A photo of Burnham-On-Sea in 1932 is featured in a new book of images that show England’s busy seaside resorts during their heyday during the 20th Century.
The aerial photos can be seen in the new book England’s Seaside Heritage from the Air, written by Historic England’s tourism history expert Allan Brodie.
Burnham’s photo shows the beach paddling pool that was built on the beach by a local couple in 1921 as a gift of thanks for the safe return of their five sons from World War One. It was removed in 2010 by the district council due to safety concerns and costly repairs.
The aerial photo also shows Burnham’s marine lake in the far distance next to the jetty. It first opened in 1931 and was used for swimming and boating. It was later removed due to heavy silting and erosion, however debris from the structure continues to re-emerge in the sand every few years.
“While writing this book, locked down and unable to visit the seaside, it was a pleasure to wander along England’s coast via the thousands of images in the collection,” he said.
“The photographs hopefully capture the joys of our coastal resorts, including some fascinating features that alas no longer survive, as well as passing moments in the story of our seaside holidays.”
The images give an insight into the history of coastal communities, and the relationship between transport and resort development.
The new book can be ordered here.Â
