Oh we always did like to be beside the seaside

The sort of scenes we have been seeing the last few weeks, of packed Fylde beaches in the sunshine, are nothing new.
Sandcastle competition on St Annes beach in hte 1950's, with St Annes pier in the background.  The pavilion on the end was destroyed by fire in the 1970's.Sandcastle competition on St Annes beach in hte 1950's, with St Annes pier in the background.  The pavilion on the end was destroyed by fire in the 1970's.
Sandcastle competition on St Annes beach in hte 1950's, with St Annes pier in the background. The pavilion on the end was destroyed by fire in the 1970's.

Our archive photographs here show scores of sun-worshippers hitting the sands in St Annes at various points over the last century.

The beach huts, seen in one of our archive pictures – a historical postcard dated 1949, actually disappeared from the resort for a time.

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The last of them was demolished in the late 1980s, but the beach huts have since made a return to St Annes.

The post-war period meant an increase in people enjoying the beaches and making the most of their local surroundings, once the threat of invasion was over.

The ever popular pier can been in a postcard from the early 1900s. The pier was built in 1885 and designed by A Dowson.

It was one of the earliest public buildings to be constructed in St Annes.

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And St Annes Promenade and beach can be seen packed with people in summer 1963. It has to be said, they don’t all look like they are dressed for the weather. Many are wearing heavy-looking overcoats and hats.

The fashions of the 50s are very much on show with three pictures of families from that time, enjoying time on St Annes beach.

Horses and their riders are pictured taking to the sands in 1955. The beach chalets can just be glimpsed on the right in the background.

Also pictured is an event which was once very popular in Fylde - the annual St Annes Sandcastle competition. It would attract children from across the area, holiday-makers and spectators. The beach is filled with people in one photo from the 50s, with the pier in the background, and a number of entries can be seen. And people gather to admire one of the winning efforts, in our photo of the St Annes Sandcastle Competition,from 1952.

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