Felixstowe - Spa Pavilion in the Mid-1960's

            The Postcard

A postally unused postcard bearing no publisher's name. The card, which has a divided back, was printed in Great Britain.

The Spa Pavilion

The Spa Pavilion originally opened in 1909 as ‘The New Floral Hall’, a true seafront pavilion, in replacement of the previous Edwardian Bandstand, and soon became known as the Spa Pavilion. 

The Pavilion was then completely re-vamped and extended in the late 1930's, and re-opened as a large theatre and music hall in April 1939. 

However the outbreak of war ensured that it was hardly used before a bomb and other damage put the building out of action in 1941, rendering it derelict. 

It was rebuilt after the war, and from its re-opening on the 26th. May 1950 the Spa was a thriving seaside venue right up until the 1990's.

The café which had been added for the 1950 re-opening was extended to the front of the original building to incorporate a previous balcony This left a much smaller open area. 

In the early 1970’s this smaller balcony was enclosed by the current full height windows to the front. 

A gradual decline from the end of the 20th. Century led to the closure of the theatre in 2013. Following this, it was acquired by the current owners on the 15th. May 2015 and re-opened later that year.

Felixstowe

Felixstowe is a seaside town in Suffolk, England. At the 2011 Census, it had a population of 23,689. The Port of Felixstowe is the largest container port in the United Kingdom.

Felixstowe played an important role in both world wars—in the Great War as Royal Naval Air Service and RAF seaplane base, and in WW II as the Coastal Forces MTB, MGB and ML base HMS Beehive. 

It was the first base from which Second World War German E-boats and coastal convoys were systematically attacked. Felixstowe was also HQ of the Harwich Harbour coast and anti-aircraft defences, and accommodated the RAF's 26th. Marine Craft (Air-Sea Rescue) Unit. 

In 1944 the piers near the Dock were used to load troops, tanks and vehicles onto the British and American landing craft of 'Force L', which reinforced the Normandy Invasion on its first and second days. 

In 1945 the German naval commanders in Occupied Holland arrived in E-boats at Felixstowe Dock to surrender their boats and charts to the Royal Navy.

Felixstowe Pier was opened in 1906. During the Second World War the majority of the pier, at the time one of the longest in the country and complete with its own train, was purposely demolished by the Royal Engineers to prevent it from being used as an easy landing point for enemy troops. 

After the war the damage was not repaired, and the pier never regained its original length.

Taken on: November 13, 2020

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Sets appears in: • UK

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