Occupation - Guide (sea bathing)

[waynenort]

My ancestor Mary Norton from the 1851 Census in Thanet has her occupation listed as Guide (Sea Bathing). "Sea bathing machines" appeared to be quite popular from the mid-1750s to the 1850s and around Margate with info on them such as here:

https://georgianera.wordpress.com/tag/seaside-history/

Although what was the role of the "Guide". Did they take customers to different sea bathing areas, sites or maybe show them to their Sea Bathing machine?

Here's the link to the Census document:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/8860/images/KENHO107_1629_1630-0407
https://search.findmypast.com.au/record?id=GBC%2F1851%2F4329587%2F00166&parentid=GBC%2F1851%2F0005888353

Thanks, Wayne

[Wiggy]

I wonder if the person who walked down to the water beside the 'caravan' and let down the steps for the women to enter the water was called the guide   . . . .  .  .  (just my guess, but have seen it happening in films!   )

Wiggy.

[ShaunJ]

Looking at contemporary newspaper reports, it appears that the sea bathing guides were employed to escort apprehensive bathers into the water and stay with them while they bathed. It seems that a lot of bathers were frightened of the water.

[Wiggy]

    that sounds good!   

[waynenort]

Thank you.
Very much appreciated Shaun & Wiggy. 

Cheers, Wayne

[Maiden Stone]

Someone would need to tow the bathing machine out to sea and back to shore.
There was a bathing machine scene in "Sanditon", the tv series based on an unfinished novel by Jane Austen. 2 young ladies in the machine. Some "racy" scenes in the drama showed men not using bathing machines - causing maiden blushes.