Although it’s now one of the UK’s most iconic seaside towns, Hastings was once just a small fishing village.
It became globally famous due to its association with the 1066 Battle of Hastings, even though the famous showdown between William the Conqueror and Harold Godwinson was actually fought about seven miles down the road in Senlac Hill.
Despite that geographical inaccuracy, the town drew tourists in the early 1900s who travelled to Hastings in droves to enjoy holidays by the sea and admire its Norman Castle.
Like many British seaside towns, Hastings sadly suffered a fall in popularity in the 1980s and 90s when cheap package holidays abroad began to attract Brits overseas.
Nevertheless Hastings remains a popular daytrip destination for Londoners.
It’s also home to one of Europe’s last ‘beach-launched fishing fleets’ – a top tourist draw.
MailOnline Travel is now taking a walk down memory lane with this collection of fascinating, historic photos, depicting the seaside town’s glory days.
Scroll down for a stroll back into Hastings’ heyday – from donkey rides to a Marilyn Monroe lookalike competition…
This picture shows Hastings seafront in around 1900. In the previous century, Hastings had undergone a transformation from a ‘modest fishing village’ to a ‘fashionable seaside resort’, explains Rocklands Holiday Park. The cranes seen in this image are being used to construct a seawall. Hastings Pier which was designed by Eugenius Birch, a prominent seaside architect, can be seen in the background
Hastings seafront and beach is photographed here in around 1900. The beach is packed with rowing boats and wheeled bathing huts, which were used by swimmers to protect their modesty while in the sea
This photograph shows locals sitting on a German U-Boat U-118 after it washed up on Hastings beach in 1919. The ship ran aground as it was being ‘towed through the English Channel’, reveals Historic England. The town clerk made the ship into a tourist attraction and visitors were charged to raise money for returning local troops
Above, a drill instructor is photographed leading children in a workout on Hastings beach in the late 1920s
Workers from the Ticklers Jam factory enjoy the beach at Hastings while on a day out in 1923. Seasidehistory.co.uk explains that ‘the 20s and 30s was a time of huge expansion in the numbers of people taking holidays in the UK’
Some workers from the Ticklers Jam factory in Grimsby, are photographed on a day out on Hastings beach in 1923. Ticklers Jam had one of the largest factories in Grimsby during the 1920s, and supplied the frontlines with jam during WW1
Above, another worker from the Ticklers Jam factory is pictured enjoying a donkey ride on a day out in Hastings in 1923. Donkey rides became popular at the British seaside during the 1800s but conditions could be tough for the animals
A group of children are photographed enjoying the sea at Hastings Beach while on holiday in 1930. The 1930s are described as a ‘heyday’ period for Hastings by hastingshistory.net which explains that there was ‘dancing every night’ at the pier and speedboat rides
Hastings has sadly suffered from flooding many times over the years, including a recent incident in 2023. In this image, boys are photographed playing in the waves after a flooding in 1930
These Hastings’ holidaymakers were snapped as they headed down to the sea with Catamaran floats in 1935. The funky floats were described as the time period’s ‘latest craze’
Three women are photographed sitting on rocks in 1938 while they admire the ruins of Hastings Castle and the town’s pier in the distance. The Castle was Britain’s first Norman castle and was built by William the Conqueror in 1067. The ruins can still be visited today
Holidaymakers are photographed on a crowded beach in Hastings on a Bank Holiday in 1951. Historic UK explains that ‘in the 1950s and 1960s it was unusual for families to holiday abroad’ and ‘most stayed in the UK’ for vacations
This picture shows Hastings’ promenade and seafront packed with holidaymakers in 1951. The castle ruins can be seen on top of the hill at the back of the image
Hastings is one of the UK’s oldest fishing towns with cod, plaice, sole and skate the most commonly caught fish. In the above picture, taken in 1952, tourists are seen walking past fishermen’s huts, where the fishermen used to store their nets
During the post-war period, seaside holidays were at their peak in the UK. Above, holidaymakers enjoy afternoon tea at a cafe on Hastings’ seafront in 1952
In this photo, a crowd is seen gathering to see Winston Churchill who travelled to Hastings in 1955. On his visit, Churchill joined the Winkle Club, a group founded by local fishermen. All of the club members were required to carry a winkle and Churchill’s was made of solid gold
This photo shows female holidaymakers competing in a Marilyn Monroe lookalike contest in 1958. The women were required to fit inside a cutout of the famous actress’ body
Fishing boats are pictured in Hastings in 1960. Hastings still has a land-based fishing fleet which currently consists of about 20 boats. It’s one of the ‘oldest remaining beach-launched fishing fleets in Europe’
In this photo, taken in 1960, Mods are seen running across Hastings Beach. Mods and Rockers, two conflicting social groups, had regular clashes in the 1950s and 60s at seaside resorts across the south coast
This picture was taken in Hastings in 1980 and shows a much less crowded beach than previous years. The growing popularity of cheap overseas holidays meant that resorts such as Hastings suffered a fall in visitor numbers
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .