Ask Gerry.

This week Gerry answers your querries on

1. ​

   Birnbeck pier

Weston's Birnbeck Pier,old firm Duck, Son and Pinker,the

George's brewery site and the Brunel mile walk.

DO you know how old Weston’s Birnbeck Pier is?

Kay Tucker, Worle.

The grade II listed pier, designed by Eugenius Birch, opened

in 1867. It was much frequented by Welsh visitors, who came

over by paddle steamer.

The Neo- Gothic toll house and pier head buildings were

designed by the well known Weston architect Hans Price.

The pier’s popularity declined after the more central Grand

Pier opened

 in 1904.

The only pier in the country which connects to an island,

Birnbeck was closed off to the public in 1994.

It’s now in a derelict state awaiting re-building.

DID the firm of Duck, Son and Pinker start in Bristol or

Bath?

Jack Knowles, Bishopsworth.

The firm, which sells musical instruments and sheet music,

started out in Bath in 1848.

A Queen’s Road Bristol branch, which older readers will no

doubt recall, opened much later in 1886.

A further outlet in the High Street was lost in the

Blitz.

At one time, the company had shops in Swansea, Hereford and

Swindon.

In 1975, they had an outlet, now long gone, in Broadmead’s

Lower Arcade.

The company now trades solely from Bridge Street in

Bath.

CAN you tell me if the high brick, classical-looking

building next to St Philip’s Bridge – at present covered in

scaffolding – was part of the old brewery?

Pete Young, Bedminster.

The answer is both yes and no.

This building was erected in 1899 in the Neo-Classical

“Bristol Byzantine” tradition as a generating station for the

city’s electric trams.

It fell out of use when the system came to an end at the

start of World War II.

The brewery next door used it asa store for many years, and

at present it’s being converted into upmarket apartments.

Do you know anything about the “Brunel Mile?” Is it finished

yet?

Kate French, Horfield.

Only two sections out of three are completed.

When it’s finally finished it will link two of the

engineer’s greatest achievements – Temple Meads and the ss

Great Britain.

The council says it will provide a “high quality,

imaginative, memorable and direct pedestrian link across the

city”.

Millennium Square across Pero’s Bridge to Queen Square and

the section along the Portwall are now completed.

The final stage will include the Western Promenade, the

harbour inlet and the harbour ferry.

The whole walk should be open by 2010.