Dr Kathryn Ferry answers listener questions on the history of the British seaside holiday – from Victorian bathing machines to Punch and Judy
What did Victorians get up to on the beach? When did fish and chips first become popular? And what’s the dark story behind Punch and Judy? It’s time to grab your bucket and spade, because for our latest Everything You Wanted to Know episode we’re taking a jolly holiday back through the history of the British seaside with Dr Kathryn Ferry. Speaking to Charlotte Hodgman, Kathryn answers listener questions on the 18th-century craze for drinking seawater, changing swimwear fashions and the popularity of the holiday camp.
Kathryn Ferry’s books include Seaside 100: A history of the British Seaside in 100 Objects (Unicorn, 2020)