Location to identify, 1921 - beach/river?

[chrisscales]

Also groom - where is that description from? "The beach (foreshore) is in front of the Royal Festival Hall Access by stairs either side of the Festival Pier. ...and yes, there is sand along with the pebbles."

I think it looks a lot like stairs down to a Thames beach, and I don't see why it can't be the sun shining from the west if they are facing north, which would make it afternoon-ish.

Thanks
Chris

[groom]

I can't remember exactly where the quote came from, I just googled for London beaches.

This may help as it gives access points, although of course they may have changed since the time of the photo.

http://www.london-footprints.co.uk/wkforeshoreroute.htm


You could try The Museum of London. http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/london-wall/

[chrisscales]

Thanks - I have just been reading about Watermen's stairs and realising I have been to the Wapping one.... could be one of these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watermen's_Stairs

[hoolianama0508]

Do you know if the family (or extended family) had access to a motor vehicle.  Could they have gone out for a Sunday drive?  It might have taken all day to get there though. Just a guess.

[Tonykelly]

when I was  a kid in the 1950s we often used to play on the sandy shore by the Tower of London, a bus ride away from where we lived in East Ham.   My perception is that the "beach" outside the Festival Hall is more recent; but that's probably just my memory playing tricks.

[chrisscales]

I highly doubt they would have had a motor car at this point (in fact I don't think they had one even in later life) - they lived in Peckham in 1921 and her dad worked at Peek Freans factory in Bermondsey and would cycle there everyday. If they went to the beach for the day (to Margate / Ramsgate / Southend) I think they'd take a coach or the train. Their cousins owned a delivery van in the 1930s as they had a greengrocers but even that wouldn't have been suitable for family outings I don't think...

[chrisscales]

Tony yes I think you're right, I'm pretty sure Tower Beach was created in the 50s , though I've no idea about the festival hall one - lots of great photos of Tower beach at I think the English Heritage Collections or Museum of London website (forget which)

[Tonykelly]

I must confess it hadn't occurred to me that Tower beach might be that recent -- it was always just there <g> and easier to get to than Southend

The other thing I wondered was that the steps in the background to the picture are reminiscent of those in family photos I have of Southend, Sheppey and Canvey Island.  I know nothing about easy journey from SE London in the 1920s but  would it have been easier to get to Woolwich, Gravesend or even Sheppey or the Kent coast rather than north of the river? 

After that I'm only guessing I'm afraid

[chrisscales]

Sorry not 50s, 30s - Tower Beach opened in 1934