Allan Brodie – författare

The British led the way in holidaymaking. This four-volume primary resource collection brings together a diverse range of texts on the various forms of transport used by tourists, the destinations they visited, the role of entertainments and accommodation and how these affected the way that tourism evolved over two centuries.Volume 1: Travel and Destinations Texts in this volume draw on accounts by early travellers, from short factual lists to longer subjective descriptions. Documents show how eagerly new forms of transport were adopted and how they gave rise to different leisure activities and new destinations. Methods of travel covered include: early road travel by horse or wagon, river travel via sail and steamships, railways, the safety bicycle, motorized transport (charabancs, coaches, buses, cars and bicycles) and finally, air travel.

The British led the way in holidaymaking. This four-volume primary resource collection brings together a diverse range of texts on the various forms of transport used by tourists, the destinations they visited, the role of entertainments and accommodation and how these affected the way that tourism evolved over two centuries. Volume 2: Spa Tourism This volume traces the development of the spa from modest arrangements that emerged in the early modern period, to the large, thriving spa towns that existed in the nineteenth century. Documents show how spas evolved as well as the treatments they offered. Specific case studies of key spas - Bath, Tunbridge Wells and Cheltenham - are used to illustrate this process. Bath''s popularity as a tourist destination grew throughout the eighteenth century. In the eighteenth century it was one of the most popular destinations in Britain. Royal Tunbridge Wells was its greatest rival, and both towns benefited from the patronage of celebrated dandy, Beau Nash. Cheltenham''s fashionable status was ensured by a visit from George III and his court in 1788.

The British led the way in holidaymaking. This four-volume primary resource collection brings together a diverse range of texts on the various forms of transport used by tourists, the destinations they visited, the role of entertainments and accommodation and how these affected the way that tourism evolved over two centuries. Volume 3: Seaside Holidays Over the course of the seventeenth century, medical writers and practitioners came to realise the health-giving properties of the seaside environment. By the early eighteenth century, this scientific interest was spreading to wealthy people in search of a rest cure. Bathing in the sea, drinking the waters and spending time in the bracing air became a widespread activity, and by the nineteenth century this had expanded thanks to extensive advertising and publicity about its beneficial effects. Specific forms of entertainment also developed, such as piers, aquaria, winter gardens and cinemas.

The British led the way in holidaymaking. This four-volume primary resource collection brings together a diverse range of texts on the various forms of transport used by tourists, the destinations they visited, the role of entertainments and accommodation and how these affected the way that tourism evolved over two centuries. Volume 4: Seaside Resorts The final volume presents case studies of four major seaside resorts: Scarborough, Margate, Brighton and Blackpool. Scarborough evolved from a spa town to a seaside resort. Margate became a coastal resort from scratch and became one of the earliest sites of mass tourism. Brighton had sea bathers by the 1730s and its early development followed a similar path to that of Margate, but its royal connections allowed its rapid growth into a large town with high quality accommodation. When the railway arrived at Blackpool in 1846 it was a large village. Thirty years later it had two piers and a large hotel. Its steady growth was due to the stream of working class visitors from the local hinterland of major industrial towns and cities.

The British led the way in holidaymaking. This four-volume primary resource collection brings together a diverse range of texts on the various forms of transport used by tourists, the destinations they visited, the role of entertainments and accommodation and how these affected the way that tourism evolved over two centuries.Volume 1: Travel and Destinations Texts in this volume draw on accounts by early travellers, from short factual lists to longer subjective descriptions. Documents show how eagerly new forms of transport were adopted and how they gave rise to different leisure activities and new destinations. Methods of travel covered include: early road travel by horse or wagon, river travel via sail and steamships, railways, the safety bicycle, motorized transport (charabancs, coaches, buses, cars and bicycles) and finally, air travel.

The British led the way in holidaymaking. This four-volume primary resource collection brings together a diverse range of texts on the various forms of transport used by tourists, the destinations they visited, the role of entertainments and accommodation and how these affected the way that tourism evolved over two centuries. Volume 2: Spa Tourism This volume traces the development of the spa from modest arrangements that emerged in the early modern period, to the large, thriving spa towns that existed in the nineteenth century. Documents show how spas evolved as well as the treatments they offered. Specific case studies of key spas - Bath, Tunbridge Wells and Cheltenham - are used to illustrate this process. Bath''s popularity as a tourist destination grew throughout the eighteenth century. In the eighteenth century it was one of the most popular destinations in Britain. Royal Tunbridge Wells was its greatest rival, and both towns benefited from the patronage of celebrated dandy, Beau Nash. Cheltenham''s fashionable status was ensured by a visit from George III and his court in 1788.

