“The Great British Love Affair with the Seaside” was a perfect description of Lesley Newnham’s presentation at our first Saturday lecture of 2024. She began by going back to the times when many people couldn’t afford even a few days at the seaside. It was Richard Russell, an 18th century British physician, who encouraged his patients to use a form of water therapy that involved bathing in, and drinking, seawater. After a period of mental instability George III’s doctor advised the same and recommended his hometown, Weymouth, as a place for the king to convalesce.
Ít was the mid-19th century when seaside resorts first began to develop. Bank holidays were introduced in 1871, and then came the railways – connecting many towns to the coast. Southend Pier, now over a mile long, but originally too short to be usable at low tide, was extended several times and is now the longest pier in the world.
The Grand Hotel, Scarborough, was one of the first hotels to be built specially for people “taking the waters”. It was designed around the theme of time: four towers to represent the seasons, twelve floors for the months of the year, and originally there were 365 bedrooms (days of the year).
Lesley then showed pictures and amusing postcards with scenes many of us were more familiar with: donkeys, deck chairs, rock, Punch and Judy, etc. And finally, two photos of Bournemouth immediately after lock-down. Not quite so amusing? First, the very overcrowded beach. Second, the beach, deserted, except for some of the 40 tons of litter which were left there that day.
Thank You to Sylvia Foxton for all her contributions to our Newsletter, it is mụch appreciated.