Two sailors and a sea shanty!

On a Sunday afternoon in early December I went to Camber Dock in Old Portsmouth to board a boat called the Tiger Flower. The weather was a little chilly to say the least but I was greeted on board with a warm and friendly welcome from Andrew Collins. I had worked with Andrew some years earlier and remembered that he used to sing sea shanties; Andrew kindly agreed to help me out with my project and, rather fittingly, had suggested that I interview him aboard the Tiger Flower. Andrew co-owns the boat with other sailing friends, one of whom is Tony Spender, who not only sails with Andrew but also sings in the same group. Tony joins us a little later but in the meantime Andrew makes us both a warm drink and we take a seat below deck away from the cold air.

Andrew on the Tiger Flower

Andrew was originally in a barber shop chorus and from there he got into singing sea shanties; he has continued singing them for the last 15-20years. Andrew first started singing in a small group with Tony and two other friends. Their act was designed to take people around the world by sail, with a smattering of history and anecdotes thrown in for good measure. They both also sing with about a dozen other people in a local group called the 'Deck and Fo'c'sle. 

From the minute that Andrew begins to explain the history and meaning behind the shanty songs it's evident that he knows his stuff. Andrew tells me how the Shanty man was employed to set the rhythm and the pace of work done on board ship. The shanty would sing to the sailors and they would sing back at him. Using examples of certain songs and tasks to explain how the rhythm and pace was set, Andrew sang and talked me through how the shanty worked. It was fascinating to listen to his depth of knowledge on the subject.

I was interested in what singing meant to him on personal level, and he said that it was about community and friendship, stating, 'It's a very pleasant thing when you create harmonies together - it gives you a very good feeling.' 

I asked him if singing sea shanties gave him more of a connection with the sea to which he replied, 'Yes, I've been sailing for forty years and it can be a lonely existence. When I started sailing at 21 I didn't know a thing about it. When you sail you may not see another vessel for two 0r three days; singing sea shanties gives you a connection with the sea."

Andrew (left) and Tony below deck

It wasn't long before Tony joined us and it's easy to see how they're both such good friends. Listening to them both talk of their knowledge of sailing and shanties, I asked them if they felt that their singing was an important tradition to carry on, to which Tony replied, "Yes, very much so - we're very conscious of the heritage of things."

I asked them if they could ever see themselves living away from the sea to which there was a unanimous "No!" from both of them.

Andrew continued, "When I let go of my mooring and I'm going out of the harbour and I'm looking at people on the shoreline and I think, 'I bet you wish you were me'. Now I don't know what the journeys gonna bring; with a bit of luck I'll survive it, and wherever I get to there'll be someone there to meet me. There will be a birth, and I'll make new friends."

As the interview came to an end, Andrew and Tony finished by singing a shanty for me. And anybody passing by their little red boat in the harbour would have heard the lusty singing of two very interesting sailors indeed. An unforgettable moment for me.......truly magical!

Working life at the pier

Jan B (pictured below) is one of a group of early morning swimmers who meet for their daily swim near to South Parade Pier in Southsea. I had previously interviewed the swimmers as part of my 'Great British Seaside' project and it was during that interview that I discovered Jan's previous working life at the pier.

Up until two and a half years ago Jan spent five years as a cleaner at South Parade Pier and it was obvious from talking to her that she had lots of fond memories of her time there. Jan is a particularly warm and friendly lady and it was on a cold day in November when we sat looking out to sea and chatted about the past.

When Jan started her job as a cleaner, there used to be a fairground at the end of the pier which is sadly no longer there; other facilities were the newsagents, arcade, ice-cream shop and Albert Bar. I asked Jan what kind of functions would take place there and she told me that the pier would host a wide range of events from dinner dances, boxing matches, charity functions, Christmas and birthday parties to weddings, and tea dances.

Jan in front of the South Parade Pier

Jan recalled when she first got given a uniform to wear an how 'chuffed' it made her feel. She told me how she felt privileged to work there, saying, "I didn't even mind cleaning the rubbish because I had a sense of pride in the place'' 

Jan's main job was cleaning but sometimes she would be involved in setting up for events and she especially loved helping out at the tea dances and meeting the old people. She also recalled a particularly spectacular event, when she watched the Royal Marines band playing whilst marching up and down on the dance floor.

