Margate Jetty re-imagined in AI
The famous iron jetty has been depicted as though it existed in the modern day
UK Fashion brand Chums has used AI to recreate some to the country’s long lost landmarks, including Margate’s famous Iron Jetty.
Constructed by the Margate Pier Harbour Company in 1824, Margate Jetty was originally built out of wood. Locals would refer to the jetty as the Jarvis Landing Stage, with its primary use being to ships to load and unload passengers when the harbour was too difficult to access during low tide.
The wooden jetty required frequent repair over the years due to damage. So much so that in 1851, it sustained severe damage in two places, resulting in the world’s first iron jetty being designed and built in its place. It opened back up in 1855, although work continued until its completion two years later.
A pavilion was built on the pier in 1858 and used as a station building for the arrival and departures of steamships. It was then extended further to include its distinctive octagonal-shaped pierhead.
The pier was damaged again in January 1877 when a storm caused a shipwreck to cut through the jetty. This resulted in around 50 people becoming trapped until they were rescued the following day. The jetty then took another blow later that same year when it was struck by a passing vessel, causing yet more damage to its structure.
Aside from repairs, many changes were made to the pier over the years, including an entertainment pavilion at the pier head, as well as a building and slipway to allow for the relocation of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution Margate Lifeboat Station.
The pier was also used as part of the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940 to evacuate members of the British and French armies. Shortly after the war, the pier reverted back to being used as a steamship jetty. However, after suffering fire damage in 1964, concerns were raised over the jetty’s safety in the years that followed. In 1976, it was decided that Margate Jetty would be closed for good.
Margate Jetty was eventually demolished in 1998 – but what if it was still standing today? We think the extended jetty would much remain the same, leading up to a pier head comparable with the original. However, our vision includes a more modern-looking building at the pier head, perhaps on multiple levels offering views of the waters surrounding it.
For more info visit: https://www.chums.co.uk
