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This new breed of holidaymaker was inevitably responsible for many changes at the seaside resorts, especially in the type of entertainment on offer. Fairground amusements appeared on the seafront and the Punch and Judy booth became a familiar sight on the beach. The piers quickly became more than just a promenade. Visitors could now stroll down the pier to the sound of the band playing, visit the palmist or the amusement arcades or see a show at the theatre on the end of the pier. A new trade had sprung up: the sale of cheap knick-knacks which visitors could take home as souvenirs or as presents for family and friends. Mugs and jugs bearing the message ‘A Present from Brighton’ became particularly popular, along with such things as pincushions, letter racks, and condiment sets. Another new trade which blossomed at this time was the design and printing of postcards. Views of the pier, promenade, bandstand, beach and local scenery were all popular and, as the 20th century progressed, the ‘saucy postcard’ joined them on the card stand.

You are part of a great tradition
So it would seem that we would never have enjoyed those wonderful childhood holidays in the 1950s if our Georgian ancestors had not discovered the great benefits to be had from sea air and sea bathing, and if our Victorian ancestors had not made the seaside accessible to all and introduced new brands of fun and excitement. The ‘seaside’ has not been always with us – it was in fact a wonderful discovery, which took place over many years! Now go out and enjoy yourself.
The End

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Bibliography
Cyril Bainbridge, Pavilions on the Sea (Robert Hale 1986)
Alain Corbin, The Lure of the Sea (Penguin Books 1995)
John K Walton, The English Seaside Resort: A Social History 1750-1914 (Leicester University Press 1983)
John Whyman, The Early Kentish Seaside (Alan Sutton 1985)

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