Bathing Machines
A drawing by Thomas Rowlandson dating to 1792 shows what appears to be some bathing machines drawn up on the beach near Rock-a-Nore, although they are more readily associated with their usage to protect the modesty of Victorian bather. The wheeled machines were guided down to the water's edge and permitted the bather, once changed in the privacy of the machine, to descend some steps into the sea. By the 1920s, they were in decline and replaced by Bathing Huts. Out of season, they were removed from the beach to the Central Cricket Ground[1].
Known Locations and Operators
Cobby's bathing machines were at the Marine Parade, Caroline Place, Hastings; Dunn's, at the comer of Carlisle Parade; Robinson and Oliver's, Eversfield Place; and French's, at Marina St. Leonards", as per the guide book 'Hastings, past and present'[2] - the Cobby's firm being established by Mrs. Cobby and her sons in 1848[3]
Images
- Images
The BL King’s Topographical Collection HASTINGS
Marine Parade and Bathing Machines 1823
Marina 1854
Etching-of-1857.
Carlisle Parade c1860
Carlisle Parade 1866 F. S. Mann
White-Rock-and-Carlisle-Parade.-1880.
George Woods circa 1890
White-Rock-Parade.-1890.
Carlisle-Parade.-1891.
Beach-Photo.-August-1896.
Robertson Terrace
Carlisle-Parade.-1903.
Old-Town-Seafront.-1904.
Beach-at-Eversfield-Place.-1904.
Eversfield-Place.-1904.
1904-8
On-the-beach-at-Grand-Parade.-1905.
Beach-at-Breeds-Place-and-Pelham-Crescent.-1905.
Harold-Place-and-the-Queens-Hotel.-1906.
Eversfield-Place.-1906
Hastings-Pier-and-bathing-machines-c1908
Bathing-Machines-at-St.-Leonards.-1907
The-beach-opposite-Queens-Hotel-1908,
The-ongoing-fascination-with-Sea-Shells.-1908.
Carlisle-Parade.-1909.
Carlisle-Parade-1916
Carlisle-Parade.-c1918.
Bathing-Machines-on-Pelham-Beach.-1918
From-the-Queens-Hotel.-1919.
Hastings Beach c1920
The-beach-at-Carlisle-Parade.-1920.
Carlisle-Parade.-1920.
The-beach-at-Warrior-Square.-1922.
West-Marina.-1924.
Carlisle-Beach.-1925.
References & Notes
- ↑ Hastings & St Leonards Observer 07 June 1879 pg. 6
- ↑ Hastings past and present with notices of the most remarkable places in the neighbourhood (Mary Matilda Howard) pg. 317-318 Google Books
- ↑ Brett Manuscript Histories Vol. 3 Chap. 40
