The Pier, Deal, Kent, 1865 (c)

Photograph, 1865 (c). From an album compiled by Colonel Montagu Hall.

A view looking down the pier in Deal towards the buildings on the shore, including the Royal Hotel to the extreme right, with figures promenading on the pier and seats along either side. This pier is the second in the town's history, built in iron and opened on 8 November 1864, to replace a wooden one destroyed by a gale in 1857. This pier was in turn damaged by a drifting mined ship in 1940 and demolished soon after, to be replaced by the current pier in 1957.

Montagu Hall (1831-1904) was born 27 August 1831, in Bristol. He served in the 2nd Burma War (1852-1853) and the Indian Mutiny (1857-1859). Fighting with the 1st Bengal European Fusiliers, he participated in the relief and capture of Lucknow. He is recorded as gaining the rank of captain, serving with the 101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers), on 30 July 1862. He retired as an Honorary Colonel 13 June 1883 and died at Ryde on the Isle of Wight on 12 March 1904, aged 72.