The development of Cromer really starts in the 19th century. The monthly register and Encyclopaedic magazine of 1803 has a letter written by a A. Valetudinarian Esc praising Cromer as an excellent health resort.

"With the greater part of the annual visitants of a bathing place economy is a circumstance which most considered, In no bathing place in England is a temporary abode more reasonable than in Cromer. There are two good Inns, the New Inn opposite the church, and the King's Arms upon the edge of the cliffs. Each of them are cheap and e qually well provided with excellent wines and every other article of convenience."

"Though I have described Cromer as secluded from the world, I did not mean to say that it was wholly with out anything of the bustle of a seaport. Cromer enjoys a considerable trade in corn and crabs to the metropolis. The corn is purchased by the two or three merchants who are here residents; they are thus enabled to supply the London market and not infrequently obtain large profits."

With the war with France over, Cromer started to grow rapidly from 676 inhabitants in 1801, to 1272 in 1836. Many hotels started to be built and a number of fisherman were either evicted or surrendered their houses to builders, to be turned into lodging houses. On the 24th June 1814, peace with France was celebrated by holding a street party for the poor. The meal consisted of 150 plum puddings, 70 stone of beef, six barrels of ale. 625 poor people which is quite a high percentage of the population, sat down to that meal.

Also that year, Simeon Simons built the Bath House on the Esplanade, on the cliff falls of what used had been the garden of Captain Custance whose house stood in Tucker St. Simeon was educated at Gresham school in Holt from 1807-11 and went on to be the Master of the Goldsmith's school in Overstrand Rd. He died 20 November 1867.  In 1822 the old jetty was in great disrepair and so a new one was built using cast iron supports. It cost £1,438 but was damaged in 1836. The next year 1837 another storm washed away the Bath House and one man was killed trying to rescue the furniture. It was rebuilt and still stands today as a fine hotel and public house. The last wooden jetty was constructed in 1846 when the seawall was built. It was 70 yards long and was used more to promenade on than as a working jetty.

The trade at this time still came from the sea, many coal ships were used to bring coal from North East England, a list of the ships wrecked at Cromer will show how many of then carried coal. The boats came ashore at high water and when the tide receded, horses and carts would come down the Gangway to take off the cargo. Henry Sandford owned a coal yard at the top of the Gangway and East St, he owned the coal ship "Commerce". Jeremiah Cross of Overstrand , was an owner of coal yard in Brook St 1826-78 and owned the ship "Wensleydale". Nathaniel Field of East Runton owned the ship the "Ellis" which was also known as the "plumper" on the account of being short and round, she consequently rolled a lot. One of the captains of the Ellis was William Bloom Payne who later had an earthenware shop in New St. Many of the Payne family were mariners or had connections with shipping. The trade by sea went almost overnight when the railways came to Cromer.

The East Norfolk Railway pushed out from Norwich to North Walsham, completing the line in 1874, and extended to Cromer, opening in March 1877. Thus Cromer was connected with the Great Eastern's main lines to London Liverpool St. It was another ten years before an extension to the line was opened, which had a loop down to "Cromer Beach" then onward to Sheringham. This gave connections via the new railway town of Melton Constable with the Midlands. By the turn of the century the journey direct from Liverpool Street to Cromer had been reduced to 2 hours 55 minutes and a weekend return ticket cost as little as 10 shillings (50p). By the end of the century the population of Cromer had risen from 876 to 3781, the biggest growth happening around 1888.

• 1830 Lord Suffield's summer residence is bought and turned into the "Hotel de Paris"
• 1851 The Belle Vue Hotel built in the High St opposite the King's Arms (now King's Head) public house, now it is part of the Hotel De Paris.
• 1860 Cemetary opens on the Holt Rd.
• 1866 The Rocket Brigade was established.
• 1867 Edinburgh House built
• 1871 Weylands built
• 1875 Gas works open
• 1876 Railway reaches Cromer
• 1878 Waterworks open
• 1879 Police Station built in Church St
• 1880 Fire brigade formed.
• 1882 New Gangway built
• 1883 Marlborough House, Burleigh and Connaught House built.
• 1885 Restoration of the Church Tower commenced July 15th
• 1885 Telegraph to Sheringham and gas lighting on Station Rd
• 1886 Midland and Great Northern Railway commenced
• 1887 Red Lion Hotel rebuilt, last trip of the Ellis coal ship.
• 1890 Town Hall built
• 1891 Grand Hotel built
• 1893 Metropole Hotel built.
• 1894 Hotel de Paris is remodelled by Norwich Architect George Skipper
• 1894 Cliftonville Hotel rebuilt
• 1897 Old Jetty washed away

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This information was compiled by Penny Ling
Any comments, suggestions or family to add email cromer@postmaster.co.uk
April 98.