Telling me how she liked to spend her breaks outside having a cup of tea whilst watching the ferries go by she said, "There was such an atmosphere to the place and I loved watching the sea."

I asked her if she could sum up her time working there, to which she replied, "I really loved working there, I felt part of a team.......it made me feel happy."

Listening to Jan,  you realise that the pier is more than just a building...it's a part of our heritage that many people are proud of.                             

Working life at the beach

In early November I went to interview Dave and Jim at the Red Rooves Snack Bar on the beach at Southsea. They were both really friendly and helpful and gave me an insight into their working life at the beach.

Dave (on the left) and Jim at the snack bar at the beach

The snack bar is a family run business and Dave has been selling snacks and ice-creams from the same place for thirty years. He also worked there fifty years ago when it was a fruit shop. Dave told me how things had changed over the last fifty years. 

A selection of the foods that are sold from the snack bar

The weather dictates when they open but they are generally open for eleven months of the year, closing only in December. They sell a selection of hot and cold drinks, burgers, chips, sandwiches and sweets. They also sell ice cream from the stand next door.

Dave tells me that they mostly sell to day trippers these days as there aren't as many tourists as there used to be at the height of the seaside industry. He explained how there used to be eight coach hire buildings dotted along the shoreline between his snack bar and the pier. It was really interesting to talk to Dave as he had worked at the beach for such a long time and his local knowledge was invaluable to my project; Much of what he told me tied in with the history of the British seaside resort that I had discovered so far. At the height its popularity British holidaymakers would flock to the coast by train or coach.  I decided to try and get some photographs of that particular stretch of seafront and after a little research I found a photograph showing the eight coach stands that Dave had told me about.

                 The stretch of beach which shows the coach stands between Dave's snack bar and the pier

Dave and Jim pointed out where there used to be entertainment on that stretch of beach which included a children's roundabout, model boats on water, a trampoline and also a traditional seaside Punch and Judy show.

Both of them had also witnessed many historical and memorable moments from their time working at the seafront. These included seeing the Mary Rose being brought up. The Falklands war ships leaving and returning to port. The home coming of the Royal yacht for the last time. The 40th and 50th D Day celebrations and the Trafalgar 200 celebrations in 2005.

When I talked to them individually about how they felt about their working life at the beach they both gave identical answers to each other. They couldn't see themselves working anywhere else, stating,

"It's a way of life, every day is different, the people, the weather"

Jim said, "I see it as a bit of a privilege really. We've got people here we used to serve as kids and now they bring their kids. We make lasting friendships"

Looking around him and throwing his hands out towards the view his said,

"It's wonderful innit"

....I couldn't agree more Jim.

A harbour tour

On Tuesday 27th November I went to interview the skipper of a harbour tour boat at Gunwharf Quays. The company Solent and Wight Line Cruises kindly agreed to let me interview Dan Mahoney who was on one of their smaller boats the Jenny R. 

Dan Mahoney and the  harbour tour boat the Jenny R

I met three members of the company that day; Kev who sold the tickets on the quayside, Dan who skippered the boat and Matt who crewed the boat with Dan on the daily tours. Dan explained how the tours operated all year round but from March onwards to the summer months, it got steadily got busier and busier. The tour boats are based on the Isle of Wight but it has to be really bad weather for them not to come across.

I couldn't help wondering who could possibly want to take a harbour boat trip on a freezing cold late November day but sure enough, on the first tour of the day eight passengers boarded the Jenny R for a fifty minute tour around the harbour. I have to admit that I don't really travel well on boats, but the fun, lighthearted but informative commentary from Matt and the general atmosphere on the boat was a delight to experience.

It was evident that Dan really loved his job. He explained how although the basic routine of every day was essentially the same, the weather conditions, tourists and ever changing vessels in the harbour meant that every day varied. He explained how he could come over in the morning and it could be glorious sunshine and travel home at night in thick fog. Equally, he told me that eight boats could leave Portsmouth harbour overnight which meant a whole new commentary would have to be put together at short notice the following day. 

