New Brighton Tower
Encyclopedia
New Brighton, Merseyside
New Brighton is a seaside resort forming part of the town of Wallasey, in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in the metropolitan county of Merseyside, England. It is located at the northeastern tip of the Wirral Peninsula, within the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, and has sandy beaches...
on the Wirral Peninsula
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The 1,000 tonne tower, which stood at 567 feet (172.8 m) high, became the tallest building in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
when it opened in 1900. It was dismantled only 21 years after its completion.
Construction
Work began on the tower on 22 June 1896, two years after the Eiffel TowerEiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
-inspired Blackpool tower
Blackpool Tower
Blackpool Tower Eye is a tourist attraction in Blackpool, Lancashire in England which was opened to the public on 14 May 1894. . Inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it rises to 518 feet & 9 inches . The tower is a member of the World Federation of Great Towers...
was opened in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. It had a more elaborate octagonal cross-sectional design, surpassing the square plan used at the Blackpool Tower. However like at Blackpool, it was built with a palace-style ballroom beneath its superstructure.
History
The New Brighton tower, as a visitor attraction, had a short chequered existence. After six workmen were killed and another seriously injured during its construction, a young man jumped to his death from its balcony shortly after the tower's opening. In 1914, it was closed to the public following the outbreak of the First World War. With closure, lack of maintenance caused the steel superstructure to rust. The tower was eventually taken down between 1919 and 1921.Despite the tower's removal, its ballroom continued to be used for almost the next 50 years. Many famous acts visited the New Brighton venue including Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. In 1969, the building was destroyed by fire.
In the 1970s, the area where New Brighton Tower once stood was redeveloped as River View Park.
See also
- List of towers
- Watkins' TowerWatkins' TowerWatkin's Tower was a partially completed building in London, England, UK. It was marketed as the "Great Tower of London".- Names :Numerous names were given to the tower during its planning, construction and legacy...
- a short-lived London Tower. - New Brighton Tower F.C.New Brighton Tower F.C.New Brighton Tower F.C. was a short-lived English football club based in New Brighton, Merseyside. Established in 1896, the club spent three seasons in the Football League before folding in 1901. They played at the 80,000-capacity Tower Athletic Grounds....