One such family was namely Bowes-Lyon and one member was born Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, who eventually married the Duke of York who became King George VI. It was her grandfather, Claude Bowes- Lyon, whose name is most associated with the town.

He was born on July 21, 1824, at Redburn in Scotland and married Francis Dora Smith on September 28, 1853, at Bexley in Kent.

It wasn’t until 1862 that his association with the area commenced, when he bought Sudley Cottage – known as Sudley Villa – in Bognor and it became his seaside residence.

He ultimately enlarged the premises and gave it the nickname The Den – as a pun on his name of Lyon. He very soon became a member of the Bognor Local Board of Improvement Commissions. He also became a Sussex Justice of the Peace and chairman of the Bognor Promenade Pier Company.

This was the company, which became responsible for the building of the pier. It was his wife, the Hon Mrs Lyon, who performed the driving in of the first pile of the pier on April 23, 1864.

On completion of the pier, Claude Bowes-Lyon performed the opening of this new seaside attraction for the town on May 4, 1865.

Four months later, he inherited the title of 13th Earl of Strathmore on September 13, 1865, on the death of his brother, and took over the family seat of Glamis Castle.

As a mark of their respect, the people of Bognor provided a dinner for the new Earl of Strathmore, at the Assembly Rooms in Sudley Road.

The dinner was arranged by the gentlemen and tradesmen of the town and was attended by around 100 people. A report in the paper of 1866 recalled ‘the banquet was intended as an expression on behalf of the inhabitants of Bognor generally of the estimation in which the noble lord has been held’.

During his residence in Bognor, Claude Bowes-Lyon contributed greatly to the welfare of the town, both by his hospitality and by the interest he took in all matters which affected those connected with the town.

The feelings the townspeople had towards him echo the high esteem many people held for the late Queen Mother.

While making visits to Glamis Castle, the Earl and Countess of Strathmore did in fact reside in Bognor for a few years, as the following reports indicate, telling of their entertaining of Bognor gentry and residents. It was known there were bands playing on the lawns, and many people would be involved in playing croquet.

A report from June 18th 1868 talks of ‘A Gay Day at the Den’, when a number of local people were entertained by the band of the 3rd Hussars who were ‘quartered at Chichester’. Their guests were also encouraged to have a game of croquet. Following this, the couple were reported to have travelled north to Glamis Castle.