Explaining how "it's not just another job, it's a way of life" he summed up how lucky he felt by saying "Sometimes I have to stop the boat to let a seal go by. Where are you gonna get that on the M25?"

I thoroughly enjoyed my harbour tour; not only did I get to meet the lovely crew but I also got to see some of the various types of vessels that pass through Portsmouth Harbour each day. Thanks to the in-depth knowledge of Dan and Matt I also learn't several interesting facts about life in the harbour. Overall a great experience despite the chilly November weather. 

Crew member Matt and his humorous  commentary

HMS Warrior

I took photographs of many different vessels in the harbour that day. HMS Warrior looked even more striking from the viewpoint of the boat.

An old war boat that was being restored in the harbour

A police boat patrolling the harbour waters

The Wightlink Ferry on its daily route to the Isle of Wight

The early morning swimmers

As part of my research for my project on 'The Great British Seaside' I decided to interview a local group of early morning swimmers. The group swim from the beach here at Southsea all year round. When conditions are too cold or dangerous to swim, they still come down to the beach to enjoy a warm drink and have a chat together.

The early morning swimmers at Southsea beach

On the October morning that I interviewed them it was cold and there had been a slight drizzle of rain. I had dressed in a winter coat and gloves but was still unable to keep warm; the last thing that would cross my mind would be to strip down to a costume and enter in the freezing cold sea! The four ladies who were swimming that day weren't perturbed at all by the inhospitable weather conditions and duly swam in the sea under the watchful eye of Molly the seagull. Molly, who is an honorary member of the group, has become part of their community and daily routine. She joins them every morning and watches their daily dip into the sea from the channel marker near the shoreline.

Molly the seagull keeping a watchful eye

After their swim the ladies wash with a makeshift shower nearby and layer on their warm clothes. They each bring a flask of hot tea to drink which helps them to warm up.

A cold shower!

The group has evolved over a long time and they have been swimming together for many years. They tell me that there are others members of their community that regularly swim with them but aren't at the beach today. What strikes me about these ladies is just how warm, welcoming and friendly they all are; so much so that other members of the local community (dog walkers etc) often stop by and have a chat with the group. 

I asked them lots of questions about why they swam together each day and the overwhelming feeling was that they enjoyed the community spirit of it all. They told me that there is a really strong social element to coming to the beach as a group and having a swim together; it also set them up mentally for the day ahead. 

The group felt that Southsea was a particularly interesting stretch of water to watch with many different vessels passing through the harbour. They also explained how they found the sea to be at it's warmest in September having spent the summer months getting gradually heated up by the summer sun. They told me that they knew of other groups who swam from various other parts of the beach at different times of the day. 

As well as getting some really interesting research for my project I thoroughly enjoyed my chat with the swimmers and will keep in touch with them as my project progresses. I couldn't help but admire their spirit for braving the cold winter weather and they did say that I should really join them for a swim in the name of research.......maybe next time.

A day trip to Brighton

A couple of weeks ago I went on a day trip to Brighton for the day. It was a rare sunny November day and the seafront was bustling with day trippers like me. I was interested in looking at the architecture and design of the seafront and focused on photographing  the familiar features we instantly recognise at the British seaside.

The stunning architecture of Brighton Pier

Brightons pier is a beautiful piece of engineering and is a really large structure. It is the main attraction at the seafront at Brighton and houses entertainment and amusements for visitors to the coast.

The big, bold and beautiful lights on Brighton Pier

By the start of the 20th century there were a hundred piers in Britain, each one a triumph of engineering. Most people couldn't swim and they enabled people to be near to the sea in safety. Now most piers have been damaged by fires, ships and neglect and more than half of Britain's piers have been destroyed.

The West Pier at Brighton

Sadly, the West Pier at Brighton was destroyed by fire a few years ago. I still think that it is a stunning structure on the coastline despite everything and I particularly like this photograph where the British flag is flying  in front of it on the beach. It's a part of our heritage and despite all the odds, still stands defiantly proud in the water.

A traditional helter-skelter and funfair at the end of the Pier

Victorian architecture was all about appearances and the Victorian helter-skelters were the star attractions and crowning glory of the fair. They were traditionally made from beech wood because it doesn't splinter and took four hours to put together. 

