OPENING OF MUMBLES PIER
IMPROVEMENT AT SWANSEA
OPENING CEREMONY AT SWANSEA
Important Declaration by Sir J. Jerkins.
On Tuesday was performed, amid general manifestations of interest on the part of the community, the ceremony of opening for public the new pier which has been erected at the Mumbles. The pier, which is one of the finest round the coast, is built out from a point just inside the Inner Sound and under shelter of the Mumbles Head, and thus it forms a fine promenade and an admirable and much-needed landing stage for the passengers of pleasure steamers. The pier ran out into the sea about 830 feet, the width of the neck is 25 feet, there is a central widening 60 feet long by 40 feet, on which there are shops, while the pier head forms a spacious promenade 125 feet long and 84 feet wide. Here is erected a bandstand, and it is intended to utilise it regularly for the entertainment of the frequenters. Round this pierhead is a wooden landing-stage with landing steps. The pier is a very graceful structure, and is yet constructed on most substantial lines, and it was on Tuesday the subject of most eulogistic comment from the thousands of persons who inspected it. The cost is about £16,000, and the work has been carried out by the Widnes Foundry Company. To make it unnecessary for the public to suffer any inconvenience there is a series of refreshment rooms provided at the base of the pier and within its enclosure and thus there will be no cause for people to go outside the turnstiles to obtain refreshment. The pier has been built by the Mumbles Railway and Pier Company, and it is in direct connection with the railway, by means of which the public can be conveyed straight from Swansea, to the turnstiles at the base of the pier.
The opening ceremony was timed for noon, and at 11.15 a special train crowded with people left Swansea to participate in the ceremony. The train proceeded amid the bang of fog signals to the base of the pier, and on its occupants detraining a slight interval only was allowed to elapse before Sir John and Lady Jenkins and the Misses Jenkins arrived, and the opening ceremony began. Mr Benjamin Brown, representing the contractors, received Lady Jenkins, and, addressing her, said: “May I, on behalf of myself and partners, ask your acceptance of this key as a memento of the part you are taking on this auspicious occasion and my partners join with me—and I know I am only voicing the sentiments of this multitude—in wishing that you and your honoured husband may be long spared to advance and develop this neighbourhood for the wellbeing of the community.” (Cheers.)
Mr Brown then presented Lady Jenkins with a beautiful gold key; which contained on one side a suitable inscription, and on the other the arms of Sir John Jenkins.
Lady Jenkins thanked the contractors for the present, and then, opening the gates, said she wished the pier every success. This act was signalised by the firing of fog signals and much cheering from the crowds, who not only thronged the pier entrance, but also the hills behind. The pier opened, it was quickly thronged by the public, who proceeded to the pierhead, where Lady Jenkins “broke the flags.” There was a space roped off at the pierhead, and round this the principal people present assembled. Amongst them we noticed, besides Sir John Jenkins (who, as chair- man of the company, was the recipient of congratulations from everybody, both on the ground pier and on the fact that that day was his 63rd birthday), Lady and the Misses Jenkins, the Mayor and Mayoress of Swansea,, the ex- Mayor of Swansea,, the Mayors of Neath, Aberavon, and Carmarthen, Mr Griffith Thomas (chairman of the Swansea Harbour Trust). the chairman of the Oystermouth District Council (Mr R. Woolacott). Besides these were a great many of the principal residents of the district. A very pleasant time was spent by the company, who, while enjoying the music of the 3rd Glamorgan Rifle band, were enabled to appreciate the splendid pier, and to admire the charming scenery it commands. It was hoped that the Cardiff passenger boat, Lady Margret, would have arrived in the interval between the opening ceremony and the luncheon. But a fog came on, and an official reception of this vessel with her passengers had to be abandoned, it being considerably after two before she arrived. When the vessel drew up it was found that she had over 650 passengers; and though it was about dead low water it was found easy to land at one of the various landing stages, and with plenty of water to spare. Indeed the facilities provided for embarking and landing are of a very superior character, and calculated to be very much appreciated by passengers, who in the Bristol Channel are not used to the greatest consideration being shown for their convenience. Indeed Captain James declares it to be by far the best pier in the Channel.
During the interval described, Lady Jenkins performed most gracefully the ceremony of presenting certificates and diplomas to the members of the Mumbles branch of the St. John Ambulance Society.
In the afternoon Sir John Jenkins and his directors entertained about 100 guests at luncheon at the Mermaid Hotel. This luncheon really was also the opening of the Mermaid Hotel, a well known and popular resort, which has been rebuilt on a charming plan by Mr Weaver, of Cardiff. The new hotel has a very pretty design, and, as rebuilt, adds largely to the picturesqueness of the Mumbles. It is under the management of Mr Herbert who discharged the function of host on Tuesday in a manner which gives good promise of future excellent management and careful attention to the wants of his patrons.
Sir John Jenkins presided over the luncheon and he was supported by the Mayor of Swansea (Mr Aeron Thomas), the Mayor of Carmarthen (Mr Brunel White), Mr Thomas Davey (Bristol), Mr Benjamin Brown, and Mr S. Robinson (of the Widnes Foundry Co.), and Mr Griffith Thomas (chairman of the Swansea Harbour Trust).
