Transcription of Letters about the Pier
Times June 9, 1885
RYDE PIER PROMENADE CONCERTS – GROSS MIS-MANAGEMENT
Dear Sir – As one who has long and anxiously looked forward to, and hailed with delight the advent of some pleasurable hours in listening to the Bands on the Pier, I should like to know, who is the responsible person or persons who allowed such a piece of sheer stupidity as the commencing to paint on the very morning, and continuing the same, until a short time previous to the first time of the Band playing. A greater want of COMMON SENSE could not be well shewn, and this is not the first by many times the same thing has occurred, and persons have gone away disgusted to find themselves covered with paint. I should like to know who is responsible for this state of unpreparedness and why the Band should have been allowed to commence playing under such very unfavourable circumstances, not even gas or awning to shelter them from the keen wind. There is evidently a great want of management and common sense in these things on Ryde Pier.
Yours sincerely,
CONSTANT & VEXED SUBSCRIBER
Pier Charges to visitors – October 1857