The great British seaside of a bygone era

[jw5]

Weston-super-Mare -

Weston-super-Mare serves as a convenient standby for anybody out of nearby Bristol wishing to barefoot a carpet of sand. Funnily enough, Weston provided a home for the great Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel while he was supervising the construction of the Bristol and Exeter Railway in the area. In 1949 if the sea was a tad chilly, people could use the neighboring swimming pool.

 

[jw5]

Southport -

Rarely performed these days, the Punch and Judy show is a traditional puppet show featuring Mr. Punch and his wife Judy. Held on beaches around Great Britain in front of a mainly young audience, this particular show was photographed in Southport in July 1950.

 

[jw5]

Worthing -

The great British summer is often a damp and windy affair. In fact, it can get jolly cold. Which is probably why this family have the whole beach to themselves during a 1954 visit to Worthing in West Sussex.

 

[jw5]

Great Yarmouth -

Great Yarmouth in Norfolk has enjoyed a reputation as a resort destination since the mid-18th century—long before the advent of the motorcar and certainly before the invention of this miniature bus, pictured in 1955 traveling along the seafront.

 

[jw5]

Barry Island -

In this amusing 1936 snapshot, a hapless beachgoer snoozing in his deckchair is unaware of the incoming tide at Barry Island, near Cardiff in Wales.

 

[jw5]

Llandudno -

Llandudno is the largest seaside resort in Wales. The town has been attracting holidaymakers since 1861. Pictured in 1937 is an acrobatic display taking place on the beach.

 

[jw5]

Scarborough -

This young boy has clearly lost his head while clowning around on Scarborough Beach in August 1958.

 

[zhihau]

God save the King!

 

[jw5]

Margate -

Margate on the north coast of Kent is within easy day-trip distance from London, as this 1933 photograph of its overcrowded beach clearly testifies.

 

[jw5]

Blackpool -

In 1879, the annual lights festival known as the Blackpool Illuminations was inaugurated. Blackpool Tower, seen here illuminated in 1949, was lit by 300,000 electric light bulbs, and attracted two million visitors during the first post-war illuminations.

 

[jw5]

Southsea -

Southsea on the southern tip of Portsmouth, began as a fashionable 19th-century Victorian seaside resort. For many years HMY Britannia used Portsmouth as a departure point for numerous voyages. In 1953, Queen Elizabeth II reviewed the Coronation Fleet in The Solent. The event drew thousands to Southsea Beach, where deckchairs were at a premium.

 

[jw5]

Newquay -

Smiling and laughing crowds hold out a large blanket to catch an entertainer jumping in the air during fun and games at Newquay in 1955.

 

[jw5]

Llandudno -

While less popular now, donkey rides were once a traditional feature of seaside Britain, beginning during the Victorian era. This youngster at Llandudno, photographed in July 1958, seems unsure of what ride to choose...

 

[jw5]

Margate -

Having holiday fun in the sun at Minnis Bay near Margate in 1960 are these two teenagers. The beachwear is typical of the period.

 

[jw5]

Blackpool -

An August weekend scene taken from Blackpool Tower in 1966 captures thousands of beachgoers converging on the town's golden sands.