (no name given) at Withernsea had hit upon the happy device of having a permanent announcement outside his theatre.

In the event of bad weather, there would be early screening of his films. Visitors to the resort found this an excellent method of entertainment in the event of inclement weather conditions.

The cinematreasures website gives histories of Withernsea’s Cosy Cinema and Savoy Cinema. It says the Cosy Cinema in Queen Street was closed on December 31, 1974; the Savoy lasted until March 24, 1962.

The Hull-Withernsea railway line closed to passengers on October 19, 1964, goods servicing carrying on until April 30, 1965.

The withernseatowncouncil website states the area, as a family seaside resort, began a steady decline with the loss of the railway but soon encouraged visitors with the first Sunday market along the East Coast.

Later, it received a major face lift having won a grant of £1.5m giving a new look to Valley Gardens and several areas along the seafront.

By the 1970s, new technology on board ships meant it was not necessary for the Withernsea lighthouse, and a number of others around the country to continue. The Withernsea light went out on July 1, 1976.

The last keeper was Colin Nichols who had been there for the previous four-and-a-half years.

Hollywood actress Kay Kendall's grandfather had worked on digging the foundations for the lighthouse. Born in 1927, she lived in Stanley House, Withernsea, a short distance away from the structure.

For a period after the war, she modelled for glamour magazines then appeared in many acclaimed films.

Left abandoned for a number years, Withernsea lighthouse was eventually acquired during the 1980s by Kay Kendall's sister Kim and her husband.

The lighthouse and two adjoining cottages were converted into a museum, opening in 1990.