There was a bit of a hoo-ha over bathing and, particularly, women's bathing costumes in the 1930s. In May 1930 the Daily Herald did a series of reviews of bathing experiences on various beaches across the country. This one from 17/5 is about Bournemouth. #histsex #history #summer

While Bournemouth's beach(es?) had rules about bathing suit lengths, they were not enforced. What seemed to have been enforced was a rule that bathers could not walk to the beach in a mackintosh with just a bathing suit underneath. This seems to have led to some creative ways...

...to find space to change: bathers have been told not to use their cars as bathing machines (or to change in them). Overall the town is called "The Dream City of the South" and a 'Mecca' for its amenities as a holiday destination...

Bathing machines - those big cart-things you've seen images of Queen Victoria using - were still in use in Britain in the 1930s. Bathing tents, however, seemed to be overtaking them at this stage....

Here is footage of a bathing machine in use in 1930s Morecambe form Huntley Film Archives