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Although its bustling pier and popular beach might convince you otherwise, Bournemouth actually started life as a remote and little-visited heathland.
The town first began to establish itself as a seaside resort after a doctor named Augustus Granville included Bournemouth in his book, ‘The Spas of England’, which encouraged tourists to enjoy the benefits of British sea bathing.
Bournemouth’s Winter Gardens were finished in 1875 and the town’s Pier opened in 1880.
It became even more popular as a holiday resort when the dawn of the UK’s railway network enabled Londoners to reach the town much more easily.
The town’s population soared over the 1900s, rising from just 17,000 in 1880 to 150,000 in 1990, according to Visit Bournemouth.
While it remains a popular seaside destination, some residents have claimed that ‘antisocial behaviour’ is now damaging Bournemouth’s reputation.
A local resident told the Mail that some of the worst offenders are people whizzing around on e-scooters.
MailOnline Travel is diving back into Bournemouth’s past with this fascinating collection of historic photos…
Taken at Bournemouth’s East Sands Beach in around 1910, this photo shows the beach packed with holidaymakers. Bournemouth was recognised as a spa town soon after it was founded in the early 1800s
This image, which dates from around 1910, shows holidaymakers enjoying the beach at Bournemouth’s West Sands. Visit Bournemouth explains that the arrival of the railways led to a massive growth in the number of summer visitors to the town
Bournemouth Pier is seen here in around 1910. The pier was opened in 1880 and cost £21,600 to build. According to Bournemouth Pier, the pier was the ‘place to be see and been seen in your best clothes’
Pictured above is the Cliff Lift at East Cliff in the early 20th century. The lift opened in 1908 and was electronically operated. Sadly, the East Cliff Lift is currently out of action, following a landslide in 2016
This photo, taken in the early 1900s, is titled ‘The New Undercliff Drive’. The Undercliff Drive is a scenic coastal route that stretches from Bournemouth to Boscombe Pier
Bournemouth Upper Gardens are pictured above in the 1910s. The Upper Gardens are part of a set of Grade II listed gardens in Bournemouth and remain popular today
Rollerskaters are pictured on Bournemouth Pier in the early 1900s. The unusual activity began in 1898 when a special deck was opened on the pier. Skating hours were generally on Tuesday and Friday afternoons
Children are photographed as they play in the Children’s Garden at the Pleasure Gardens in Bournemouth in the 1920s. Like many seaside towns, Bournemouth had large gardens for tourists to enjoy as well as the beach
A group of female holidaymakers are photographed as they enjoy the solarium at the Tolland Hotel in Bournemouth in 1930. Solariums were generally designed to allow tourists to enjoy the sun even when it was windy
Children are pictured playing by the water in one of Bournemouth’s parks in around 1930. Visit Bournemouth explains that the city grew in the early 20th century with many new theatres, cafes and hotels opening to cater to holidaymakers
Holidaymakers are photographed on the beach at Bournemouth in 1931. The Bournemouth Belle train launched in 1931 and carried Londoners to Bournemouth on a direct journey
A nanny is photographed with the children in her care at the beach in Bournemouth on 1954. The photo’s caption describes it as being taken on a ‘rare sunny day’. Although Bournemouth escaped great damage during WWII, its popularity as a seaside resort began to decline in the 1950s
Tourists are seen on Bournemouth Beach in 1954 during what the photographer describes as ‘bracing weather’ in August
Crowds of holidaymakers are pictured on Bournemouth Beach in August 1970. Bournemouth remains a popular holiday destination today and its beach has frequently been recognised as the country’s best
