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We are pleased to say that we now have the Official 1958 Skegness Holiday Guide as published by the Skegness Urban District Council online for you to browse.

We have seven (and counting) of these vintage holiday guides, ranging from 1909 to 1971 in our collection of Skegness memorabilia, and it is our intention to share them with our visitors by uploading them to our Skegness Photo Gallery. The vintage holiday guides are a valuable source of Skegness history, being crammed with local business adverts, entertainment and photos.

As you can imagine, it’s a laborious task scanning the books in - some have a hundred pages! So we’ve just included the adverts for the larger hotels and ommited the smaller ones. But please ask if you want a look-up in the years below for a hotel or guest house which we haven’t uploaded. Ofcourse, we have scanned the main holiday information pages and pictures.

The front covers of the 1909, 1971, 1948, 1947 and 1925 holiday guides are shown below:

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A 1999 local news story about the auction of the historical Skegness plans document as in the photograph below. The news article hold little gems of revealing information such as Castle Boulevard was to be named Osbert Road, and an aquarium was originally planned for the Pleasure Gardens.

But the burning questions must be -  WHO ended up buying the historical document and WHERE is it today? Don’t worry, folks - we’re on its trail…

History going under the hammer
A REMNANT of old Skegness that dates back to 1878 is due to go under the hammer this week end.
A plan of the proposed development of the Earl of Scarbrough’s estate goes before the auctioneer at Turner Evans auctioneers, Roman Bank, tomorrow, Saturday.
The framed plan, which measures 36in by 27in, roughly covers an area from Grand Parade in the east across to Roman Bank in the west, and from Lumley Road to Osbert Road, now known as Castleton Boulevard.

Referring to Skegness as “the Sea Bathing Place of Skegness on the Lincolnshire Coast,” the plan is signed by land agent, HV Tippet of Rotherham.
There were some interesting ideas in the proposals, for instance the plan shows the “pleasure gardens” on Grand Parade with an aquarium and winter gardens, bandstand, and pavilion.
The Hildreds Hotel, now the site of the Hildreds shopping centre, is marked on the plan, and there was a music hall proposed for the corner of Scarbrough Avenue and Rutland Road.
There were also stables behind what was the Scarbrough Hotel, on the corner of Grand Parade and Scarbrough Avenue.

The auction of antique furnishings and effects begins at 11am Turner Evans’ Mart Saleroom, and the goods can be viewed today, Friday, between 1pm and 6pm and on the day of the sale.
Pictured below Is the plan of the proposed development of the estate of the Earl of Scarbrough,
which is being auctioned tomorrow by Turner Evans, Roman Bank, Skegness.

February 1935

Conversion of the Lawn Theatre Skegness
The Lawn Theatre on High Street, Skegness, was assimilated into the Hildred’s Hotel ( the building to the right) in February, 1935.
The church is St Paul’s on Beresford Avenue, Skegness.

APPEAL FOR SKEGNESS MEMORABILIA
Skegness Civic Society is asking Skegness people to search their collections, sheds and attics for once familiar, but now forgotten, everyday objects to display in the Society’s Jolly Fisherman Exhibition for National Heritage Days 12th to 14th September 2008.

Jolly Fisherman Centenary Exhibition

To coincide with the National Heritage Days in 2008 (see www.heritageopendays.org), Skegness Civic Society is planning a Jolly Fisherman Centenary Exhibition in the Town Hall from 12th to 14th September. Among other exhibits that will give a flavour of the times the exhibition will show large specially-printed Jolly Fisherman posters and feature the life and work of the famous poster artist John Hassall - who created the Jolly Fisherman in 2008.
Admission will be free.
Although the Society already has posters, photographs and exhibits about John Hassall and the Jolly Fisherman for the core of the exhibition, what it doesn’t have enough of are the everyday objects that would once have been so familiar to everyone in the Town but are now hardly ever seen. To give the exhibition more atmosphere the Society hopes Skegnesians will lend them everyday objects reflecting different periods in the 1900s to place around the exhibition hall. Objects will be securely displayed and insured against damage or loss.
Skegness Civic Society is therefore asking people in Skegness to lend us bicycles, advertising signs, telephones and the sorts objects people would just routinely see on the streets and in public places. The Society is particularly keen to borrow old mechanical slot and gaming machines (particularly wooden ones) that would have been familiar to generations of holiday makers. We are also interested in displaying any small collections specifically relating to Skegness.
Although arrangements are at an early stage yet, if anyone has items they are willing to lend to the Civic Society for the exhibition they should contact the Civic Society’s Secretary on 01754 896622 or email sunningdale8@hotmail.co.uk.
Further information may be obtained from:
Mr Peter Stephenson, Secretary to Skegness Civic Society
8 Sunningdale Drive, SKEGNESS, PE25 1BE
Tel: 01754 896622 Email: sunningdale8@hotmail.co.uk

MEMORIAL  WINDOW TO THE LATE COLONEL IREMONGER, the First Mayor of Skegness in St Matthew’s Church Skegness

Source: Skegness Herald 21st December 1888

The relatives of the late Colonel Iremonger have just placed a handsome stained-glass window in the east end of the south aisle of St. Matthew’s Church, in memory of the gallant colonel.

There are two “lights” in the window and in the one near the chancel the subject is the scene of the agony in the garden of Gethsemane, our Lord being in a kneeling posture and an angel immediately above presenting a cup to Him. On this part is the inscription “By thy cross and passion good Lord deliver us.”

In the light on the right hand the subject is the crucifixion, with Jerusalem in the background and a centurion kneeling on one side, and also the words “Truly this man was the Son of God.” In these words the centurion is represented as giving his testimony that the crucified was the Son of God.

The variations of tone in the different pieces of glass give a great richness of effect, and the artist has displayed great care in the arrangement of the colours, which are bright and pleasing.

At the foot of the window is a band, running the whole length, on which is inscribed “To the glory of God, in loving memory of Henry Edward Iremonger, Colonel Bengali Staff Corps,born 25th March, 1826, died 21st February, 1888, this window is placed by his widow, sister, and children.

The artist was Mr. W. H. Constable, F.S A., of Cambridge.

We visited St Matthew’s Church in Skegness to track down the memorial window to Iremonger, but unfortunately it is no longer there. In its place is another memorial window which was placed in 1951, just after WWII. Was Iremonger’s memorial damaged during the war? We know that the nearby Scarbrough Avenue Baths suffered bomb damage during a Second World War air raid.

Any further information on this is welcome.