A Souvenir Post Card from the Valentine’s Series, postally unused and date unknown, but it’s likely to date from the early 1900s.

The coastguard stands at his post, telescope to eye, keeping watch on all at sea, whilst, next to him, are the two mortars from which lifeboat maroons would be fired to summon the crew to their station.

The mast, behind the coastguard, is where a black leather gale-cone would be raised to warn those at sea, or on land, of impending bad weather. If the cone was hanging point-upwards it would mean the gale was coming off the sea, whilst if hanging downwards the gale was coming off the land.

Whilst, just to the right of the mast can be seen the Grand Hotel at the top end of the Esplanade, known by locals as ‘Grand Court’.

A busy beach scene looking to the west, with many beach tents, and holidaymakers enjoying the fine weather.

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