Figure 1.--This English CDV-size card shows two English children. The writing is unclear, but looks something like Lucy G. Riggall and Will W. Chaucpues. We are guessing they are cousins or neighbors. The photograoh was taken June 1881. They were photographed with their beach-going tin pail amd wooden shovels for digging in the sand. Notice the headwear and outfits--hardly what Americans would sea as neachwear. But of course, British beaches have much colder water than American beaches, even the southrn Channel beaches. The girl wears a coat with as best we can make out a dress, pantalettes and long stockings. The boy wears a high collar sweaterlike jersey and long knee pants.

The Prince Regent (future George IV) Brighton royal patronage from the future George IV created a hedonistic pleasure palace at Brighton, called the Brighton Pavillion (early-19th century). He essentially provided royal patronage to sea bathing resorts. And the seaside resort became a fastest-growing type of English town during the early-19th century. Brighton was one of the fastest growing towns in England. But these resports were limited to the well to do. Then two major developments occurred at mid-century. The Industrial Revolution began the creation of unprecedent wealth and the expansion of cities with a growing industrial proleterit and middle clss, both with higher incomes than was the case of agricultural workers. The increased wealth provided the rising middle-class and eventually the workers the income allowing modest seaside vacations to much of the population. And as part of the Industrial Revolution, the railroads began to spread across Britain providing an in expensive way for even workers to get to the seaside. And soon inexpensive accomodations and attractions appeared to accomodate them. For the children, swiming was not the main activity, especially the younger children. They like paddling in the shallows or playing in thesand. They had wooden spades to dig for clams. Donkeyb rides and Punch and Judy shows became standard. Attraction-packed piers jutting out into the sea became commonplace all along the country's coasts. Blackpool became the world's first working-class seaside resort (late-19th century).

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Created: 7:27 AM 10/3/2019
Last updated: 7:27 AM 10/3/2019