West Pier Trust » rachel

Developer’s interest in the pier

rachel — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:10:11 +0000

You may have noticed in the Brighton media Mike Holland’s pronouncements about his aspirations for the pier. This link will give you the story and also accurately reflects the Trust’s response. In essence, we are always pleased to hear about serious interest in the pier and certainly hope eventually to rebuild it, however, we must keep focussed on delivering the i360 with our partners Marks Barfield Architects. Without that major new attraction on the site a new pier is not viable.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-16815979

Fragement Sales

rachel — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:49:33 +0000

Yesterday’s sale was very busy. There’s still material left to buy and we’ll be holding another next Sunday 29th January 10am – 12 noon in the compound under the root end of the pier. This will be the last sale for a few weeks – the next is likely to be at the end of February.

Fragment Photos

rachel — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:00:35 +0000

Go to http://photography.juliaclaxton.net/westpierrelics to see lovely photos taken last Sunday at the fragment sale. Next sale 10 -12 noon Sunday 22nd January.

West Pier Starlings

rachel — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:01:45 +0000

Listen to a recent (broadcast first on 17th January) Radio 4 Nature programme about the murmuration on

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b019f9hf/Nature_Series_5_Episode_3_The_Ghost_Roost/

Fragment Sales – New Dates

rachel — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:52:47 +0000

The next sales will be at 10am – 12 noon on Sunday 22nd and Sunday 29th January. Yesterday’s sale was very busy – there’s still material left but we’re not expecting there to be many more sales after 29th January.

Fragment Sales

rachel — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:57:55 +0000

The next sale of pier fragments will be on Sunday 15th January 10am – 12 noon in the compound under the pier root end. There is still plenty of cast iron material left to buy from small mementos to large pieces such as columns and lamp posts. Timber salvaged from the pier is also available. Come and find a unique piece of Brighton’s history.

Fragment Sale

rachel — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:43:00 +0000

The sale held last Saturday was busy and so we’ve decided to hold another next weekend. It will be on Sunday 11th December 10am – 12 noon. Come along, it’s a great source of unusual and unique Christmas presents

Fragment Sales Resume

rachel — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 08:14:03 +0000

There are still lots of pier fragments left in the compound under the root end of the pier. Sales will resume through the winter with the first being held on Saturday 3rd December 9.30 – 12.30.

Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce Breakfast

rachel — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:04:34 +0000

David Marks, designer and developer of the i360 and creator of the London Eye, will be addressing the Brighton & Hove Chamber Breakfast meeting on 30th September at Carluccio’s. For more information please go to http://www.businessinbrighton.org.uk/event/september-30th-breakfast

Jo Revis

rachel — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:48:22 +0000

Jo is a long standing West PierTrust Board member. Adam Trimingham, who also serves on our Board and a well-known local journalist, wrote the following article which appeared in today’s Argus

JO REVIS

The widow of a man blinded during the Second World War on the West Pier in Brighton is still determined that it should be rebuilt.
Jo Revis, 90, who lives in Oxford is a member of the Brighton West Pier Trust’s board and attends nearly every meeting despite living many miles from the sea. Her husband Ken, who died aged 84 in 2002, lost his eyesight while defusing mines on the pier but with the help of Jo went on to have a fulfilling career over almost 60 years. Ken became a representative of St Dunstan’s charity for the blind in India, and served as a press officer for Morris Motors. He qualified as a solicitor, went beagling, learned to water-ski and flew a glider. He became one of the first people to join the campaign to save the West Pier when it was threatened with partial demolition 40 year ago.
“People say that I should hate the place,” he would say. “I can’t explain why I keep going back. I suppose it’s the last thing I saw.”
Ken Revis, an expert on explosives, joined the Royal Engineers on the outbreak of war. He defused his first German bomb in a garden at Hastings
and dealt with hundreds more. In September 1943 it was decided that the Germans were not going to invade, and Revis was asked to “delouse”
the two piers at Brighton, which had been mined by the engineers of Canadian 1st Division at the beginning of the war. He had no difficulty with the Palace Pier, and then approached the West Pier by rowing boat. Avoiding the ladder, he climbed up the diagonal crossbracings and, with the aid of a map, defused six mines.
“It’s money for old rope, this,” Revis remarked to his corporal. Then 13 mines went up in a flash.

Ken Revis underwent 20 operations but was totally blinded by the explosions. He counted himself lucky to be alive.

After working for St Dunstan’s in India, he was offered a job by Lord Nuffield at Cowley Motors in Oxford, which employed more than 200 handicapped workers. He later qualified as a solicitor.

Ken Revis never missed an opportunity to publicise the pier and the work being done to restore it.

Jo took him to meetings of the Trust and eventually was asked to join the board herself. They were married for more than 60 years.
She said: “My knees are not too good but my brain is fine and I attend every meeting I can. I think it was becoming impossible to
restore the old pier and I am completely in favour of the current plans.”
Permission has been granted for the i360 observation tower at the shore end which the Trust hopes will lead to the rebuilding of the pier.

Jo said: “Ken really loved the pier even though he was blinded there and I do too. It is a most beautiful piece of engineering.”

“Even though I live a long way from Brighton, I am always delighted to see it and do what I
can to help.”
Trust chief executive Rachel Clark said: “Jo is a remarkable person. Her commitment to the Trust and contribution to the Board are greatly appreciated by us all.”