“"We don’t remember days, we remember moments."

~ Top Views East from the Inner Lighthouse ~

~ An early view of Dovercourt promenade from the Lighthouse (1890) H&D FW ~
Note the undeveloped land for which is not for sale

Looking North towards Harwich, this late Victorian photograph taken from the top of the Lighthouse, shows the undeveloped promenade, without housing, street lighting, trees  and decent roads nor pavements, along Lower Marine Parade.
Later cards show the pace of change at street level, along with the changing sea front, with bandstand, enclosures and finally the building of the Cliff Pavilion, groynes, pontoons, sea defences and winding paths.

~ Dovercourt Bay & Lower Marine Parade (1902) by Valentines H&D FW ~

~ Dovercourt Bay & Lower Marine Parade (1902) H&D FW ~ Panorama Card ~

~ #7227 Dovercourt from Lighthouse (1904) Wyndham Series H&D FW ~
Note the land for sale board on the green

~ #21070 Dovercourt (1905) H&D FW ~

~ #25560 Dovercourt Bay (1906) H&D FW ~ 

 ~ #25560 Dovercourt Bay From South (1906) H&D FW ~

~ Beach and Marine Parade, Dovercourt (1905) H&D FW ~
Note the addition of the steps and causeway

Building plots of land for sale around 1904, with prime sea views, in the next picture, the Jetty construction has started

~ #3975.4. Marine Front, Dovercourt (1906) H&D FW ~

~ #25560 The Sands, Dovercourt Bay (1907) Valentines H&D FW ~
Note this card is the same as #25560 above, but the artist drew the steps & causeway

~ #A6644 Beach, Dovercourt (1908) E.Pattinson Drapers H&D FW ~

~ #4191 Beach, Dovercourt. S (1908) H&D FW ~

~ The Sands, Dovercourt Bay (1909) Valentines H&D FW ~

~ Dovercourt, View from Lighthouse (1910) Photochrom H&D FW ~

~ E3521 Dovercourt From The Lighthouse (1910) H&D FW ~
Note the house building work has started on the green

House Building begins on the Green around 1910, with the building plots now sold. although the sign is still in place here.

~ J&D 6470 A Corner Of The Beach Dovercourt  (1911) H&D FW ~

~ #11323 The Beach and Promenade, Dovercourt Bay (1911) H&D FW ~

~ Beach and Parade Dovercourt (1912) H&D FW ~

~ #22 Dovercourt (1919) by Wallis H&D FW ~
Note the advertsing boards on the corner plot

Few cards were produced in the war years 1914-1918, but by 1919 the housebuilding is completed on the Green, with fences and advertising boards now in place.

~ #48613 Dovercourt, The Front (1924) H&D FW ~

~ #1365 The Beach, Dovercourt Bay (1925) J.Salmon H&D FW ~

~ #18151 Dovercourt From The Lighthouse.  (1929) H&D FW ~

By 1929, the bandstand in the distance has been protected by an enclosure

~ General View Looking East, Dovercourt Bay (1930) H&D FW ~

~ #17630 Promenade from lighthouse, Dovercourt (1931) H&D FW ~

 ~ Lower Marine Parade, Dovercourt (1950) M&L ~
Note the WW2 pill-box at the bottom of Beach Road

~ No 1671 The Bay, Dovercourt (1952) by Bell's H&D FW ~