The Landladies of Morecambe

Morecambe in Lancashire was once a favourite holiday destination for working-class families, particularly from Scotland and northern England.

Until the late 1960s, during the summer months, Morecambe was packed with holidaymakers escaping the dust and grime of industrial work at the Glasgow shipyard, the Bradford woollen mills, and the Rochdale cotton mills.

By the 1950s, doctors were even advising people with asthma to stay for a fortnight in the seaside town, as the air was considered cleaner than Filey or Scarborough.

Morecambe became one of the go-to retreats for the working classes.

What is Morecambe famous for?

Morecambe’s development began in the mid-19th century around the village of Poulton-le-Sands.

It was spurred by the construction of the Little North Western railway line connecting Leeds and Bradford to a new harbour on Morecambe Bay’s shores.

The harbour facilitated the influx of goods, passengers, and seaside visitors. Consequently, Morecambe flourished, with emerging landmarks like the Winter Gardens and Park Hotel.

The Winter Gardens began in 1878 as ‘the People’s Palace’ and included baths, entertainment and an aquarium. The building later became a ballroom.

In 1897, it doubled in size, and the Victoria Pavilion was constructed alongside it. The 2 buildings were known as the Victoria Pavilion and the Oriental Ballroom.

After Queen Victoria died in 1901, the Winter Gardens were renamed the King’s Pavilion and the Empress Ballroom. They were very popular throughout the 20th century and extensively refurbished in the 1930s.

A resurgence occurred in Morecambe in the 1930s, as a growing middle class found seaside vacations increasingly feasible, buoyed by the statutory implementation of paid holidays.

This era witnessed the construction of the Midland Hotel, the Super Swimming Stadium, and other Art Deco landmarks, enhancing Morecambe’s allure.

However, the advent of package holidays and changing tourism trends precipitated a decline in the latter half of the 20th century.

Amidst these challenges, the town’s natural beauty and historical legacy endure, epitomised by its renowned sunsets and panoramic views across Morecambe Bay.

The British seaside landlady: reality or myth?

Stroll along the seafront at Morecambe today and you will see many of the hotels that have graced the promenade for half a century.

They are the survivors of a vast industry decimated by the desire to holiday abroad, often in more sunshine-guaranteed climates.

Famed for their gruff manner and strict rules and regulations, the seaside landlady is now considered a dying breed. But between the 1940s and 1980s, you would have been spoilt for choice from hundreds of terraced boarding houses on roads parallel to the promenade.

Throughout the 20th century, Morecambe landladies gained a reputation for their no-nonsense attitude, a stereotype that has appeared in many films, newsreels, and seaside postcards.

Morecambe Heritage has investigated this reputation as part of their ‘Landladies of Morecambe’ project, funded by our Everyday Heritage Grants: Celebrating Working Class Histories.

20 people were interviewed, including ex-landladies, family members, and paying guests. These stories glimpse an essential aspect of the UK’s working-class heritage.

12 interviews are available to watch at morecambeheritage.co.uk and on their YouTube channel.

Heritage, particularly personal memories, connects us all, even across a chasm of 6 or 7 decades.

It reminds older people of simpler, happier days, when a holiday consisted of a stroll down the promenade, making sandcastles, taking a dip in often very cold water, followed by a hearty meal, and perhaps a show if you were lucky, all the while being looked after by a friendly landlady.

David Evans, Morecambe Heritage

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Further reading

• Morecambe Heritage
• Restoring the Morecambe Winter Gardens

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