Bathing Machine Collection

Bathing Machines, Worthing
Bathing machines, beach and pier, Worthing. View looking east across the shingle beach towards the pier, c1893. Walter Gardiner Photography Collection PP/WSL/WGP001184

Marine Drive at Bognor. aka East Parade
Legend " East Parade, Bognor" Photographer Valentine. Photographic Collection, West Sussex Record Office, Ref. PH 4091

Sidmouth, West of Esplanade, 1860 / 94. Creator: Francis Bedford
Sidmouth, West of Esplanade, 1860/94. Albumen print

Group of swimmers on Bognor beach, August 1920
Photographic Collection West Sussex Record Office, Ref No: PH 25961/1

Bathing At Southsea
1900: Holidaymakers enjoy mixed bathing at Southsea, in the sea with a line of bathing machines along the shore. (Photo by William Davis/General Photographic Agency/Getty Images)

Beach bathing machines, 1913
Beach bathing machines with bathers. These huts on wheels were developed in the Victorian era to allow bathers to change and be wheeled down to the sea for private and secluded bathing

Illustration depicting 19th century, woman in a bathing costume leaving a bathing machine or hut. 1879
5311097 Illustration depicting 19th century, woman in a bathing costume leaving a bathing machine or hut. 1879; (add.info.: Date: 1879); Universal History Archive/UIG

Eight Hours at the Sea-Side - drawn by John Leech, 1856. Creator: Unknown
Eight Hours at the Sea-Side - drawn by John Leech, 1856. Whit-Monday Bank Holiday on Brighton Beach. Great credit is due to the managers of the South Coast Railway for their determination to supply

Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938

Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938

Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938

Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938

Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938

Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938

Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938

Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938

Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938

Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938

Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938

Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938. Creator: Arnold Genthe
Travel views of Europe, between 1904 and 1938

Coup de vent devant Frascati, Le Havre, 1896. Creator: Eugene Louis Boudin
Coup de vent devant Frascati, Le Havre, 1896. Le Havre: A Gust of Wind at Frascati. Bathing machines

Tynemouth, Northumberland - the Harbour, from the Priory, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Tynemouth, Northumberland - the Harbour, from the Priory, 1850. View...from the Priory walls, [showing] the harbour, with [John Graham] Lough's colossal statue of Lord Collingwood in

Ostend, 1850. Creator: Unknown
Ostend, 1850. Ostend at the best is not remarkably lively; those tall massive houses with peaked gables, narrow windows diminishing in lugubrious perspective, for all their gaudy whitewash

A Trip to Brighton a Hundred Years Ago; Brighthelmstone--The Bathing Place with Smoakers Machines Creator: Unknown
A Trip to Brighton a Hundred Years Ago; Brighthelmstone--The Bathing Place with Smoakers Machines, c1788, 1888. From, The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper Volume 38. July to December, 1888

Beach Scene (oil on panel)
UCL281353 Beach Scene (oil on panel) by Russell, Walter Westley (1867-1949); 24.9x35.5 cm; UCL Art Museum, University College London, UK; © UCL Art Museum, University College London

Pensarn Beach, 1860 / 94. Creator: Francis Bedford
Pensarn Beach, 1860/94. Albumen print

Woolacombe Sands, 1860 / 94. Creator: Francis Bedford
Woolacombe Sands, 1860/94. Albumen print

Children in a Bathing Machine (chromolitho)
735498 Children in a Bathing Machine (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Children in a Bathing Machine)

Langland Bay, 1897 (crayon)
JKL66619 Langland Bay, 1897 (crayon) by Sisley, Alfred (1839-99); 15.5x24 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Inscribed: To Mr Jenkins in remembrance of Langland Bay, cordially A)

Man strolling along the seafront in his pyjamas in the morning (chromolitho)
5996042 Man strolling along the seafront in his pyjamas in the morning (chromolitho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Aldeburgh Bathing Machines, 1938 (pencil & w / c on paper)
5614227 Aldeburgh Bathing Machines, 1938 (pencil & w/c on paper) by Ravilious, Eric (1903-42); 45 x 53.3 cm; Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; English, out of copyright

Unwarranted intrusion (colour litho)
813550 Unwarranted intrusion (colour litho) by Carter, Sydney (1874-1945); Private Collection; (add.info.: Unwarranted intrusion.); Look and Learn / Elgar Collection

