Figure 1.--The British may love the beach, but they seem to have taken some time to grasp the concept of beachwear. Here a British boy in a smart school uniform is sheperding his two twin sisters along the promenade. The wooden beach shovels suggsts they are headed for the beach although it may be a misty day. The photograph, prbably taken by a promenade photographer is numbered, but undated. It was probanly taken during the 1920s. Unfortunately, we do mot know which seaside resort this is. Perhaps our British readers will recognize it. Put your cursor on the image to see more of the town behind the beach and promenade.

In most seaside resort towns a paved public walk runs along the beach front. This is known as the promenade. The term originated from the French denoting a leisurely walk in public. Usually an English promenade stretches between the shore and a vehicular road. The hotels, B and Bs, restaurants and shops are on the far side. The beach and promenade provide the destinctive vista of every English seaside resort. The town buildings are on the otherside of the prmenade and the road. Some promendes face stately hotels, in some cases towering over the promenade and beaches on high bluffs. The hotels are not set square on the beaches as is often the case in America. Others face more humble accomodations. This is somewhat like what Americans would call a boardwalk but it is usually asphalt or concrete for durability and not a wooden structure over the beach. The arcades and fun food of an American boardwalk are situated on the many piers running out into the sea. Almost every English seaside resort town has a promenade. They can range in length from a few hundred yards in tiny villages to several miles in larger towns. They are nor as commercialized as an American boardwalk. But there are venders and photogrphers and perhaps special displays or sale efforts as we can see to the left here (figure 1).

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Created: 9:07 AM 10/28/2017
Last updated: 9:07 AM 10/28/2017