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Thursday 5 January 2017

Seaside "Walkie" Snapshots: Sepia Saturday


 

This  week's Sepia Saturday photo prompt awoke my  memories of  seaside holidays and the photographers who plied  their trade along the promenades,  taking snapshots of people strolling by - hence the term  "walkies"  - as opposed to the current trend for   "selfies"! 

You paid money and either collected  the photographs later at  a kiosk, or could arrange for them to be posted home to you - just hoping they would arrive and this wasn't  what we now call a "scam".  We often did our best to dodge the photographers and not get caught by their hard sell. 


A double strip - at  Bournemouth on the south coast  - early 1950's, with  Dad carrying my brother, and mu aunt alongside.  This would be August yet my aunt was  wearing a warm coat - so much for a British summer!
Again Bournemouth, - Dad, brother   and myself (as usual with my eyes shut on a photograph),   wearing a dress. made by my mother - little blue and green flower print with a big white collar, and my hair in its usual pigtails fastened with ribbons.  We are all casually dressed for the summer,  but look at the older man behind - in his suit, collar and tie, waistcoat and trilby hat. 




        Two more Bournemouth photographs of Dad and my brother. 



A walk along Blackpool promenade with Mum and my paternal grandmother,  who of course  were wearing their hats.    I don't  look too happy, but I do like that little handbag I am carrying. My dressmaker mother made my coats,  with velvet trimmed collar and pockets.


And finally - a photograph in my husband's collection - but he has no idea who it is.  The only clue is a note on the back "Lots of Love from the four D's at Skegness!. I guess that it was taken late 1940's judging by the dress style of the older woman on the right and the fact both women were wearing hats.  A typical image of "Walkie" photograph.



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                   Sepia Saturday gives an opportunity for genealogy bloggers 
                                to share their family history through photographs

 Click HERE to read memories from other bloggers

10 comments:

  1. Aren't you happy your family succumbed to the sales pitches and had these wonderful photos taken. Your little purse and that coat!! You were adorable.

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  2. I have seen some of these photos on your blog before with other stories, but I don't recall ever knowing about "walkies." I wonder if they exist/existed here in the States. At resorts in the Caribbean, there is always a photographer around taking pictures setting you up for the big sales pitch later in the week! I rather like the informality and spontaneity of your walkies.

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  3. You looked so cute in your smart little coat and carrying your very own purse! You do look a little leery - perhaps not quite sure about the photographer photographing you?

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  4. Though I know now that street photographers were once common in the US, I had never encountered one until I first visited Britain in 1982. I met one outside Buckingham Palace and at first I thought he was just a friendly Londoner offering to take my picture. So I was surprised when he asked for 10 quid. Thinking myself clever, I "negotiated" for 5. I'm still waiting for the photo.

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  5. Hi Sue - I enjoyed the photos and the explanation of street photographers. I have a couple in my collection from my mother-in-law but was never quite sure how they worked. I quoted your post in mine http://ayfamilyhistory.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/sepia-saturday-street-photography.html I found a lot of news articles about street photographers and wether or not they were allowed to ply their trade. I guess they were bit pushy as you described and once regarded as a bit of a nuisance but lots of people liked the results :) I think the photos of your family are great.

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  6. Very interesting pist. There are some similar photographs in my mother's and mother-in-law's collections, but I hadn't really thought about who would have taken them before. I guess at the seaside people were relaxed and happy to have a souvenir photograph and if out shopping there were probably dressed in their best so they looked good there too.

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  7. Your mother certainly knew how to make lovely outfits.That little handbag is unusual too; I wonder if it was one of your Mum's evening bags that she let you ‘borrow'.

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  8. I never ran into "vacation photographers" in childhood or young adulthood. Nor even now, later in life. Perhaps I just didn't vacation where they were. I did however have a similar coat with the velvet collar and pockets. My grandmother was a professional dressmaker.

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  9. Thank you all for sharing your memories of seaside photographers, though, Mike, I was sorry to read of your experience in London. Yes, I was a well dressed little girl, thanks to my mother who was apprenticed to a tailor from the age of 14.

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  10. Oh I remember "Walking Snaps" so well. The ones in Bridlington used to display their pictures in the window of a shop near the harbour - I remember craning my infant head to see if I could spot myself.

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