Seaside

Seaside Holidays In The Past

SEASIDE

Richmond, Darlington, Catterick, Catterick Garrison, Bedale, Leyburn, Hawes, Northallerton, Thirsk, Ripon, Harrogate, Knaresborough, York, Wetherby, Tadcaster, Malton, Bridlington, Scarborough, Whitby, Saltburn, Redcar, Middlesbrough, Stokesley, Marske, Stockton, Billingham, Hartlepool, Sedgefield, Newton Aycliffe, Shildon, Bishop Auckland, Spennymoor, Skipton, Ilkley, Keighley, Hornsea, Pickering, Otley, Beverley, North Yorkshire, County Durham, Cleveland, Teesside, Tees Valley, Swaledale, Wensleydale, Teesdale, Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Moors, Driffield, Consett, Chester Le Street, Washington, Gateshead, Sunderland, South Shields, Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Gosforth, Tynemouth, Hexham, Morpeth, Ashington, Easington, Peterlee, Seaham, Sunderland, Blyth, Tyneside, Wearside, Wear Dale, Tyne Dale, Penrith, Carlisle, Northumberland, Alnwick, Berwick, Edinburgh, Galashiels, Hawick, Jedburgh, Kelso, Coldstream, Berwick Upon tweed, Scotland, Glasgow, Greenock, Kilmarnock, Dumfries, Workington, Whitehaven, Cumbria, Barrow, Barrow in Furness, Ulverston, Windermere, Kendal, Keswick, Morecambe, Lancaster, Settle, Clitheroe, Lake District, Isle of Man, Douglas, Blackpool, Preston, Southport, Liverpool, Wallasey, Birkenhead, Ellesmere Port, Chester, Wrexham, Nantwich, Northwich, Runcorn, Warrington, St Helens, Wigan, Manchester, Bolton, Rochdale, Oldham, Blackburn, Burnley, St Helens, Warrington, Macclesfield, Lancashire, Cheshire, West Yorkshire, West Yorks, Buxton, Bakewell, Matlock, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, High Peak, Sheffield, Huddersfield, Barnsley, Dewsbury, Halifax, Bradford, Leeds, York, Yorkshire, North Yorks, Rotherham, Doncaster, Worksop, Mansfield, Lincoln, Gainsborough, Scunthorpe, Cleethorpes, Hull, Withernsea, Goole, Knottingley, Castleford, Selby, Linclnshire, Humberside, Normanton, Garforth, Birmingham, London, Wales, Northern Ireland, Eire, Southern Ireland, Ireland

Areas covered

The seaside has always been a special place for me as I grew up in a seaside town and have many happy childhood memories of playing on the beach and walking along the prom, going to the amusements , exploring the sand banks and rock pools. Nearly all of my holidays as a little boy were at the English Seaside. We couldn’t afford to go abroad.

I took history A level at school and I have always been fascinated by the past.

Learn about Bathing Machines, Steam Boats, Piers, Pleasure Palaces, Pierrots, Steam Trains, Railways and much much more... Examine shells and pebbles, old posters, postcards and seaside souvenirs and carry out group activities relating to them.

A fun packed, factual exploration of the seaside for KS1 or KS2 children

E mail address : enquiries@workshops-for-schools.co.uk

For more information or to book, please contact us

Tel 01748 821621 or mob 07984 495089

Sea trips are still popular with visitors to seaside resorts

This boy paddles in the sea at the end of the summer holidays but the beaches in England are much quieter now

Victorian Punch and Judy Show at the seaside

Punch and Judy still draws the crowds although there are less shows about now

The history of the seaside is a fascinating one. In tracing the development of the English Seaside Holiday we can observe the changes taking place in society as with time people became more affluent, more mobile and had more leisure time. It is hard to imagine today just how busy the seaside resorts became as people flocked to them in their thousands. There was tremendous rivalry between neighbouring seaside towns as they competed to attract visitors and holiday makers. A trip to the seaside was indeed an exciting adventure as there was so much to do. The popular holiday destinations were colourful, bustling places crammed with entertainment and amusements of all kinds and that’s without the untold joys of the seashore with its sandy beaches, rock pools, bathing, donkey rides and Punch and Judy. For generations of people, young and old a seaside holiday was an escape from what for most of them was a dreary and a hard life. The seaside was indeed an exciting place and forged so many happy memories for everyone who went there.

Click the picture to see a short film clip of the show

The Punch and Judy Show

For generations of children no visit to the seaside would have been complete without seeing at least one Punch and Judy Show and some came back day after day. In an age before television Mr Punch was hugely popular. He remains the most famous puppet character ever invented and in the heydays of English Seaside Holidays he was loved by young and old alike. Our Seaside Workshop includes a full Punch and Judy Show performed in traditional style just as it would have been when at the height of its popularity.

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside,

I do like to be beside the sea,

I do like to stroll along the prom, prom, prom,

Where the brass bands play Tiddley-om-pom-pom!

So just let me be beside the seaside,

I'll be beside myself with glee; And there's lots of girls beside,

I should like to be beside, Beside the seaside, beside the sea.

Song - Beside The Seaside

When the public started to go to the seaside there was a bid demand for entertainment and so Punch and Judy became established in all of the main resorts

Donkey rides were popular in Victorian times and remain so even today although there are less donkeys operating now. In northern towns animals from the pits were used.

Paddling has always been an enjoyable pass time when visiting he seaside. Once the beaches were packed with holiday makers. Now the beaches are often deserted

Fisherman found a lucrative trade taking parties of townsfolk out on sea trips. Many visitors had never seen the sea before and so a boat ride was very exciting. Sea trips are still popular these days too.

At first anything could be sold on the beach and sometimes the seashore was packed with stalls and traders of every description. Soon the authorities stopped the free for all and proper shops were set up.

Early visitors to the seaside did not swim, instead they went for a dip in a bathing machine. Eventually these were replaced by tents and bathing huts and now we get changed under a towel.

Before trains, the fastest way to get to a seaside dstination was by steam boat

Before the railways arrived many families went to the sea side by boat. London had a fleet of steamers carrying holiday makers to the coast.

The Railways brought passenger trains packed with holiday makers to the coast. There were many special excursion trains every day.

The railways carried the masses from the industrial heartland to the holiday destinations at the coast.

A few comments from teachers

“ Thank you for a wonderful day. All the children and adults enjoyed learning about the seaside, especially the Punch and Judy Show “ Ladywood Primary School, Derbyshire

“ A fabulous Show ! The teachers enjoyed it as much as the children did ! Great end to our Seaside's In The Past topic. Thank you very much ! “

“ An excellent reinforcement of our seaside holidays topic. The children thoroughly enjoyed it ! What a fun afternoon ! “ St Aidan’s C of E Primary School

“ The children really enjoyed Punch and Judy and gained a lot of knowledge “ St Joseph’s RC Primary School

In this workshop I have tried to include some lesser know facts about the seaside and seaside holidays. I always try to make the presentation lively, energetic and fun. Inevitably the highlight is always the Punch and Judy Show but I like to think that the show is the icing on the cake !

Best wishes

Ron Wood