Your guide to sunshine

The earliest guide book of Bognor Regis appears to have been published in 1807 and named '˜The Origin & Description of Bognor or Hothamton and an account of some adjacent villages'.

This small book has an introduction by J B Davis, which commences with the statement: 'As no general account has been given of this agreeable watering-place, I have yielded to the temptation of presenting the public with a description of it.'

Mr Davis then introduces us to 'this rural watering place', with a major statement of 'no spot on the coast of England is perhaps better calculated for the two-fold purpose of sea-bathing and retirement than Bognor'.

Remember, of course, this statement was made in 1807. This early publication only had one sepia picture of the area. The remarks were then used in subsequent years as an introduction and advertisement for the town.

In the 1880s, the Bognor Observer produced a paper known as the '˜Bognor Observer and Visitors List' which provided information for new arrivals to the area, including a direct extract from Mr Davis's book to entice the visitors to the seaside.

However, the quote was attributed to a '˜Lovett's Illustrated Guide to Bognor'.

One of the official town guides, published in 1912 by the Bognor Urban District Council, included 50 illustrations and two maps and a considerable number of advertisements, obviously used to finance the 120-page book.

The text provides great detail regarding directions for the traveller to take.

It also proclaims the health-giving properties of the area, stating that certain ailments can be greatly assisted by a visit to the seaside.

Moving into the 1900s, advertising and brochures changed considerably as the town expanded and photographic images were introduced.

The 1926 guide spoke of Bognor as 'a golden strand set beneath a golden sun' '“ very descriptive I am sure you will agree, but the writer Lewis Essex provides this enticement: 'Nothing is more certain than this, that the visitor arriving at Bognor for the first time, in search of either pleasure or health, so soon as he steps without our delightfully fresh and clean railway station, is compelled willy-nilly, to give himself up to a sense of exhilaration and sheer joy of living as the blazing sunshine beats down upon him', thus giving the visitor an immediate impression of what the town has to offer.

Recent publications have a range of photographs, which add to the sometimes flowery prose used. Word craft has changed over the years and the flowery invitations have since been replaced by dramatic pictures and short descriptive paragraphs.

Early guides not only included information on the surrounding area but also detailed data on angling, sports, buses, clubs and societies available in the town coupled with details of military bands on hand at the bandstands.

Advertising included enticements to many of the schools that were available to suit all types of requirements.

The guides from 1929 had a new purpose and a drive to them. Following the return to health of King George V and his proclamation that we could now add '˜Regis' to the town's name, things changed.

Now they were able to advertise that we had been renamed Bognor Regis, and could proudly state that we were '˜The Royal Health Resort', as in the 1932 publication.

By 1937, we were announcing that we were 'The Royal Key to Health', complete with a key logo.

In the 1950s and early 1960s, the town was still advertising itself as '˜'Bognor Regis '“ the Royal key to health'.

The main push was still in respect of our health-giving properties, with 'sunshine, sea breezes and tonic-like air'.

Comparisons were made with London. When it was under the shadow of fog or rain or general gloom it is time to visit the seaside.

As the years passed, advertising changed. People's ideas of where they wanted to go on holiday, the availability of travel abroad and the ability of people to fly away to the sunshine has affected many areas of Britain.

During the 1960s and early 1970s, there was a decline in tourism as could be seen by the number of hotels closing down and being transformed into flats.

Even the Royal Norfolk Hotel nearly fell victim to this trend. We still have a number of holiday venues, like Butlins, the Riverside, Church Farm.

Many of these provided entertainment on their own premises. These people could send for the town guide and then come into the town to enjoy what was available. I wonder how many of today's residents of Bognor Regis and district have actually seen a town guide?

The guide for 2003 did not exactly fall into the early style of advertising for the town.

I am sure for many residents they are not fully aware of things that are available for visitors, as I am constantly told there is nothing to do here '“ have you looked?

Their booklet was a world away from the 1807 guide as it is full of coloured images of the town and its people.

During the early 2000s, guides advertised the town as 'Sun and fun at the seaside'. We are still topping the sunshine league, and the 2006 visitor guides tell us that, since 1952, we have recorded 104,029 hours of sunshine, more than anywhere in Britain. We have historic buildings, and many events held during summer, suitable for all age groups.

The style of publication has changed considerably over the years and, in the 21st century, we are not promoting health giving properties, ranges of schools available to service personnel.

We don't promote the groups, clubs and societies that are available. We don't provide information on populations, death rates, inhabited houses.

There is also no need for information on the water supply or the rateable value as there was years ago.

However, I have a personal question, how will local historians in 50 years' time find out such interesting and useful information on the town when trying to find out '˜how we lived then?