Edwardian Beach Style: Amazing Vintage Photographs Capture Beach Fashion at Brighton and Folkestone in 1906

Edward Linley Sambourne (1844 – 1910) was one of the founding members of The Camera Club, although he was best known for his work as a cartoonist for Punch magazine.

There was a heat wave in 1906 throughout the whole of the British Isles, quite late in the year at the end of August and the early days of September. Edward Linley Sambourne went to the coast as thousands of others did, and with him as usual went his camera.

These pictures were taken at Brighton and Folkestone during the heat wave. Earlier in the year in July Sambourne had been in Weymouth where he captures the busy atmosphere of the crowded beach.

In temperatures of 90 degrees the wind blowing off the sea must have been refreshing even though it also presented a challenge to these three women who are literally hanging on to their hats.

Despite the heat holiday makers were wearing their normal clothes with few concessions to the weather.

Even on the beach, where Sambourne is still catching women unawares.

Has he woken this woman from her nap while her friend sleeps on?

A young woman adjusts her hair on the beach.

A woman enters a bathing machine after a swim.

The beach at Weymouth.

Crossing the channel on a ferry. This woman having difficulty with a sea breeze.

A young woman goes barefoot to walk up the paved slope from the beach.

A group of women go bathing making use of that curious Victorian invention the bathing machine.

A stylish young woman goes for a stroll.

A couple on board the channel ferry.

The same pair seen again.

The woman of the couple on the ferry, wearing a masculine-looking coat and hat.

The same woman, possibly suffering from seasickness.

(via The Library Time Machine)