The British led the way in holidaymaking. This four-volume primary resource collection brings together a diverse range of texts on the various forms of transport used by tourists, the destinations they visited, the role of entertainments and accommodation and how these affected the way that tourism evolved over two centuries. Volume 3: Seaside Holidays Over the course of the seventeenth century, medical writers and practitioners came to realise the health-giving properties of the seaside environment. By the early eighteenth century, this scientific interest was spreading to wealthy people in search of a rest cure. Bathing in the sea, drinking the waters and spending time in the bracing air became a widespread activity, and by the nineteenth century this had expanded thanks to extensive advertising and publicity about its beneficial effects. Specific forms of entertainment also developed, such as piers, aquaria, winter gardens and cinemas.

The British led the way in holidaymaking. This four-volume primary resource collection brings together a diverse range of texts on the various forms of transport used by tourists, the destinations they visited, the role of entertainments and accommodation and how these affected the way that tourism evolved over two centuries. Volume 4: Seaside Resorts The final volume presents case studies of four major seaside resorts: Scarborough, Margate, Brighton and Blackpool. Scarborough evolved from a spa town to a seaside resort. Margate became a coastal resort from scratch and became one of the earliest sites of mass tourism. Brighton had sea bathers by the 1730s and its early development followed a similar path to that of Margate, but its royal connections allowed its rapid growth into a large town with high quality accommodation. When the railway arrived at Blackpool in 1846 it was a large village. Thirty years later it had two piers and a large hotel. Its steady growth was due to the stream of working class visitors from the local hinterland of major industrial towns and cities.

The British led the way in holidaymaking. This four-volume primary resource collection brings together a diverse range of texts on the various forms of transport used by tourists, the destinations they visited, the role of entertainments and accommodation and how these affected the way that tourism evolved over two centuries.

The British led the way in holidaymaking. This four-volume primary resource collection brings together a diverse range of texts on the various forms of transport used by tourists, the destinations they visited, the role of entertainments and accommodation and how these affected the way that tourism evolved over two centuries.

The British led the way in holidaymaking. This four-volume primary resource collection brings together a diverse range of texts on the various forms of transport used by tourists, the destinations they visited, the role of entertainments and accommodation and how these affected the way that tourism evolved over two centuries.

The British led the way in holidaymaking. This four-volume primary resource collection brings together a diverse range of texts on the various forms of transport used by tourists, the destinations they visited, the role of entertainments and accommodation and how these affected the way that tourism evolved over two centuries.

As an island nation, Britain is quick to celebrate its maritime history and heritage, but for most of us our relationship with the sea is through the seaside resort. We share more or less fond memories of building sand castles, splashing around in the sea and eating fish and chips, sometimes with a light sprinkle of sand as an accompaniment. However, the vast majority of holidaymakers will never have seen a seaside resort from the air, unless they have gone up in the balloon in the centre of Bournemouth or indulged in a pleasure flight over a resort such as Weston-super-Mare. This collection of aerial photographs, produced by Aerofilms Ltd mostly between 1920 and 1953, tells the story of England’s seaside resorts as holiday destinations, but also as working towns, blessed with the sea as their backdrop. It also illustrates the type of entertainments available for holidaymakers and highlights how the seaside holiday at some resorts became big business with industrial-scale facilities and infrastructure.

England’s Military Heritage from the Air presents the story of the country’s rich military heritage using photographs from the Aerofilms Collection. Covering over 6,000 years, it reflects the changing threats faced by England from enemies without, and conflicts within. The book covers everything from hillforts to aircraft carriers and includes the castles, battle sites, ships and aircraft that have witnessed the changing character of warfare. Ending with how victory and sacrifice are commemorated and remembered, England’s Military Heritage from the Air is a tribute to the courage, skill and endurance of the people who have suffered yet prevailed.

Winner of the Association for Industrial Archaeology’s Publications Prize 2026Britain was the first country in the world to industrialise and alongside new means of production, came novel forms of transport, including steam trains and steamships in the 19th century and jet aircraft and hovercrafts in the middle of the 20th century. Aerofilms, flying across the country from 1919 onwards, recorded the country’s complex infrastructure of road, rail and maritime transport that was in place between the wars and the company was evolving alongside, and was part of, the new aviation industry that was being created. While flying across the country, Aerofilms’ remarkable photographers also recorded how Britain communicated with its imperial territories. The collection includes images of the country’s vast merchant fleet of liners and cargo vessels as well as the flying boats that formed an international network before jets came to dominate the sky. Aerofilms were there to record the first flight of the ill-fated airship, R101. Much of this interesting transport history that the company’s photographers witnessed has now disappeared or has been relegated to being museum exhibits. This book uses Aerofilms’ photographs to tell the story of England’s lost transport heritage, from Roman roads to supersonic Concorde.

