Evocative photos of a seaside holiday in 1960s Blackpool

From chip shops to bingo halls and burlesque dancers, photographer Mike Coles remembers capturing scenes of holidaymakers by the English coast.

While stationed in West Germany during the early 1950s, photographer Mike Coles’s older brother worked as a tank driving instructor for the British Army. As rationing in the UK continued for years after the war, treats were few and far between for the young boy coming of age in the seaside town of Bridport in West Dorset.

“Every time my brother came home on leave, he brought presents,” Coles fondly recalls. “In 1952, he brought me a German 35mm Regula camera and at age eight, I immediately became hooked.”

Coles later enrolled in art school in Bournemouth and then in London, and became keen on social realism and documentary photography. “I was a disciple of Henri Cartier-Bresson,” he says of the famed Magnum Photos member. He also admired the work of Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, and Don McCullin. 

In the late 1960s, Coles began making his way as a young photographer. “My memory of the time was of optimism,” he says. “I don’t remember worrying about the future or getting a job. As a country boy in London, I found it all very exciting, although my grant from Dorset Council of £416 a year was barely enough to live on, necessitating all kinds of part-time jobs.”

During this time, Coles and fellow students got together and began traveling the country on photographic trips in an old Hillman car. “Our first trip to Blackpool was in 1967,” he says. “In sexually liberated and hedonistic London we thought we would go up north to see what the cloth-capped brigade were doing with their whippets and curd tart. Rather a sniffy attitude as it proved!” 

In Blackpool, Coles pursued his interest in photographing holiday goers reveling in moments of seaside bliss. In the new book Blackpool 1967 (Café Royal Books), he brings together scenes of everyday life: the beach days, pony rides, chip shops, bingo parlors, street barkers, burlesque dancers, tattoo shops, and other sundry amusements. 

“Overwhelmingly, the people there were warm and friendly, much more so than London. There was still a sense of being in a post-war period – everything was pretty cheap,” Coles says.

“Looking back there seemed to be an innocence to a seaside holiday. It was the only opportunity working people had to get away and have a good time for a couple of weeks. But you wondered how mundane work must be in the ‘satanic mills’ to need such holidays.”

Blackpool 1967 is out now on Café Royal Books.

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.


You might like

Black and white collage of people with bright yellow "STREET JUSTICE" text overlaid in centre.
Culture

As Kneecap and Bob Vylan face outcry, who really deserves to see justice?

Street Justice — Standing in for regular newsletter columnist Emma Garland, Huck’s Hard Feelings host Rob Kazandjian reflects on splatters of strange catharsis in sport and culture, while urging that the bigger picture remains at the forefront of people’s minds.

Written by: Robert Kazandjian

Man with glasses and beard sitting in green chair, wearing dark blue shirt and jeans in office or waiting room with wood panelling.
Culture

Alex Kazemi’s Y2K period novel reminds us that the manosphere is nothing new

New Millennium Boyz — Replete with MTV and endless band t-shirt references, the book follows three teenage boys living in 1999 USA as they descend into a pit of darkness. We spoke to its author about masculinity, the accelerated aging of teenagers, and the rebirth of subcultures in the algorithm age.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Dark street scene with orange-lit shop front and glowing red windows in building above. People gathered outside illuminated storefront.
© Tom Weatherill
Music

In photos: The people of Glastonbury’s queer heart The NYC Downlow

Elation and family — Once a year, a meatpacking warehouse nightclub springs up in Glastonbury’s South East corner and becomes a site of pilgrimage for the festival’s LGBTQ+ scene. We met the people who make The NYC Downlow so special.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Dimly lit, derelict indoor area with wooden ramps and a lone figure in the distance.
Sport

“Moment of escape”: Maen Hammad’s defiant West Bank skate photos

Landing — Choosing to return to Palestine after growing up in the USA, the photographer found himself drawn to Ramallah’s burgeoning skate scene. His debut monograph explores the city’s rebellious youth, who pull tricks in the face of occupation.

Written by: Miss Rosen

Surreal abstract illustration featuring pink and grey organic shapes and forms on a dark background.
Culture

Inside the weird world of audio porn

Porn without pictures — Storyline-driven and ethical, imageless erotica exploded during the pandemic. Jess Thomson speaks to the creators behind the microphones.

Written by: Jess Thomson

Huck 79

We are all Mia Khalifa

How humour, therapy and community help Huck's latest cover star control her narrative.

Written by: Alya Mooro

Huck is supported by our readers, subscribers and Club Huck members. It is also made possible by sponsorship from:

Signup to our newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter to informed with the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture, featuring personal takes on the state of media and pop culture from Emma Garland, former Digital Editor of Huck, exclusive interviews, recommendations and more.

Please wait...