Mayor discovers unexpected family link to historic pier’s origins

The mayor of a town has concluded his search for descendants of a boy involved in the opening of a historic pier 160 years ago, upon discovering he is a relative himself. John Crockford-Hawley, the mayor of Weston-super-Mare, learned of this familial connection prior to the public announcement of a £10m funding initiative aimed at preventing Birnbeck Pier’s collapse. Mr. Crockford-Hawley stated that he is the cousin of Cecil Smith-Piggott, who, at four years old and as the son of the lord of the manor, laid the pier’s foundation stone with a ceremonial trowel. Mr. Crockford-Hawley described the revelation as “both moving and humbling really”. On Monday, the National Lottery Heritage Fund declared its allocation of £10m to North Somerset Council for the purpose of reopening the Victorian landmark to the public. The Grade II listed pier had been in a state of disrepair for 20 years while under private ownership before its sale to the council, and restoration efforts are presently in progress. Mr. Crockford-Hawley commented: “I’m a Weston person, I’m very much involved in Weston history. “To find I’ve got an even deeper involvement with a person and with this very thing he held all these years ago that I’m holding today, it’s quite moving really.” He recounted the circumstances of discovering his familial relationship. “We thought it would be a nice idea if we could find a relative of the squire’s son, and a week ago somebody came to me and said: ‘I’ve found a relative, he lives in Weston,” said Mr Crockford-Hawley. “I said, ‘who is it?’ and he said: ‘It’s you, you’re his cousin.'” He concluded: “So here I am, holding cousin Cecil’s trowel.” The initiative to reopen the pier, which is listed on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register, is projected for completion by Autumn 2027. This funding, provided by National Lottery players, will facilitate the restoration of additional listed buildings on the pier and island, as well as the construction of a new RNLI lifeboat station. Mr. Crockford-Hawley stated that without the funding, the pier “have collapsed into the sea”. He elaborated: “You look at it [the pier] each winter a bit more falls off,” he said.”You begin to become a bit more despondent. But out of despondency the rays of hope have arisen. “There is a very real need. The lifeboat must come back here. This is the only suitable place in this part of the channel for the lifeboat. It’s a particular need, not just a romantic, historic liking for the past.” He further added: “The critical issue is how we find an income generating purpose for its future, that’s going to be a real challenge.”That’s not something we can skirt over.”