Another postcard today. This shows Blackpool's famous Golden Mile from the Victorian era.
The arcades are yet to appear and the Golden Mile instead is lined with hotels all of which have gardens before them! The Golden Mile grew up when the hoteliers realised they could make more money from renting their garden space to hawkers and peddlars than they were making from the hotels. Booths were set up selling sheet music, Blackpool rock, drinks and food and then the sideshows swiftly followed. The two-headed girl, the human spider and all sorts of garish and unlikely sights. Sheet music sellers would employ singers and musicians to draw large crowds to sing along. It was all great fun!
To see what it was like by the 1930s, watch the Gracie Fields film Sing As We Go. Whether you like Gracie Fields or not, the film records for posterity exactly what Blackpool was like in those days! The postcard photo was taken (of course!) in black and white and has been painstakingly painted and coloured.
My grandparents had a BB just around the corner from Fairyland, we loved it. I was told that my Grandad had a bakery and had a black wedding cake on display I wish I could see it now. Great site. Thank's.
ReplyDelete