Figure 1.-- Image courtesy of the MD collection.

We have little information about the 17th century. We note that in the 17th century that there were the voyages of discovery. This brought the Europeans in contact with peoples in tropicl areaswho had a very different attitude toward beaches. Sea bathing for the wealthy became popular in the 18th century. Few Europeans knew how to swim in the 18th century. The first European bathing academy was apparently opened in France during 1755. The Europeanns who learned to swim generally learned a breast stroke, it was not until the turn of the 20th century that modrn siming stylkes like the Australian crawl appeared. European interest in beaches was especially pronounced in England, but it was a very different concept. The English began to think of the beach as a healthy experience. It was not so much the sun which in England often did not cooperate, but the English began to see medicinal value in seawater. Standards of decency had involved by the turn of the 19th century. Women wore incredibly voluminous wool bathing dresses that once soaked with water were incredibly heavy abd restrictive. Beach resorts began to develop. Two of the earliest in England were Brighton and Scarborough. Bathers in the early 19thcentury were assisted, there were dipper to assist the ladies and bathers to assist the men. The bathing machines that appeared in the 18th century were still an iportant feature of the 19th centuy beach. British attitudes began to change after the Napoleonic Wars (1800-15) hen the British eliete began to visit the Continent again. Visitors to Italy noticed a more recreational attitude toward beach going in Italy and this began to take hold in England by the mid-19th century. In the early 19th century, beach going was still a recreation for the wealthy. This began to change after mid-century as the industrial revolution altered the face of Britain. Most people could still not swim at the turn of the 20th century. Life lines were installed at beaches. Beah resort appeared in many European contries. In America th most famous was Coney Island which offered not only the sea, but a vast array of amusements. Some beach resorts built indoor seawater pools so bathers could avoid the dangers of the waves and surf. Only after World War I did bathing suits began to develop along modern line.

17th Century

We have little information about the 17th century. We note that in the 17th century that there were the voyages of discovery. This brought the Europeans in contact with peoples in tropicl areaswho had a very different attitude toward beaches.

18th Century

Sea bathing for the wealthy became popular in the 18th century. Few Europeans knew how to swim in the 18th century. The first European bathing academy was apparently opened in France during 1755. The Europeanns who learned to swim generally learned a breast stroke, it was not until the turn of the 20th century that modrn siming stylkes like the Australian crawl appeared. European interest in beaches was especially pronounced in England, but it was a very different concept. The English began to think of the beach as a healthy experience. It was not so much the sun which in England often did not cooperate, but the English began to see medicinal value in seawater. Beach goers wwould sip seawater and plunge into the sea which was often quite cold even in the summer. There were bathing suits at first, poople bathed naked with the genders separated. For the sake of modesty the bathing machine was invented. Her women and men could undress inside wheled changing ooms. Horses or mules would thn haul the bathing machine nto the water wear people could bath wher the water covered them. These early beach experience were only for the wealthy. It took condiderable expence to get to the beach and there was at first neither roads or resorts once you arrved

19th Century

Standards of decency had involved by the turn of the 19th century. Women wore incredibly voluminous wool bathing dresses that once soaked with water were incredibly heavy abd restrictive. Beach resorts began to develop. Two of the earliest in England were Brighton and Scarborough. Bathers in the early 19thcentury were assisted, there were dipper to assist the ladies and bathers to assist the men. The bathing machines that appeared in the 18th century were still an iportant feature of the 19th centuy beach. British attitudes began to change after the Napoleonic Wars (1800-15) hen the British eliete began to visit the Continent again. Visitors to Italy noticed a more recreational attitude toward beach going in Italy and this began to take hold in England by the mid-19th century. In the early 19th century, beach going was still a recreation for the wealthy. This began to change after mid-century as the industrial revolution altered the face of Britain. Roads improved and the railroads began to reach out to beach areas which resulted in the creation of numerous beach resorts along the English coast. Britain cities expanded with population to man the larger numbers of industrial factories. A seaside vacation had become a poosibility for the average person by the late 19th century. Rising income gave the middle class and workers the ability to persue rcreation that reviously have been the province of the wealthy. The expanding railroad network created provided inexpensive transportation to the beach for the English population. The Government with the Bank Holiday act of 1871 provided days off for leisure. The railroads made day trips to beach resorts possible. Another product of the developing industrial work place--the paid vacation. . Many of these emplyees headed for beach resorts. Seaside resorts by the late 19th century were well-established resorts. The new railroads provided the means of rapidly transporting large numbers of people, rapidly, and at low cost. Many workers would flock to the seaside for their vacations. This occurred first in England where the industrial revolution was the most advanced and beaches were closest to the industrial cities. Many beaches in the late 19h century were divided gender and class lines. The vacationers loved to have their portraits taken which provide a wonderful chronological record of fashions. Wealthy children might have outfits especially for the beach. Other children mught wear their ordinary clothing. This of course changed as Europeans becam increasingly prosperous. The sea in northern Eurpe could be quite cold, thus children were often dressed to play on the beach and not swim. Bathing costumes throught the 19th centry remained bulky and cimbersome, especially for women.

20th Century

Most people could still not swim at the turn of the 20th century. Life lines were installed at beaches. Beah resort appeared in many European contries. In America th most famous was Coney Island which offered not only the sea, but a vast array of amusements. Some beach resorts built indoor seawater pools so bathers could avoid the dangers of the waves and surf. Only after World War I did bathing suits began to develop along modern line. Anettee Kellerman in Boston complained that she could not swim in the bulky woolen bathing suits of the day. hen she appeared in a less restrictive garment she was arrested. A virtual war ensued between municipal authorities and women. Many beaches had strict regultions on the length of women's bloomers and the police might be called to measure those bloomers. Men were not entirely exempted from this debate. Masucline chest hair was considered extreemly unsightly. It was not until the mid-1930s that men began to bathe without a shirt or singet of variouss forms. Men's bathing costumes had sleeves at the beginning of the 20th century, but after World war a kind of sleeveles singlet became standard. In Europe after World War I, the wealthy now that local beach resorts were frequented by the mases headed on the Blue Train to the French Riviera. Here at reorts like Nive, Cannes, and Montecarlo they found a heady combination of beach haute cuine, and art at private beach clubs

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Created: July 21, 2003
Last updated: July 21, 2003