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Can anyone tell me the history of this building? Was the bit on the righthand side as you look at it a different building, built before or after. Why doesn't it flood out on high tides, is there something special about its foundations?

I don't know the history of it but this looks like a picture of the building on the right hand side you are referring to, built before Pier House and the Tivoli Theatre.
I don't know the date of this picture but it is before 1914 which is when the Tivoli opened.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/NewBrightonTower.jpg?1613904555514

Thank you, I haven't seen that picture before.

As I child I remember seeing the seas sweep across the promenade in front of Pier House and disappear down the gratings in front of the building, presumably to eventually emerge from the outlet on the sea side of the promenade wall.

I would like to do some research if anyone can help I would be most grateful.

1909 local map has the whole building as the Royal Ferry Hotel.

1909 local map has the whole building as the Royal Ferry Hotel.

The original Ferry hotel was apparently built in 1850 to take advantage of visitors landing at the wooden pier which was built in 1830 and lasted until 1865. This was the building facing onto Victoria Road. Haven't yet discovered when the remainder of the building was added. Maybe by George Mason around 1870s as he was kown to be wealthy and on the Wallasey Local Board.

Picked this up here: https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/536188/2.html
The Ferry Hotel, at the base of Victoria Road, opened in c1850 and was in a favourable position to attract customers as it was the first building passengers would come across after alighting from their ferry-boat.

After Isabella Graves death her 26 year old great niece Ann Graves took over the tenancy of the Ferry Hotel. In 1857 the hotel was taken over by the notable architect Stephen Eyre who designed St. Albans Church with J.A Hanson in 1852-1853. Eyre remained at the hotel for 10 years and was succeeded by Miss Ann Tennant, a 30 year old, who changed the name of the hotel for a short period to 'Royal Hotel'. In 1869 Ann left to take up duties at the Magazine Hotel, Magazine Brow and was replaced by the one time proprietor of the Queen's Hotel, Conway Street, Birkenhead, George Mason, who changed the title of the hotel to 'Royal Ferry Hotel'. George was a wealthy shipowner and was elected a member of the Wallasey Local Board in 1870. After George retired in 1879 his son, Edward, became the proprietor until 1889 when he left to take up the tenancy of the Queen's Hotel in Conway Street and in 1892 was elected as a member of Birkenhead Borough Council, becoming Mayor of Birkenhead in 1897-1898. It is worth noting that Mason Street, off Victoria Road, and formally known as Black Diamond Street, takes its name from the family. Today the hotel is now residential flats but had recently been a nightclub called Chelsea Reach and Club Royale.

The above reference also includes some memories of sandbagging on high tides and seawater entering the building. So does it now, if not why not?

map ctr and + buttons to enlarge ctr and - to make smaller

Thank you derekdwc, my poor eyes have squinted at this but cannot see a date. Can you advise?

Interested too in the things marked on the sand to the left of the pier.

Thank you. I see stairs to the rear of the building so that confirms a basement, which you would expect in a pub.

I see the cuts in the rock heading out to the Fort, I wonder if this was for munitions.

This map must have been prior to construction of one or other or both of the piers. As in all planning matters the builders elaborate to be cut back on submission.

The ferry pier seems about right, but the entertainment pier seems to have extras that were never built.

I am getting delightfully distracted. Wonder if plans for Pier Hotel are available. I am agog.

Ferry House on 1831 Bryants map

Thank you derekdwc. So interesting. The Fort was well established by then (1831) and the lighthouse was first lit in 1830. The fort not being shown, but the powder magazines is shown on the other side of what is now Vale Park.

Once this wretched disease is under control some more digging in archives might be available.

Here are 4 maps that show the Royal Ferry Hotel. Note that in the 1898 map the building on the right hand side is separate from the hotel whereas it incorporates that building on all the other maps.
1898
https://maps.nls.uk/view/114580996
1909
https://maps.nls.uk/view/126437599
1925
https://maps.nls.uk/view/114580999
1935
https://maps.nls.uk/view/114581002

Also 1876 map showing it separate from the hotel.
https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/331208/394093/12/100093

Another pic of the building before what stands there today. Again before 1914.

I went for a walk in New Brighton today and there is a Bakewell & Horner for sale sign in the window for the property on the corner of Victoria Parade, the building on the right of Pier House.

Companies House has, Stanton Ocean Services Limited at that address, 74 Victoria Parade, New Brighton, Wirral, CH45 2PH
"STANTON OCEAN SERVICES LIMITED (company# 00016897) is a company registered with Companies House, United Kingdom. The incorporation date is June 5, 1882. The company status is Active."
Previous name 'A.J.WRIGHT AND CO LIMITED' from 05 Jun 1882 - 07 Apr 2009.