The Isles of Scilly are renowned for their natural beauty, wild flowers and temperate climate, but there is another reason to visit these paradise islands. Since the 16th century they have been in the frontline of this country’s military defences and successive generations of fortifications have survived in Scilly, unmatched in any other location around Britain. This unrivalled survival was due to the lack of pressure to develop the islands and happily because the feared enemy rarely attacked. However, there is another threat to this precious heritage, the power of the sea. William Borlase in the mid-18th century recorded how much of the islands’ history had succumbed to rising sea level, and today increasingly turbulent weather patterns may be accelerating the process of coastal erosion.This book celebrates the unique survival of military fortifications on the islands, but it also serves to illustrate the value and vulnerability of the whole country’s coastal heritage. Like King Canute, we cannot turn back the sea, but we can celebrate these precious survivals from the colourful history of our island nation.

Blackpool is Britain’s favourite seaside resort. Each year millions of visitors come to walk on its three piers, ride donkeys, enjoy shows at the Winter Gardens, scream on the thrilling rides at the Pleasure Beach and ride the lift to the top of the Tower. Generations of holidaymakers have stayed in its hotels, lodging houses and bed and breakfasts and all have succumbed to its delectable fish and chips. Two centuries of tourism has left behind a rich heritage, but Blackpool has also inherited a legacy of social and economic problems, as well as the need for comprehensive new sea defences to protect the heart of the town. In recent years this has led to the transformation of its seafront and to regeneration programmes to try to improve the town, for its visitors and residents. This book celebrates Blackpool’s rich heritage and examines how its colourful past is playing a key part in guaranteeing that it has a bright future.

A week on a beach, a day at a spa, a hike in the hills -- tourism is taken for granted today, but over the past 500 years, it has played a significant role in the shaping of modern Britain. Holidays were once effectively limited to a handful of wealthy people, but by the 20th century a day at the seaside had become almost universal. In the process quiet villages have becoming busy spa towns, new resorts have been created around Britain’s coast and largely unspoilt areas of the countryside have had to cope with the increased mobility of the population. Some places have become wholly reliant on tourism as their primary industry, and with changes in popular tastes in recent years this has created problems for some communities. Tourism and the Changing Face of Britain traces the story of tourism in Britain from the Middle Ages to the present day. It stretches from a time when travel was by horse or coach to the modern era where cheap air travel can take holidaymakers anywhere, including far from Britain’s shores. The book shows how holidays, and the pursuit of leisure, have created destinations, sometimes whole towns and even had an impact on the countryside. This wide ranging study examines topics such as pilgrimages, spas, seaside holidays and the discovery of Britain’s past, present and future.

This book is devoted to the seafront, the space between the seaward ends of seaside piers and the first line of buildings. The seafront is a place that is familiar yet unfamiliar, predictable but exciting, natural but artificial. It is a place to live, work and play, a site for commemoration and remembrance. It is ever-changing, depending on the time of day, the state of the tides and the month of the year. And how we perceive it will be shaped by our age, our gender and our childhood memories.The Seafront describes a highly complex space that has been created, recreated and adapted over the past 300 years. It tells the story of seaside holidays and how the arrival of increasing numbers of tourists transformed natural coastline into the man-made environments of modern resorts. Themes examined range from the engineering of sea defences, to the provision of tourism infrastructure and from facilities for sea bathing to the fun factories and fun fairs of the 20th century. The many and diverse aspects of its history, geography, character, function and meaning will be explored and while this study will inevitably focus on the tangible, both natural and man-made, it will also seek to capture something of the spiritual and cultural character of the seafront, is activities, people and memories.

The British led the way in holidaymaking. This four-volume primary resource collection brings together a diverse range of texts on the various forms of transport used by tourists, the destinations they visited, the role of entertainments and accommodation and how these affected the way that tourism evolved over two centuries.

The seaside holiday and the seaside resort are two of England’s greatest exports to the world. Since the early 18th century, when some of the wealthiest people first sought improved health by bathing in saltwater, the lure of the sea has been a fundamental part of the British way of life, and millions of people still head to the coast each year. Margate has an important place in the story of seaside holidays. It vies with Scarborough, Whitby and Brighton for the title of England’s first seaside resort, and it was the first to offer sea-water baths to visitors. Margate can also claim other firsts, including the first Georgian square built at a seaside resort (Cecil Square), the first substantial seaside development outside the footprint of an historic coastal town, the site of the world’s first sea-bathing hospital, and, as a result of its location along the Thames from London, the first popular resort frequented by middle- and lower-middle-class holidaymakers. It is unlikely that Margate will ever attract the vast numbers of visitors that flocked there in the 19th and early 20th centuries. However, with growing concerns about the environmental effects of air travel and a continuing awareness of the threat of excessive exposure to the sun, the English seaside holiday may enjoy some form of revival. If Margate finds ways to renew itself while retaining its historic identity, it may once again become a vibrant destination for holidays, as well as being an attractive place for people to live and work.