Punch cartoon: Delicate Attention (engraving)
6034867 Punch cartoon: Delicate Attention (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Punch cartoon: Delicate Attention)

Valuable Hint (coloured engraving)
3638361 Valuable Hint (coloured engraving) by Leech, John (1817-64) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Valuable Hint.); Look and Learn / Elgar Collection

Left in Charge - A Black Pomerain on the Steps of a Bathing Machine, (oil on canvas)
658494 Left in Charge - A Black Pomerain on the Steps of a Bathing Machine, (oil on canvas) by Stretton, Philip Eustace (1865-1919); 76.2x63.5 cm; Private Collection; (add.info)

Babbacombe Beach, Devon, 1890s (photo)
877686 Babbacombe Beach, Devon, 1890s (photo) by English Photographer, (19th century); 15x19 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: popular Victorian seaside resort; near Torquay); English

Punchs advice to the British seaside holidaymakers
3735773 Punchs advice to the British seaside holidaymakers by Tenniel, John (1820-1914); (add.info.: Punchs advice to the British seaside holidaymakers)

Low Tide (recto of 1929. 6. 79B), ca. 1925-1929. Creator: John Noble
Low Tide (recto of 1929.6.79B), ca. 1925-1929

Bathing Time at Deauville, 1865. Creator: Eugene Louis Boudin
Bathing Time at Deauville, 1865

Beach Scene, 1862. Creator: Eugene Louis Boudin
Beach Scene, 1862

The Bathe at Newport (Harpers Weekly, Vol. II), September 4, 1858. Creator: Unknown
The Bathe at Newport (Harpers Weekly, Vol. II), September 4, 1858

London at the Sea Side, 1830-64. Creator: John Leech
London at the Sea Side, 1830-64

Sea Bathing, from Poetical Sketches of Scarborough, 1813. 1813
Sea Bathing, from " Poetical Sketches of Scarborough", 1813

Widow Ducker & Her Nymphs, from Poetical Sketches of Scarborough, 1813
Widow Ducker & Her Nymphs, from " Poetical Sketches of Scarborough", 1813

On the Beach, Sunset, 1865. Creator: Eugene Louis Boudin
On the Beach, Sunset, 1865

On the Beach at Trouville, 1863. Creator: Eugene Louis Boudin
On the Beach at Trouville, 1863

Beach Showing Pier & Metropole, Brighton, late 19th-early 20th century. Creator: Unknown
Beach Showing Pier & Metropole, Brighton, late 19th-early 20th century. Holidaymakers at the seaside resort of Brighton in Sussex

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"Bathing Machines: A Glimpse into the Past" Step back in time to Worthing, where the iconic Bathing Machines first emerged. These unique contraptions provided a discreet way for Victorian beachgoers to enjoy a dip in the sea. Marine Drive at Bognor, also known as East Parade, witnessed countless memories of laughter and joy as families flocked to its shores. In August 1920, a group of swimmers gathered on Bognor beach, their excitement palpable as they prepared for an invigorating plunge into the refreshing waters. The scene was reminiscent of earlier times when Beach bathing machines dotted Southsea's coastline, offering privacy and convenience to those seeking seaside relaxation. Transport yourself further back in history with "A Trip to Brighton a Hundred Years Ago. " Brighthelmstone's famous bathing place boasted Smoakers Machines - peculiar structures that allowed bathers to change without being seen by prying eyes. This captivating artwork captures the essence of an era long gone. Beach scenes painted with meticulous detail reveal glimpses into idyllic coastal destinations such as Pensarn Beach and Woolacombe Sands. Francis Bedford's masterful brushstrokes transport us straight into these serene landscapes from 1860/94. Sidmouth's West Esplanade beckons visitors with its timeless charm captured through Bedford's lens. Children giggling inside a chromolitho depiction of a Bathing Machine remind us that even little ones enjoyed this unique experience by the sea. Their innocent delight is mirrored in Langland Bay's 1897 crayon illustration, showcasing how generations have cherished this age-old tradition. As we reflect on these historical snapshots, let us appreciate how far we've come while cherishing our connection to the past. The Bathing Machine remains an enduring symbol of leisurely seaside escapes—a testament to humanity's eternal love affair with sand between our toes and saltwater kisses upon our skin.