BEACHES have always been at the centre of Sussex’s history.
After all, the rising popularity of bathing in the sea in the 18th century is what put Brighton on its road from dingy fishing village to royal hangout.
And as these pictures from The Keep archive in Falmer show, Brightonians throughout the ages have always been partial to a brisk dip whatever the weather.
That trend began in the 1750s when Lewes doctor Richard Russell wrote A Dissertation On The Use Of Sea Water In The Affections Of The Glands.
Claiming the water around Brighton was perfect for tackling swollen glands, Dr Russell bought land in Old Steine and built a house for himself and his patients – the largest in the town at the time.
The fad soon caught on. After the doctor died in 1759, seasonal visitors began renting his house to experience Brighton’s rejuvenating seas for themselves.
Prince Henry, brother of King George III, was impressed upon his first visit in 1771 and continued to visit for years to come.
But it was not until his nephew Prince George visited in 1784 that the bathing frenzy really began.
Renting a farmhouse in the town two years later, the decadent prince transformed Brighton into a lavish resort fit for a future king – and his mistress Maria Fitzherbert.
And with travel abroad not possible thanks to war with France raging from 1793 to 1815, the upper and middle classes began to frequent British resorts more often.
But the town’s popularity eventually led the royals to leave it.
Once Brighton railway station opened in 1840, day-trippers from London swarmed to the coast to catch a glimpse of Queen Victoria at the Royal Pavilion.
Fed up with the palace and its cushy confines, she left for London five years later.
The Keep is now able to take orders for reprints of these photographs. Email thekeep@eastsussex.gov.uk or call 01273 482349. giving the date the photo was in The Argus and the photo reference number.
If you would like a copy of a photo from a previous issue, give the date of the issue and a description of the photograph.
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