▁his ▁father ▁Joseph ▁in ▁the ▁firm ▁of ▁Joseph ▁Por ritt ▁and ▁S ons ▁he ▁built ▁Sun ny bank ▁Mill ▁in ▁Hel m sh ore ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁and ▁bought ▁High er ▁Mill ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁town ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁present ▁at ▁the ▁lay ing ▁of ▁the ▁foundation ▁stone ▁of ▁St ▁Anne ' s ▁and ▁soon ▁after ▁joined ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁the ▁Land ▁and ▁Building ▁Company , ▁being ▁the ▁chairman ▁from ▁ 1 8 8 1 ▁- 1 8 9 6 . ▁The ▁success ▁of ▁the ▁scheme ▁to ▁develop ▁St ▁Anne ' s ▁on ▁the ▁Sea ▁wasn ' t ▁guaranteed . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 8 9 0 s ▁it ▁was ▁struggling ▁finan cially ▁and ▁various ▁factors ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁pier ▁and , ▁most ▁significantly , ▁the ▁continued ▁invest ment ▁of ▁William ▁Por ritt ▁ens ured ▁its ▁success . ▁He ▁is ▁particularly ▁well ▁known ▁for ▁the ▁' P or ritt ▁H ouses ' ▁that ▁were ▁built ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁pier . ▁It ' s ▁thought ▁that ▁he ▁built ▁property ▁to ▁the ▁value ▁of ▁£ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁St ▁Anne ' s ▁– ▁by ▁today ' s ▁standards ▁he ▁inv ested ▁millions ▁of ▁pounds ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁ ▁As ▁well ▁as ▁these ▁prime - mo vers ▁who ▁wanted ▁to ▁invest ▁in ▁and ▁over see ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁St ▁Anne ' s ▁on ▁the ▁Sea ▁other ▁Ross end ali ans ▁came