Modesty at the beach, Victorian edition

A rare Victorian bathing machine which attracted shy women swimmers to a popular resort is to be restored to its original splendour. . .

The 148-year-old blue and white striped hut, sitting on the shingle opposite the refreshment hut in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, was once as much of a draw to the resort as the sea.

Wheeled up and down the beach, it allowed women to preserve their modesty by changing into their bathing costume before using an attached cradle to enter the water, all the time being protected from preying eyes by modesty screens.

From the Telegraph. Just think, back then even the Burqini would surely have been seen as unacceptably daring.

Posted by David on November 21, 2008 9:16 AM