Features / Bristol Archives

22 historic photographs of Severn Beach

By Bristol24/7  Wednesday Feb 14, 2018

Long before you could fly from Bristol Airport to far-flung beaches by Easyjet, Bristolians holidayed much closer to home. These postcards from Bristol Archives‘ vast collection, spanning around 40 years, show what a popular destination Severn Beach was, with hotels, a bathing lake, a paddling pool, a permanent fairground, hotels, tea rooms and a grand promenade along the beachfront. Train travel made getting there for a day trip easy, and linked with ferries over to South Wales.

A cool spot in the Blue Lagoon, 1940s. 43207/9/16/2

A view along Severn Beach, early 1900s. 43207/9/16/3

A busy day at the beach, September 1 1922. 43207/9/16/8

A postcard sending greetings from Severn Beach, 1940s. 43207/9/16/12

New Passage Hotel. A handwritten note on the back of the postcard reads: ‘Built when GWR line to a ferry for South Wales and then the Severn Tunnel. Used by the navvies. Demolished for housing’, September 1 1919. 43207/9/16/1

Strolling along the Beach Path, June 27 1921. 43207/9/16/5

Families visiting Severn Beach, April 24 1931. 43207/9/16/6

Sunset over the Bristol Channel, taken by photographer E.C. Stevens of 12 Arley Hill. 1900s. 43207/9/16/9

Families and friends enjoying picnics, 1939. 43207/9/16/10

Young women posing on the steps of the bathing pool, August 16 1932. 43207/9/16/11

A view over the shops and ‘motor park’, 1940s. 43207/9/16/15

A young lad paddles at low tide, 1940s. 43207/9/16/14

Clarence Tea Gardens, 1910s. 43207/9/16/16

The packed paddling pool in the Pleasure Gardens, 1930s 43207/9/16/18

A flag flies above the tearooms complex, beside the Promenade, 1930s. 43207/9/16/19

Colourised photograph of the paddling pool, 1920s. 43207/9/16/20

Fun in the bathing lake, July 22 1936. 43207/9/16/21

Motor cars and fairground stalls at The Pleasure Ground, 1940s. 43207/9/16/22

A view over the beach, featuring gentlemen in suits and bowler hats, 1910s. 43207/9/16/23

A view from the water’s edge, early-mid 1900s. 43207/9/16/25

The inland lake at Severn Beach, early-mid 1900s. 43207/9/16/26

Top image reference: 43207/9/16/7

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