From the very early days of beach hut changing facilities protecting our ancestor's modesty to the heydays of the 1976 heatwave, the piers, storms, Punch and Judy and everything in between, these photos capture the magic and appeal of our beach.
In case you missed them: 37 incredible retro pictures of Blackpool in the 1980s, from the Golden Mile to town centre classics
31 nostalgic retro Blackpool pictures to take you back to 1980 & 1981, from the Pleasure Beach to King Charles
1. Blackpool Beach through the years
A young woman in a knitted bathing costume stands on the beach in the midst of the crowds of holidaymakers, Blackpool, c1946-c1955. Blackpool Tower is visible in the background. (Photo by English Heritage/Heritage Images/Getty Images)
2. Blackpool Beach through the years
Bathing machines lined up on the beach in front of the North Pier, 1900 (Photo by London Stereoscopic Company/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
3. Blackpool Beach through the years
Metropole Hotel 1890-1910. The Hotel Metropole as viewed from the north shore with holidaymakers on the beach in the foreground. It was built during or just after the 1860s. A number of bathing machines are lined up on the beach for potential swimmers. (Photo by English Heritage/Heritage Images/Getty Images)
4. Blackpool Beach through the years
Donkeys on the beach by the pier await tourists and holidaymakers, August 1983. (Photo by RDImages/Epics/Getty Images)
6. Blackpool Beach through the years
Holidaymakers on Blackpool beach, 3rd August 1982. (Photo by John Downing/Getty Images)