Peter Bruff
Encyclopedia
Peter Schuyler Bruff born in Portsmouth
, England
, was a civil engineer
best known for founding the seaside resort town of Clacton on Sea, Essex
, and for improving the lives of residents in the Essex towns of Walton-on-the-Naze
, Colchester
and Harwich
. By the time of his death in 1900, Peter Bruff had helped turn what had thirty years before been an empty piece of farmland with a beach into the flourishing seaside town of Clacton on Sea.
to Colchester
, Bruff began work on the Chappel Viaduct, which was constructed between 1847 and 1849. The viaduct carries the Sudbury Branch Line
across the Colne Valley in Essex. It stands 80 feet (24.4 m) above the river, has 32 arches and is 1066 feet (324.9 m) long. The viaduct contains 4.5 million bricks. It was Bruff's dream for the line to Colchester to carry on as far as Ipswich
but the railway company did not have sufficient funds. As a result, Bruff formed his own company, the Eastern Union Railway
, and built the line himself, including the 361 yd (330 m) tunnel through Stoke Hill by Ipswich railway station
.
, an already an established but unremarkable town on the Essex coast near Frinton. He began to work on developing Walton as a recognized seaside resort.
He took a major step in accomplishing this when in 1867, having accomplished the Ipswich line, he built another railway line, to Walton. Peter Bruff's pier at Walton replaced an existing smaller pier which was blown down by a storm in 1881. Bruff was also responsible for the building of the Marine Terrace, South Terrace (destroyed by bombing in World War II
) and Clifton Baths (today the Pier Hotel).
of the 19th Century for the work he did in Clacton, which was virtually non-existent when he arrived. Upon his arrival in 1864, Bruff made a private deal to buy 50 acres (202,343 m²), the central part of the town, for around £10,000. The land concerned centred on the area each side of the Pier and back as far as Rosemary Lane. In approximately 1870, work began on the seaside resort of Clacton-on-Sea. The Times in 1871 wrote "That being an entirely new creation and not the adaptation of an existing town, none of the evils inseparable from the old watering holes will be allowed to exist in it. There will be no slums, nor do any object that can offend the eye." When the pier opened, the town began to truly grow.
His later constructions in the town included: the Royal Hotel in 1872, a public hall in Pier Avenue, which was destroyed by a fire in 1939, and the creation of the town center. There is now a hospital ward named in Bruff's memory.
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, 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...
, was a civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
best known for founding the seaside resort town of Clacton on Sea, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, and for improving the lives of residents in the Essex towns of Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze is a small town in Essex, England, on the North Sea coast in the Tendring district. It is north of Clacton and south of the port of Harwich. It abuts Frinton-on-Sea to the south, and is part of the parish of Frinton and Walton. It is a resort town, with a permanent population of...
, Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
and Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
. By the time of his death in 1900, Peter Bruff had helped turn what had thirty years before been an empty piece of farmland with a beach into the flourishing seaside town of Clacton on Sea.
Eastern Counties Railway
While working with Eastern Counties Railway from ShoreditchShoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
to Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, Bruff began work on the Chappel Viaduct, which was constructed between 1847 and 1849. The viaduct carries the Sudbury Branch Line
Sudbury Branch Line
The Gainsborough Line is the marketing name of the Sudbury Branch Line, a single track railway line running through the rural area between Sudbury and Marks Tey in England with connecting trains from Marks Tey station to London, Colchester and other destinations...
across the Colne Valley in Essex. It stands 80 feet (24.4 m) above the river, has 32 arches and is 1066 feet (324.9 m) long. The viaduct contains 4.5 million bricks. It was Bruff's dream for the line to Colchester to carry on as far as Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
but the railway company did not have sufficient funds. As a result, Bruff formed his own company, the Eastern Union Railway
Eastern Union Railway
The Eastern Union Railway was an early English railway, initially sanctioned by Act of Parliament on 19 July 1844, with authorised capital of £200,000 to build from Ipswich to Colchester. Further Acts of 21 July 1845 and 26 June 1846 authorised further increases in capital of £50,000 and £20,000...
, and built the line himself, including the 361 yd (330 m) tunnel through Stoke Hill by Ipswich railway station
Ipswich railway station
Ipswich railway station is a railway station serving the town of Ipswich in Suffolk, England. The station is located on the Great Eastern Main Line 68¾ miles east of London Liverpool Street towards Norwich...
.
Contributions to Walton
While working on the Ipswich line in 1855 he bought a house, Burnt House Farm, in WaltonWalton-on-the-Naze
Walton-on-the-Naze is a small town in Essex, England, on the North Sea coast in the Tendring district. It is north of Clacton and south of the port of Harwich. It abuts Frinton-on-Sea to the south, and is part of the parish of Frinton and Walton. It is a resort town, with a permanent population of...
, an already an established but unremarkable town on the Essex coast near Frinton. He began to work on developing Walton as a recognized seaside resort.
He took a major step in accomplishing this when in 1867, having accomplished the Ipswich line, he built another railway line, to Walton. Peter Bruff's pier at Walton replaced an existing smaller pier which was blown down by a storm in 1881. Bruff was also responsible for the building of the Marine Terrace, South Terrace (destroyed by bombing in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
) and Clifton Baths (today the Pier Hotel).
Contributions to Clacton
Bruff is regarded by some as the Richard BransonRichard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
of the 19th Century for the work he did in Clacton, which was virtually non-existent when he arrived. Upon his arrival in 1864, Bruff made a private deal to buy 50 acres (202,343 m²), the central part of the town, for around £10,000. The land concerned centred on the area each side of the Pier and back as far as Rosemary Lane. In approximately 1870, work began on the seaside resort of Clacton-on-Sea. The Times in 1871 wrote "That being an entirely new creation and not the adaptation of an existing town, none of the evils inseparable from the old watering holes will be allowed to exist in it. There will be no slums, nor do any object that can offend the eye." When the pier opened, the town began to truly grow.
His later constructions in the town included: the Royal Hotel in 1872, a public hall in Pier Avenue, which was destroyed by a fire in 1939, and the creation of the town center. There is now a hospital ward named in Bruff's memory.