The following are some snippets from the History archive – more detail and photos in the sub-menus.
Alverbank Bridge
The small brick bridge that you cross when walking to the bay from Stanley Park replaced the original bridge built in 1842 to enable the owner of the Alverbank to cross the River Alver to get to the sea. The bridge that you now cross, which is Grade II Listed, was built by the Royal Engineers when the river was diverted in 1860; the dried up river bed is now overgrown.
Bathing Station
100 years ago a bathing station was built at Stokes Bay. It had a small café, a shop selling souvenirs and changing cubicles. In 1942, it was requisitioned by the Admiralty. In the 1970s it was used by GAFIRS and subsequently demolished. The picture shows the bathing station in 1939.
Queen Victoria
Did Queen Victoria use Stokes Bay pier? Some say yes but some say no! The Queen says that she did. Her diary for a foggy 4th February 1880 has an entry: ..it was decided we should go but very slowly crossing to Stokes Bay. No vessels were out and there could be no danger so at 11 we left the house with Beatrice and all the ladies and gentlemen embarking as usual at Trinity Pier. Our crossing was very disagreeable as we literally crawled across blowing the fog horn constantly. We had some difficulty in finding the pier and a man called out “I am Stokes Bay Pier”. It was 1/2 past 12 when we at length landed. We stepped on to the pier and at once entered the train. There was no station only a covered shed. So it seems that the local rumours are true. Whilst she did not use the pier on a regular basis, she did use it on this foggy day!
Schneider Trophy
The Schneider Trophy was a trophy awarded to the winner of a race for seaplanes and flying boats over a triangular route over the Solent starting at Ryde, turning at Cowes and West Wittering with the only section of land that the planes flew over being Gilkicker Point, the bay being a popular place for spectators to view the race.
Stoke Morass
Most of Stokes Bay was for many years inundated by the sea, part of the great ‘Stoke Morass’. It gradually dried leaving the river Alver to flow the length of the bay to the sea at Gilkicker. The river was diverted leaving a pool of water close to the present GAFIRS HQ, popular with local children as a paddling pool. The photo shows the pond in 1927. In the 1930s a concrete path was built to the pond, sections of which can still be seen. The pond was filled in 1961 because of problems with water purity but the area remains still prone to flooding as these photos show during last winter.
Three Guns Alehouse
In the 18thC you could have enjoyed a pint at the Three Guns Alehouse situated on the beach. It was close to Old Bay House which Lord Ashburton had demolished to improve his view from his newly built Bay House. There were other buildings further east but they did not survive the building of the moats in 1860. The picture shows Old Bay House and the ordnance brickworks with the River Alver flowing between.