The Vintage Views column with Aled Jones

It is a portrayal of Bridlington harbour looking west from the old North Pier.

This busy port scene shows fishing craft, rowing boats and a stunning tall-masted ship, possibly a brigantine.

The timber North Pier (foreground) has people angling and passing the time of day.

The gentry visitors enjoyed ‘peacocking’ there and, in 1808, it was reported that the Duke and Duchess of Leeds were at the Quay.

These well-to-do people would also enjoy a trip in a ‘cleaned up’ coble. Bridlington was, in fact, one of the first places in the north to use fishing boats for recreational sailing.

Despite its chic status, the port of Bridlington was primarily a working one.

The chief industry was ship and boat building, which took place at the entrance to Clough Hole (where the Gypsey Race empties into the harbour).

A great many cobles and more than 40 brigantines, barques, sloops, snows and schooners were built there between 1770 and 1843.

In the background on the left is the Shipyard, behind which are various warehouses and storage facilities.

After shipbuilding, the next largest industry was of course, the fishing trade. The most lucrative time was in the season of the herring-fishing every year.

Clearly visible to the left is the timber South Pier. It had started life in the Middle Ages, crafted by Priory monks and rebuilt on new foundations in 1719-55. It followed the same line as today’s Chicken Run.

In the years 1843-8 a new South Pier was built in stone in a more southerly position, increasing the area of the harbour from 5.5 acres to 12 acres.

A stone North Pier was begun in 1816 to the plans of Simon Goodrick. Sited to the west of the old pier it was an arduous task, and not finished until 1843.

Note the so-called ‘dolphins’ in the harbour waters. These cone-shaped constructions served as mooring points for boats when there was no space at the pier-sides.

This Edwardian era postcard was mailed on August 14, 1911, with the sender complaining about “money getting scarce”.