The Victoria Building Company

By the fifth annual report most of Brandon terrace had been constructed and sold, and due to the proliferation of visitors to the town, the dividends paid to the shareholders were increased. However, this was to be the first mistake, as the increase in visitors was not adding to the accounts of the company and money was rapidly running out. In their Annual General Meeting on the 12th May 1847 the Directors noted that they had no funds at their disposal to attain the objective of completing Kimberley Terrace. The lessee who owned the four building sites immediately adjoining the houses already erected and occupied in Kimberley Terrace, was willing to commence construction if the range could be completed at the same time, by erecting the north-east corner house, and the return house facing the Archway (see Figure 2). So it was decided that a separate company be formed to raise the necessary amount of capital in shares. The view therefore, was to issue 40 shares at £10 each, in order that these first class houses, similar in elevation to the Victoria Hotel be built.

Figure 2: Plan showing building plots for the first phase of construction
Figure 3: Elevations of Brandon Terrace

1848 had arrived and the Victoria Building Company looked very promising once again, as the entrance to the estate (see Figure 4) had been completed as had the houses in Brandon Terrace (see Figure 3) and the five houses in Camperdown Place and Albert Square. Progress was made on six 2nd class houses also in Camperdown Place.

Figure 4: The Wellington Arch; the original Entrance to the Victoria Estate

The Commissioners for Paving and Lighting had placed gas lamps on the esplanade and the roads connecting the estate with the race course and the rest of the South Denes. This now increased the safety of the estate, and with the increasing importance of the port and town of Great Yarmouth consequent upon the facilities now afforded by the railways and the Steam Packets, the increase in demand for houses on the South Denes was at its greatest. However this was still not emanating on the companies account books.

By this time the Victoria Building Company Plan was now underway, and in one of their general meetings it was stated that Great Yarmouth had now become a very fashionable and favourite bathing place. However, much inconvenience and annoyance had been expressed by visitors, especially by invalids in consequence of the number of persons of every grade of society congregating upon the present jetty. It was for this reason the company proposed to erect a new jetty or pier, which would be the crown of their development. By extending from the Victoria Esplanade and extending into the sea by about 800ft, it would afford to the public another promenade and landing pier. The estimated cost was £10,000 and was going to be raised in shares of £10 each and the revenue would be gained from admission charges and charges for the landing passengers.

Kimberley Terrace was finished in 1849 and a screen archway across the back road leading to Victoria mews had also been erected. The dwellings on the sites belonging to the Victoria Building Company between 1850-1851 was gradually grinding to a halt, and by 1852 there was a great depression in the value of houses, especially hotel property. This had an injurious effect upon the income of the company, and after the expenditure on improving the drainage, and the payment of the dividends, the balance was only £91 1s 6d.

1853 came around and the population of Great Yarmouth was now 31,000. The newly formed 'Wellington Pier' Company undertaking the pier project produced a prospectus, again pushing the town as the most important bathing place in the Kingdom, with excellent accessibility from the railways, (with 80,000 persons being conveyed to Great Yarmouth in 1852), and by steam packets.

In this year, a pamphlet was issued promoting the town on the pleasures of Great Yarmouth as a high class bathing and health resort. Also printed were the interests in the town, which included the race course, the quay, Caister castle and the ruins of the Roman fort at Burgh Castle. Amusements in the town were noted as the regattas at sea and on 'the Broads', Balls, Concerts, lectures and theatrical entertainments.

A celebration was held in 1854 in recognition of Great Yarmouth's seaside resort being 100 years old (see Figure 5). At the same time the Wellington pier was opened fully, named in memory of the Duke whose name it bears. The total cost of the pier was £7,000, and the admission charges were less than half that charged at Brighton Pier.

Figure 5: 1854 Map of Great Yarmouth

In 1855 the Great Yarmouth Water Works completed work on supplying pure water to every house on the Victoria Estate, and in the same year the local board of health laid on drainage to the site. However, these improvements had a price, and because of the money situation with the Victoria Building Company still, they could only pay for some of the work and their balance in 1857 was £34 15s 2d.

The local board of health completed work on Marine Parade in 1857, which consisted of a 22 foot wide carriage road, an east side foot path measuring 15 foot wide, and another next to the houses. It stretched from Britannia Terrace to the Victoria Estate, and to obtain a uniform frontage on the West side of the parade, the owners of the houses on this side rebuilt their terrace walls in a line. At various distances, iron seats were placed for the convenience of the public, and steps and slopes led down to the sand to give easy access.