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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Essex => Topic started by: Relsearcher on Thursday 15 October 15 17:05 BST (UK)
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Hello Everyone - I recently posted a request to see if anyone had an old or current photo of Pier Lodge in Grays as I have been unlable to locate one.
Sadly there have been no replies, so I phoned the nursery called Pier Lodge Day Nursery who use the building to see if they could email me a photo. To my alarm the lady in charge told me that the children's nursery has now moved out of Pier Lodge and that it is boarded up and due for demoliton shortly, the land to be developed for apartments :'(
This is terrible news!!! I live abroad and cannot get to the UK any time soon, so was really hoping a very kind person might be able to nip to Grays and get a photo of the boarded up building before it is gone forever?????
Can anyone help? It would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks, Nina :o
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Hi Nina
I tried google street view but it looks like the building was shrouded by trees.
I then did a google seach and found a link to the site developers
http://lppartnership.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Pier-Lodge-Grays-Essex-23.09.15.pdf
other than that, you could try the local library
https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/find-a-library/grays-library
or the local newspaper
http://www.thurrockgazette.co.uk/
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Hi dawnsh - thanks for your input!
I have already contacted LPP but not heard back from them.
I also contacted the local history society and library etc some years ago but to no avail. For some reason it seems it was not a well documented building - very strange. I also own many books on the area and it does not feature at all in any of those. Bizarre.
I have gone up and down the road on Google Streetview too, hoping to get a good glimpse but those trees are in the way!
I'm hoping LPP will come up trumps - they should have some photos if they are developing the site, but that's if they actually get back to me.
In the meantime, if anyone is every passing the building I would really appreciate a shot!!!
Many thanks, Nina
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A search of the Thurrock planning website for the recent application http://regs.thurrock.gov.uk/online-applications/ (http://regs.thurrock.gov.uk/online-applications/) returns one image that appears to be a view of the Lodge from a neighbouring household in support of their objection to the planning application. Better than nothing....
Edit: There seems to be a recommended condition of planning so you could try the planning department;
Recommendation Building Record
"No development of any kind shall take place until the applicant has secured the implementation of a programme of historic building recording in accordance with a written scheme of investigation which has been submitted by the applicant, and approved by the planning authority."
Further recommendations:
A recognised professional team of industrial building recorders should undertake the work.
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In the UK every street/set of buildings has a postcode. This narrows down any address to being in a specific place/street etc etc. The postcode for this address is: RM17 6JE
You can use that in maps.
If you go to Bing Maps, they have aerial photographs. Load up Bing Maps, type in the postcode and then select Aerial View.
Here it is: http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?q=RM17+6JE&mkt=en&FORM=HDRSC4
There are also some photos of the building on Google Images, one is from Panoramio http://www.panoramio.com/photo/121797572
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Many thanks Sc00p & StanleysChesterton for all your help!
The photo of the neighbour's view of the side of Pier Lodge at least begins to give me some sort of idea of the scale and style of the building - although limited it is the first true glimpse I have obtained!
All the planning applications will make interesting reading although in my opinion it would be unforgiveable to demolish an old building to make way for a modern monster (call me old fashioned).
And it's VERY interesting to note that you found 'No development of any kind shall take place until the applicant has secured the implementation of a programme of historic building recording in accordance with a written scheme of investigation which has been submitted by the applicant, and approved by the planning authority.' That means that at last the building will be recorded properly and I should be able to get a copy of that at some point!
I have zoomed in with Bing Maps - this seems to emphasize the fact that Pier Lodge's demise would have been inevitable one day as it already appears swamped by modern development looming large ...
Thank you both for your input - it's always appreciated - especially as you both went to a lot of bother to have a hunt for me.
Many thanks, Nina ;D
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What is the relationship between the pier and Pier Lodge? Was it the entrance to the Grays Thurrock wharf / pier? Is it the last remnant of a development of historical significance ?
