“I do like to be besides the seaside.” And we have done for over 100 years now.
Who has never visited a beach resort? The earliest seaside resorts, such as Brighton, were popularised by Royalty and nobility in the early 1800’s. The phenomenon of the popular beach resort dates from the end of the 19th century. Visitors frequented coastal towns like Blackpool and Scheveningen attracted by the permanent fairground amusement they offered. Beach resorts were built in the neo-baroque style with eclectic decoration so typical of the fin-de-siècle. Many examples of these are still visible today.
Fair at the South Shore in Blackpool. This is the largest and oldest seasiode fairground in the UK. Lancashire. The image dates from 1907.
Maxim’s Flying Machine and Helter Skelter Rides at Blackpool Fair, 1907. Maxim’s Flying Machine was built in 1904 by Sir Hiram Steven’s Maxim. It is the only surviving example of this ride in the world.
General view of a fair at Paignton, Devon. The photo was taken in 1910.
Entrance and general view of the Scheveningen Luna Park, owned by the brothers A. and N. Hommerson and C. Vermolen.
The Vienna Prater in 1898.
A stationary Whip at the Luna Park on Coney Island, New York.
The front of a Luna Park somewhere in the Netherlands.
Luna Park in Milan, 1940.
Programme of The Luna Park & Palace of Amusements Limited, Southend-on-Sea circa 1908-1909.
One of W. Janvier’s carousels. This one’s in The Efteling, an amusement park in Hilvarenbeek, the Netherlands.