​JEFF Beedham, of Lancaster Avenue, Grimsby, tells us about Bank Holiday weekend at Cleethorpes in 1897.

Jeff told us: “I was inspired to put pen to paper by Bryan Longbone’s excellent article ‘Sheffield By The Sea’ on the Edwardian era railway trips to Cleethorpes.

“I came across a fascinating article in an August 1897 Grimsby News that gave substantial coverage and an intriguing insight into August Bank Holiday in this rapidly growing Victorian resort during 1897, Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee year.

“This fascinating article is divided into roughly four parts, including weather, amusements on offer, the Pier and gardens and the many trips available.”

On the Friday night, trains arrived with visitors of all classes and creeds, with thousands more arriving on Saturday when the MS&LR planned to change its name to the Great Central Railway – “Saturday night tolled the death of the MS&LR”.

PAST ATTRACTION: Cleethorpes Grotto, which was in the Pier Gardens. It was owned and run by Jessie Isabella Farquhar. Later, it became an aquarium run by Grimsby And Cleethorpes Aquarists’ Society. It was eventually removed during the modernisation of Cleethorpes front and stones from it were used in making the Pier Gardens waterfall.

The available rooms were soon found tenants and all too soon the familiar cards beckoning that apartments were to let had disappeared in every direction.

The Grimsby News waxes lyrical on the climate, reporting that “the weather was superb and Cleethorpes basked in the sunshine with a sun that grew enormously out of proportion with a sea that glinted as the ripples rose and fell until one would fain turn away from such an eye-dazzling sight”.

The Grimsby News noted “the amusements if not endless were sufficient to tax the mental powers of those who wanted to see all”.

There were numerous boat trips in the river, some to Spurn and Hull. Carriage trips to the nearby Waltham Tea Gardens were arranged, hundreds of visitors were paddling in the sea or strolling along the promenade and pier.

“There was a large canvas big top housing Sylvester’s Circus, giving three performances each day, where a monster programme was provided at each performance.”

At the Alexandra Hall (later the Empire Theatre) a musical comedy, Gentleman Joe, was playing to packed houses.

“The pier and their adjacent gardens were like a magnet for visitors who danced in the crowded gardens to The Grimethorpe Prize Band, who performed concerts during both the afternoon and evenings.”

The packed concert pavilion at the end of the pier (later destroyed by fire in June 1903) had a “wholesome programme provided by Mr Holland” that included Mr Frank Wilson, a clever comedian; Hess and Lisbon, comical skating act; the Musical Guitarras, with up to date songs featuring Mr D’Arcy Clayton (tenor) and Miss Florence Croft (contralto). There were also hundreds dancing to Mr Collinson’s band.

On the new central promenade, built by the MS&LR, from 1885 was a large aquarium with a fish hatchery. There were hundreds of North Sea fish on show and impressive salt and fresh water swimming baths and a grotto/cafe.

There were numerous oyster parlours and stalls along Alexandra Road and what is now the Kingsway were then sheer cliffs of rapidly-eroding clay.

Finally, the Grimsby News nicely sums up the Bank Holiday atmosphere at the resort: “All appear serenely happy and amid the turmoil and excitement with thousands of happy faces and shouts of merriment filling the air. One wonders how it ever could have been said that an Englishman takes his pleasures sadly?”

On the Sunday, the resort’s many places of worship were not neglected and they received large congregations, with a special harvest thanksgiving in the Wesleyan Chapel in St Peter’s Road.

Today, Cleethorpes is still a popular seaside resort.

The pier is much shorter with its future in doubt.

The aquarium, grotto and swimming baths have long gone.

The railway station no longer delivers thousands of trippers every Bank Holiday.

Maybe the Victorian and Edwardian eras were indeed Cleethorpes’ halcyon days as a British seaside resort?