Newspaper archive has a few references going back to 1867
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Hello deebel - Pier Lodge was where Cole & Lecquire ran their business from - they took over the corn and seed merchants' business of Leonard W Landfield in about 1890 and worked their barges from Pier Wharf until about 1922 - I gather they had at least 6 barges. Pier Wharf was just to the east of Grays Wharf and located directly south of Pier Lodge. Pier Wharf was first used in 1841 (and had a 400 foot pier) and was originally developed so passengers could catch ferries at whatever the state of the tide and not have to transfer into smaller transfer boats for access. Not exactly sure when it met its end, but according to an article I read, there were no more barges on the river at Grays after 1961. Nina
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Hello Everyone - I recently posted a request to see if anyone had an old or current photo of Pier Lodge in Grays as I have been unlable to locate one.
Sadly there have been no replies, so I phoned the nursery called Pier Lodge Day Nursery who use the building to see if they could email me a photo. To my alarm the lady in charge told me that the children's nursery has now moved out of Pier Lodge and that it is boarded up and due for demoliton shortly, the land to be developed for apartments :'(
This is terrible news!!! I live abroad and cannot get to the UK any time soon, so was really hoping a very kind person might be able to nip to Grays and get a photo of the boarded up building before it is gone forever?????
Can anyone help? It would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks, Nina :o
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I just found this website this AM and signed up immediately. I lived in Pier Lodge from 1943 to 1949 when we emigrated to Canada. My grandmother was Caroline Lecquire, she married Francis Fisher and my father Samuel Fisher inherited Pier Lodge. I remember a lot about the house. I was in England several years ago, but the nursery school people would not let me in to look around. I am going to have to look to see if I have a picture.
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Hi! I think we may have been in touch some years ago but I misplaced your email when I changed accounts! I will send you a PM (Personal Message) on this site ...
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Hi
I came across your posting a few months ago and have frequently walked down the pier lodge in the hope of getting a photo, unfortunately between trees, vegetation and the hording to keep everyone out it was impossible. As a long time resident of Grays I can tell you that it has now been reduced to a pile of rubble, like most of our buildings with any character to make way for more housing.
Anyway I've been thinking on the matter and we have a local museum that it might be worth contacting, they may be able to help you.
The email is thurrock.museum "at" thurrock.gov.uk
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Hello Nic123 ... How sad, thanks for letting me know. I did contact the architects recently to ask them if it was still standing or not and whether anyone had thought to remove any items of historical interest from the house prior to it being demolished (such as the box shutters, original sash windows, doors and stained glass panels), but they never got back to me. I was going to post the question on here but you have beaten me to it and answered! I think it is such a shame that all these wonderful buildings are constantly wiped away and replaced with vile modern flats etc. I guess it boils down to money and greed. Soon there will be very little of interest left anywhere to look at. Nina
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Hi I have today just seen your mail on Pier Lodge, i have some old photos of the Lodge. I was ready to go down to Argent Street to take photos when the demolition happened, but i went on a 10 day vacation and on my return it had already been demolished, and behind the original lodge wall were just two big piles of rubble all timber and other rubbish had been removed. Last year our Local Thurrock Heritage Officer Jonathan Catton passed away suddenly at 60, the knowledge he had of the Grays Beach and riverside area, Cole & Lequires/Pier Lodge, Goldsmiths Wharf, Bruce's Timber Wharf and Thos Ward Shipbreakers was incredible, He was called Mr Thurrock he did show me an old poster from 1888 when Pier Lodge and 10 sailing Barges were sold by Auction, i am sure i took a photo of it, a friend of mine Mr J (*)Carter, who is in his 90s, had a newsagents just across the road from the lodge his dad Sam owned it, then J(*) took over until he retired in 1991, i will check to see if he has anyother photos and history of the lodge.
Moderator comment: Names of living people removed in accordance with our 'no living people' policy.
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Hi Keith ... thanks for your message ... how interesting ... I would be very keen on seeing any photos of the lodge you might be able to dig up at some point, and any history your friend might be able to share! It is a shame I couldn't get to see it myself before it was torn down. Nina