Murray Pier (2nd Generation) [1897-c.1908]

1895 PWD Report: 157, Government Piers: The rubble stone foundations of Pottinger Street, Pedder's Street, and Murray Road Piers, containing 2000(?) cubic yards of rubble stone, have been completed, except a portion of the foreshore and upper surface of the rubble stone between the Pedder's Street piers.  The foundations of the piers at the bottom of Pottinger and Pedder’s Streets are included in contract No. 20, and the pier at the bottom of Murray Road was constructed by CHAN A-Ton; under contract No. 30 dated 2nd July and completed on the 4th November, 1895.

The upper surface of the rubble stone foundations of the piers have been roughly leveled, the upper surface of the Pottinger Street pier reformed, trimmed, concreted and 219 cubic yards of Concrete Blocks set thereon.

1897 PWD Report: Murray Pier:- Of solid granite ashlar masonry was completed and opened for use on the 16th September. Shortly afterwards a storm occurred, not quite of typhoon force, and it was found that seas broke over this pier to such an extent as to render it unapproachable by launches or boats, which was not the case with the open timber pier opposite Ice House Street. A memorial on the subject signed by all the leading merchants in the city, as well as by those most intimately acquainted with shipping work in the harbour, protesting against the construction of solid piers and advocating the adoption of open steel or iron structures, was presented to His Excellency the Governor. After full consideration, and in accordance with professional advice, it was decided that work on the solid stone Government piers should be stopped and where possible open piers substituted. At the request of the Director of Public Works a representative Committee of those who had signed the memorial was appointed to consider with him and advise Government as to the position, form and dimension of Government piers from the New Praya.

This Committee met twice in 1897, and by their advice Pottinger Street Pier, which was in an advanced state of construction of a similar design to Murray Pier, was for good reasons proceeded with, and before the end of December was completed except the last course of granite and the coping. The design for Pedder’s Street Pier was entirely altered, a solid stone base of considerable width recommended, and an open steel or iron pier 200 feet long by 40 feet wide ordered from England. The completion of these two piers will absorb all the funds available for such work in 1898.

Source

1903 PWD Report: 16. General Remarks.—The Naval Yard Extension and Messrs. Butterfield & Swire’s Shipyard Works were still in progress throughout the year. In the case of the former, the sea wall and inner-wall or quay forming the pier on the north side of the Basin, a portion of the east wall of the Basin and the Murray Pier Extension and roundhead beyond it were all brought above low-water level

1907 PWD Report: 19. Naval Land The Naval Authorities having completed the extension of Murray Pier which it was arranged they should carry out for the accommodation of the Victoria Recreation Club, the area was handed over to that Institution and the erection of the Clubs new premises was begun.

1909 PWD Report under Works Commenced: Swimming Bath at Murray Pier for Victoria Recreation Club.

1910 PWD Report under Works Completed: Swimming Bath at Murray Pier for Victoria Recreation Club.

At least one set of stairs of the old pier survived in the new sea wall- viewable in photographs from the 1930s so the demolish date is more of an 'incorporated into sea wall' date