1800 Bridge over Prittlewell Brook was rebuilt. It was established that in 1800 the largest property owner in Southend was James Heygate, practically owning the majority of all the new buildings being built around the seafront area. He was well revered as he made improvements and brought the place to public notice. 1801 In 1801 there were 1,213 inhabitants in Southend. Lord Nelson in town. Was it coincidence or design that Lord Nelson, from 1801 and for the next few years would be seen in Southend. Yes in 1801 he was duty bound as he was commanding the battle squadron that was defending the Thames Estuary and the Eastern Coast. He would tie up his flagship at the Nore providing him ample time to spend with his mistress Lady Hamilton. Royal Patronage. Princess Charlotte of Wales, daughter of George IV, visited Southend for sea-bathing, as advised by her physicians. She stayed at The Lawn, Southchurch and attended service at Holy Trinity Church, Southchurch, as well as patronising the bathing machines of Mrs Glasscock. Leigh Brewery closes. The first proper brewery in the borough closed. The George Brewery in the old town Leigh ran from around 1714. 1802 Jetty built. Southend was building, hotels emerging and the need for transport was never more paramount. Sir Thomas Wilson bridged this gap a little, as owner of a property on Royal Terrace, he erected the New Pier, a jetty opposite the Royal Hotel; and 'hards,' down which horse drawn vans might be driven to collect baggage were built by the owners of the Ship and Royal Hotels. Southend (village) had fifty one houses. 1803 Princess Caroline of Brunswick (wife of the Prince Regent, afterwards George IV) visits Southend. During the Napoleonic Wars it was thought that the French might attempt a landing on the north bank of the Thames Estuary. Jonas Asplin of Wakering and John Lodwick of Southend, raised and commanded a troop of volunteer cavalry and a company of infantry respectively, to resist any attempted invasion. The military based in Southend would defend the land but come the need would 'scorch the earth' as they retreated in land. Buildings and crops would be set alight. Animals would be slaughtered, roads and bridges destroyed. In the event the Napoleonic forces did not attack and moved eastwards instead. 1804 Ingram builds his warm baths below the Royal Hotel. The Southend Theatre, Southend’s first theatre was built by Thomas Trotter, between the Minerva Hotel and the old Castle Inn along Eastern Esplanade, to replace the original one which stood by the Hope. A well known figure at the time Admiral Rowley would be seen acquainting himself of the theatrics here, he was also friendly with an actress, Mrs Powell, who at the end of performances of "Children in the Wood." It is known that Lady Hamilton frequented the place. This popular theatre was sold on in 1812 to Mr. Samuel Jerrold and finally demolished in 1858. The Lawn's in Southchurch had a secret resident during 1804. Lady Hamilton, during her time here she gave birth to her second daughter, Emma, and it is thought although not clarified that Lord Horatio Nelson could well have been in attendance at the birth due to his Naval movements around that time. 1805 With recent Royal stays of Princesses Charlotte and Caroline, in this new somewhat exclusive resort with recommended sea bathing health benefits. It was no surprise that areas where they stayed soon amended their business names to reflect Royal patronage. Up until now the Capitol Hotel that stood proud at the top of Pier Hill would change its name to the one we all know it to be today the 'Royal' Hotel. Nelson's flagship HMS Victory could be seen just off Southend this year waiting in the waters before needing some work done at Chatham dockyards, repairing damage acquired during the Battle of Trafalgar. 1806 A chapel was built in the High Street just north of the junction with Clarence Street; it served until 1864, with the Cliff Town Church being built in the following year. The “Globe,” began to publish a list of Society visitors to the now fashionable resort, and so popular was the town that the local inns were not large enough to accommodate all the visitors. British School opened in the High Street. A whale, 34 feet in length, was stranded in Leigh Marsh and was towed by barge to Leigh. 1809 The Shrubbery is planted. Lady Langham planted and enclosed a little grove of trees at the western extremity of what is now known as the Shrubbery in commemoration of the jubilee of George III. 1811 13th October. Daniel Scratton died, Squire of the manor of Prittlewell and long time resident of the Priory. 1813 The King's Bench Division decided this year that Milton was a separate parish for the maintenance of highways. Milton as a name goes right back to 1225 when it was mentioned as a port. It would seem that the port was once a separate parish as the remains of a church submerged by the encroaching sea during the 14th-17th centuries, could still be seen right up to the 1840s. 1814 New Prittlewell water pump is erected by the parish, original one was removed when the bridge over Prittlewell Brook was rebuilt in 1800. A Painter drops by. The renowned English painter John Constable visited Southend; well known to have associations with Old Leigh, where a relative lived. The Beecroft Art Gallery in Station Road, Westcliff used to hold certain works by Constable some permanent and others on loan. 1817 The Dole-ites Named and Shamed. At this time the poor were often picked on for being idle, there was plenty work needed doing around the town. It was therefore agreed by the ratepayers that the names of the unemployed should be pinned up in the tap rooms of the pubs of Prittlewell and Southend in an attempt to shame them into work. 1818 The first Castle Pub was constructed on the seafront. It took a while to build but the the Castle, which no longer exists (demolished in 1924), sat on the current footprint of the Sea Life Centre. The first licensee was a Thomas Brown. The positioning of the pub was as close as you could get to the beach ideal for trippers looking for a beanfeast and a bed. Smallpox, this illness was common until the beginning of the last century. Nationally a vaccination had been introduced in 1796, but was first adopted locally in Southend and Prittlewell, in 1818. 1819 First steamboat service started. Southend began providing pleasure trips long before the pier was built, which caused a bit of an issue for the ladies in long attire not getting wet alighting from boats. Invariably they would be loaded (manhandled) from the steam boats into flat bottomed rowing boats which were towed by horse or man to shore. This did not deter willing trippers who all thought it was all part of the experience then of visiting Southend.

Timeline

1800 - 1819

John Constable

Royal Hotel Pier Hill