Arthur Hyde Dendy Paignton Pioneer
Arthur Hyde Dendy transformed Paignton and its seafront, building hotels and introducing an omnibus service, theatres, a cycle track, archery range and bathing machines as well as notably, building Paignton Pier. Torbay Civic Society Chairman, Ian Handford tells us more.
W
e had three distinguished solicitors leading the towns of Torbay during the Victorian era. In Torquay it was William Kitson, in Brixham Richard Wolston and in Paignton Arthur Hyde Dendy, who had moved into the town after practising as a barrister in Birmingham. Married with one daughter this successful lawyer would within twenty years transform Paignton and its seafront. As an active entrepreneur he built hotels and two theatres, also creating the first bathing machine business and omnibus company so that he could provide a regular public service for passengers to get to and from Torquay. In essence Mr Dendy changed the lifestyles of local people and in time his services would transform the ever-growing interests of tourists in Torbay. He built the Gerston Hotel followed by an Esplanade Hotel (today - the Inn the Green) before building the Adelphi and Terra Nova properties, later known as the recently demolished 22 | June/July 2021
Park Hotel. It was from his Esplanade Hotel that he operated his bathing machine hire business through a ‘Bathing Machine Company’. Behind the hotel he created a cycle track, before setting up a local newspaper business, which in time published many travel guides. Then finally in 1877-8 his thoughts turned towards what was to be his most ambitious project - to provide a pier for Paigntonians. Arthur Hyde Dendy was born in London and qualified as a lawyer in Birmingham where he became very rich. On retiring from Birmingham he brought his family to Paignton where now, as an active investor, he started to establish numerous companies for his many and varied businesses. His first venture came in 1870 when building the Gerston Hotel. It capitalised on the railway, which had just arrived in the town courtesy of Isambard K Brunel. With the main station opposite the Gerston Hotel on
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