Just come across these two old original watercolour paintings that may be of interest. Don't know who the artist is but on the back they're marked "New Brighton, August 1844". I think one shows what was called 'The Devil's Nest' and the original pier. Could the other one be the perch on Black Rock?

nice mate find them!

I know that H.Locke painted a picture called 'The Nest' in 1861. The top picture is not that painting which hangs in the Williamson Art Gallery. Also the 'Devil's Nest' stood adjacent to the Fort and not the Pier. The Nest were a small group of shanty dewellings which housed the workers that were building the Lighthouse and the Fort.

IF the information is correct for both paintings then we have to take them as "interpretations" by the artist - ie The Perch by 1844 did not exist as the Lighthouse had replaced it by March 1830.

Excellent points Paul. I've got the receipt for them somewhere which says who the artist is - will dig it out. Any idea what the white building is on the first picture? I'm sure I've seen it before on an old engraving.

The white cottage might be a fishing lodge and the grey shack building to the left could be a tea and wine house for ferry passengers. I know they were in the area at that time.

Cheers for the New Brighton Baths by the way. Will use it accordingly.