Memory Lane: Photos from the archives show the heydays of Blackpool

They are like picture postcards which encompass a typical seaside resort.
A packed Blackpool beach May 22 1959A packed Blackpool beach May 22 1959
A packed Blackpool beach May 22 1959

These black and white photos are just a small selection of similar images from our archives which show the resort in the heydays of the 1950s and 1960s.A snapshot of life on the bustling seafront shows how tourism has always been the bread and butter of Blackpool’s economy.With a refreshment hut serving tea right in the middle of Blackpool beach, one photo shows thousands of people seen huddled together on May 22, 1959. They are enjoying what could have been the first taste of summer. They have their deck chairs and the children can be seen with their buckets and spades.In another photo, a parade of circus elephants are pictured parading along the promenade, lined with spectators. They are part of Billy Smart’s Circus Parade, possibly in the 1960s.A congested Central Promenade shows cars bumper to bumper on a busy, albeit rainy day, clearly showing this section of the Promenade has always been a busy stretch of road, just like it is today.In another photo, the moon light shines on the sea. It leads the eye to the tower which is gracefully lit up with the Golden Mile stretching out below.And an aerial shot clearly shows the frontage of many promenade buildings. Hotels, shops and arcades are packed with tourists. Signs for Blackpool rock an be seen, family games, cafes and more tea are advertised on billboards.And a quieter scene in the gardens where the war memorial stands, shows families relaxing in the sunshine. The Metropole Hotel can bee seen in distance.

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