I love this old smoke house which is now just a decorative structure on the beach; fishing boats and smoke houses were a regular feature of working life at the coast.

                                                   The stunning lights that run along the promenade

No seaside resort would be complete with decorative lights that run along the length of the promenade and Brighton's certainly don't disappoint here. The lights , complemented by those on the pier and the fairground really make the seaside a magical place to be after dark.



                                             
                                                           The decorative shelters along the promenade

The intricate design of these shelters adds to the grandeur of the seafront. It's lovely to see people sitting down and enjoying the views from them.

A rock stall on the pier

And finally, no seaside resort experience would be complete without a stick of traditional seaside rock. The sweet and sticky treat is still a firm favourite for many visitors on a day trip to the beach.

A little bit of history

A huge part of my project has been researching the history of the British seaside resort. Many of us today can relate to the seaside as a place where we can experience a dip in the sea, enjoy great entertainment, eat fish and chips and ice-cream whilst and being surrounded by familiar seaside architecture; From coloured lights along the prom to perhaps the most distinctive feature of all, the 'Great British Pier', British seaside resorts are a place where adults can become children, commune with nature and cast away their cares.

The seaside resort started developing on most stretches of the coast by the middle of the 18th century. People would travel to the coast to bathe in salt water which was considered to be good for your health. As sea bathing became more popular, towns were needed to provide accommodation and entertainment facilities for the wealthy aristocrats who could afford to travel.

It was the Victorians however who really popularised the day trip to the seaside; they also visited the coast for health reasons such as fresh air and dips in the sea. In the early 1880s, when Lancashire mill owners turned off their machinery and workers were allowed to take a week off, people started to travel  on mass to the seaside. Blackpool was the seaside of choice for the working class and as rail links were developed, the interior of the country began to connect to the seaside. These new rail links meant that quickly and affordably, people could holiday on the coast. Soon attractions emerged like the end of the Pier show and variety acts which were exotic in design: the seaside soon became a fantasy land.

In the 1930s, with the introduction of paid holidays, the masses were able to enjoy a holiday. In 1938  fifteen milllion people were entitled to have a weeks 'paid leave'. However the war put a hold on that for six years when beaches were dangerous places to be and strictly out of bounds.

Post war, the day trippers headed back to the seaside in droves. People who were visiting the beach for the first time could experience, pebbles, rock pools, donkey rides, ice-cream, sand in their toes and the feeling of waves crashing against them.

My knitted ice-creams: Post war day trippers visiting the beach for the first time could experience ice-cream

Adults could become children on holiday and cast away their cares.People were undeterred by the bad British weather because they did not have central heating at home and for years a holiday on the British coast was one of the few affordable options for British families.

The 1950s saw the beginning of holiday camps and further improvement to holiday entitlement helped. Butlins had private chalets, indoor amusements and all the fun of the seaside. The holiday camps were a safe, comfortable environment.

By the 1960s some were desperate to escape the pre-packaged mass market holiday experience like Butlins and people would drive to remote places in England where camping and caravanning holidays began to take off. People wanted to mark themselves out as individuals in a new era of affluence.

As cheap air travel became a reality the mass market started to enjoy holidays abroad. The continent seemed an exotic place where the sun always shone and Spanish resorts in particular became a home from home for British holiday-makers. The package holiday was now accessible to lower income families.

For many years the British seaside was sidelined for holidays abroad, however nowadays millions of people are returning, and once again choosing to holiday on the British coastline.

Early seaside memories

Ever since I was a small child growing up in a rather grey northern industrial town I always looked forward to a rare trip to the seaside. My nearest seaside resort was Blackpool and a day out to the coast was like stepping out of a monochrome life into one of glorious technicolour. As a child I was always fascinated by beach shops selling row upon row of colourful buckets and spades, sticks of rock and those wonderful little hand held windmills that would spin wildly in the breeze. From the donkey rides on the sandy beach to the brightly lit trams and illuminations....I loved it all. Here are a few of my illustrations on the project so far...

Buckets and spades

Flip flops

Wanna Donkey ride?