Sepia Saturday 160 - vintage postcards of piers

Thanks for the suggestion of piers as an option for this week's Sepia Saturday. I would have been struggling to stay on theme otherwise. Unsurprisingly piers do feature quite frequently on vintage postcards, or any postcards for that matter, so I had quite a few to choose from. These are some of my favourites and they vary from the very basic Eastham pier, to the grand piers of Brighton and Blackpool, and a few that fit in between.

Vintage postcard of Eastham Pier, Lancashire

Vintage postcard of North Pier, Blackpool, Lancashire, c.1938

Vintage postcard of Palace Pier, Brighton, Sussex

Vintage postcard of the pier, Skegness, Lincolnshire

Vintage postcard of Clarence Pier and Esplanade, Southsea, Hampshire

Vintage postcard of the Central Pier, Morecombe, Lancashire, c.1905

Many more vintage postcards can be found in my online shop

    

Sepia Saturday 94 - vintage postcards of Essex

Despite searching through both my vintage postcards and my vintage magazines, I was at a loss to find anything relating to any of the obvious prompts in this week's Sepia Saturday. I have nothing on Australia, Queensland, polo, horses or toys. But then I noticed Jean Harlow. I don't actually have anything relating to Jean Harlow either, but there's a place called Harlow in Essex, and I do have lots of vintage postcards of Essex. So, in convoluted and roundabout way I am theming this week, albeit a bit tenuously.

Essex is one of those places where I can't remember ever going. Ok, so I've probably been to the parts of it which border on to East London, such as Epping Forest, but I'm pretty sure I've never made it as far as the coast. When I used to travel abroad a lot with work, I would always enjoy gazing out of the aircraft window as we descended towards London along the outer reaches of the Thames Estuary, with Essex to the north and Kent to the south, mentally adding both coasts to my list of places to visit.

Clacton-on-Sea, pier approach and bridge, c.1916

Southend-on-Sea, beach and pleasure yachts, c.1926

Westcliff-on-Sea, on the cliffs

As usual 100's more vintage postcards on my web site, including a recently added Essex page. I still have a backlog of approx 200 to process but hopefully they'll get added over the next few weeks, although given the fantastic weather we're enjoying in the UK this week, I can't see me spending much time in front of the scanner or computer this weekend.

    

Margate Sands in Summer

Although not mandatrory to keep on theme for this week's Postcard Friendship Friday, I couldn't resist sharing my only vintage postcard with the word 'Summer' in the caption. The postcard is of Margate in Kent, and the caption simply reads, 'Margate Sands in Summer'. The postcard  is unused so I have no idea about date - I would guess late 1940's or early 1950's, judgiung by the formal atire - they could have almost come straight from church. But what a crowded beach! Not sure I would have liked to have to been squeezed in there. Although I suspect back in those days there was no trouble and everyone was polite and courteous to each other. No loud radios playing and no annoying mobile phone ringtones. My favourite part of the postcard is the man walking, head down, away from the scene ... I wonder what his story is? I suspect he's had enough and is going to try and find somewhere quieter to go.

Margate Sands in Summer

    

More vintage postcards on my web site

Sepia Saturday 79: Stormy Seas

To keep on theme this week with Alan's Sepia Saturday posting, I am sharing a couple of vintage postcards of rough seas, although I hope Alan's Atlantic crossing is much smoother than that. The pictures are almost identical, but not quite - perhaps I should start a "spot the difference" competition. Some of the differences are obvious, for example the seagulls towards the top right-hand corner. I am however assuming they are the same picture, but with a degree of Victorian 'airbrushing' applied. There's probably a technical term for this which I'm sure someone out there will know.

On the beach, Blackpool, published by Raphael Tuck, by the artist G.E.Newton, c.1903

On the beach, Blackpool, published by Raphael Tuck

    

Lots more Raphael Tuck vintage postcards on my web site

Vintage postcards - Victorian/Edwardian ladies in bathing costumes

Today's blog entry features 2 artist drawn, vintage postcards of ladies in bathing costumes. The first is a magnificent postcard with vibrant colour in both foreground and an incredible silvery background. The second card is more subtley shaded, but beautifully drawn nevertheless. I suspect the style of each of these cards has a specific name, so if anyone knows please share the knowledge. 

Published by Stewart and Woolf, series number 432

Published by G.A. and Co., series number 915

As always, 100's more vintage postcards and vintage magazines on my web site

Related books at amazon.co.uk...
    

Related books at amazon.com ...
    

Theme Thursday - Sand

For a change I had quite a lot of choice for a Theme Thursday theme. My challenge this week however was deciding which one(s) to include. I finally settled on these 2 vintage postcards of sandy beaches in Suffolk. I've only been to Southwold once but such a lovely place it definitely needs another visit - particularly the Adnam's brewery. I don't think I've been to Lowestoft, so yet another place to add to the list.

Lowestoft Beach, Suffolk, c.1906

Southwold Beach, Suffolk, published by Raphael Tuck

As always, 100's more vintage postcards on my web site

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside

Today's vintage postcard blog update contains some of my favourite vintage postcards from the UK's seaside resorts. This decision was partly inspired by all the lovely comments I received on previous, similar blog updates, and also as an attempt to change the British weather where after a gorgeous April, May has brought us some fairly cold and uninspiring weather.

Southwold Beach, Suffolk, published by Raphael Tuck

Worthing Sea Front and Pier Looking West, Sussex, published by Wardell

Pier and Grand Hotel, Llandudno, Wales, published by Valentine

The Sands, Pier and Promenade, Blackpool, Lancashire, published by B.B.

Esplanade and Beach, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, published by Valentine

As usual these and hundreds of other vintage postcards can be found on my vintage postcards web site