Saturday, July 31, 2010

summer sepia 5

These are some of my favourite beach photos of my (paternal) grandparents, Win and Harold.

The first is probably around the time of their engagement in the early 1920's - on a pier or seafront.



the second, Brighton I'm pretty sure, with the old pier (now gone, derelict and then burned down) in the background - possibly where the first photo was taken. Though I think my grandfather here looks rather older than in the first.

Note his rather short trousers. I've read that a few inches of bare ankles is a current male trend. I'm not convinced, but Harold looks quite dashing.



I'd date this one some time in the (early?) 1950's or poss. mid-late 1940's.


And this last photo is in their retirement, in Bognor Regis on the coast.




There is an earlier post here about Winnifred, my gran
and here about Harold, grandad.

Happy Sepia Saturday!

16 comments:

Lynne said...

I am still amazed that people went to the beach with so many clothes on. And look at her shoes in the second to last photo. I can't imagine wearing them in the sand.
Ah, a different time indeed.

I linked you in my blog post yesterday. We finally did the Greenwich Village Food tour that you went on when you were in NYC. It was fab!

XXOO Hope all is well with you!

Roy said...

I'm with Lynne, I'm amazed at how much clothing they have on at the beach. Times sure do change!

urban muser said...

I absolutely adore that last photo. The clouds, their clothes, their expressions and how they are positioned on the beach. Great!!

Kat Mortensen said...

A lovely and happy pair from beginning to end! I like the one at the top - with her on his lap, but they are all charming, Lettuce!

Kat

Martin said...

The third one in this sequence is my favourite. Funny to think of how 'covered up' people were, on the beach back then.

I have pictures of my paternal grandfather in Brighton, too. And my son-in-law was born and raised in Bognor Regis.

ArtSparker said...

I want to paint a djinn coming out of that pipe...

Lisa Ursu said...

Harold does look quite dashing.
I love the last photo.

North County Film Club said...

I can see why they'd want to wear shoes on that beach. It wouldn't be very comfortable to walk on in bare feet.
Those are great photos. It was fun to watch them age. They were such a cute couple in the first photo and they aged so gracefully.

Eric S. said...

I just love these beach photos, I'm with everyone else, amazed. They were a sweet couple from start to finish. Beautiful photos.

Unknown said...

How wonderful that they always went to a beach! There is something very soothing about the sound of water against the shore and of the calmness it brings, at least for me. Yes, the clothes at the beach sure do seem odd to us today, don't they. This is a good coulage of water/beach photos of a handsome couple who look as though they lived life with a laugh.

Tattered and Lost said...

Love the one of Harold with the pipe. It reminds me of Tony Curtis in "Some Like It Hot" dressed to the nines trying to impress Sugar/Monroe. Very dapper.

Christine H. said...

I love all of these, but the last one really warms my heart. You can just sense how comfortable they are with each other.

Bruno Laliberté said...

a bit overdressed for the beach, one might think, but i really like the last one. evocative, peaceful.
:)~
HUGZ

Nancy said...

I love the first photo with her sitting on his lap. I continue to be amazed that people wore regular clothes on the beach in years past. What a lovely couple.

Mary-Laure said...

These are so great! I especially love the first one, how casually she's sitting on his lap.

Giulia said...

I love these, too, but that first one especially. For that era, I guess I often think people were so stiff & strict. I agree with M-Laure that it looks wonderfully casual.

xo