Figure 1.-- Here we see the massive bathing machines used on English beaches during the 18th and 19th century. They were so heavy that thy had to be pulled in and out by horses. This image is a tin-type of an unidentified woman and child. The woman is probably a nanny. Tin-types are difficult to date. The dealer suggested the 1860s.

Beach experienced in the 18th and 19th century were far different than the modern experinces. What was thought to be healful at the time was the seawater, not the sun. In fact female beauty demanded a lilly white complexion. As a result bathing costumes were actually more modest than modern casual dress, although mem until the mid-19th century commonly did not wear swimwear. Modest or not, men and women were not susposed to catch glimses of each other. And there was no laying about on beaches to get a tan. The idea was to get into the water with as little time on the beach as possible. And it was an adult activity. The younger kids were left at home. And there was a strict separation of men and women. As part of all this the British invented, the bathing machine. It was not exclusively used in Britain, but was more common in Britain and British Empire colonies than any other countries. The bathing machine was a device that enabled bathers to modestly change out of their orinary clothes and into swimwear. They were used by both genders, but were virtually mandatory for the ladies. It must be remembered that people wore much more elaborate clothing in the 18th and 19th century so changing was not a small matter. But this was not the only function. Horses were used to pull the batching machine off the beach into usully waist deep water. This allowed the bather to frolic out of sight of the bathers of the opposite gender. Some were very substantial wooden structures. You can see that here (figure 1). Others were more flimsy using canvas. This only changed at the turn-of-the century when British beaches were no longer segregated by gender (1901). The bathing machines did not immediately disppear. They were parked on the beach as changing rooms.

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Created: 3:47 PM 2/22/2018
Last updated: 3:47 PM 2/22/2018