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August 3
‘Martha Gunn the Brighton Bather, c1800’ (via) “As the popularity of sea-bathing grew, some members of the fishing community bathed visitors for a living. This involved vigorously plunging the visitor in and out of the sea water. Most renowned for this craft was Martha Gunn. Born in 1726, she “dipped” female visitors from around 1750 until 1814. In this print, she is holding a small child. In the background bathers emerge from a bathing machine owned by John “Smoaker” Miles, who “bathed” male visitors until his death in 1794.” See also: Dippers and Bathers, with an illustration of Smoaker Miles.

‘Martha Gunn the Brighton Bather, c1800’ (via)

“As the popularity of sea-bathing grew, some members of the fishing community bathed visitors for a living. This involved vigorously plunging the visitor in and out of the sea water. Most renowned for this craft was Martha Gunn. Born in 1726, she “dipped” female visitors from around 1750 until 1814. In this print, she is holding a small child. In the background bathers emerge from a bathing machine owned by John “Smoaker” Miles, who “bathed” male visitors until his death in 1794.”

See also: Dippers and Bathers, with an illustration of Smoaker Miles.

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Victorian bathing machines at the beach Wiki: “The bathing machine was a device, popular in the 19th century, to allow people to wade in the ocean at beaches without violating Victorian notions of modesty. Bathing machines were roofed and walled wooden carts rolled into the sea. Some had solid wooden walls; others had canvas walls over a wooden frame… Once in the water, the occupants disembarked from the sea side down steps into the water. Many machines had doors front and back; those with only one door would be backed into the sea or need to be turned around. It was considered essential that the machine blocked any view of the bather from the shore. Some machines were equipped with a canvas tent lowered from the seaside door, sometimes capable of being lowered to the water, giving the bather greater privacy…. Bathing machines would often be equipped with a small flag which could be raised by the bather as a signal to the driver that they were ready to return to shore.” See also: Queen Victoria’s bathing machine

Victorian bathing machines at the beach

Wiki: “The bathing machine was a device, popular in the 19th century, to allow people to wade in the ocean at beaches without violating Victorian notions of modesty. Bathing machines were roofed and walled wooden carts rolled into the sea. Some had solid wooden walls; others had canvas walls over a wooden frame…

Once in the water, the occupants disembarked from the sea side down steps into the water. Many machines had doors front and back; those with only one door would be backed into the sea or need to be turned around. It was considered essential that the machine blocked any view of the bather from the shore. Some machines were equipped with a canvas tent lowered from the seaside door, sometimes capable of being lowered to the water, giving the bather greater privacy….

Bathing machines would often be equipped with a small flag which could be raised by the bather as a signal to the driver that they were ready to return to shore.”

See also: Queen Victoria’s bathing machine