Figure 1.--Here we see a seaside activity. This group is seated beyond the seawall on a beach at Cleveleys in Lancaster in 1907. I am not sure what they are watching. The childre are dressed in a wide variety of outfits. Clearly it was not a very warm day. Notice one of the girls is wearing a peaked school cap. Click on the image to see the rest of the group. This photograph was taken in 1907.

The sea and beaches was the initial attractions. Today we think of the beach as recreation. This was turue in England as well, but doctors for many years also for many years described health benefits. At poular beaches, a variety of entertaiments and amusements appeared. The beaches themselves were very popular attractions. The adults and older children could swim. The younger children could paddle. Of course the children loved to play in the sand. Many period photographs show the children playing in the sand. Commonly they are wearing suits ad dresses rather than bathing suits. Lokk how the children and adults are all dessed up here in Cleveleys, a Lancaster beach resort in 1907 (figure 1). Cleveleys is still a popular beach resort. but much less known than nearby Blackpool. I am not sure what this group sitting on the beach is doing. Activities like Punch and Judy shows were very ppopular in both beach resorts and city parks. We see some assemblages of people on the beaches and are often not sure just what they were doing. The major beach resorts built piers that went out into the sea and offered a wide range of entertaiment, rather like minature amusement parks.

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Created: 9:58 PM 7/15/2005
Last updated: 4:57 PM 7/16/2005