The Midland Hotel - Morecambe
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Welcome to the The Midland Hotel - Postcard Section (3) 1933 to present day
A familiar, even 'iconic' reproduction of the original LMS poster
Postcard Collections
There's something about postcard collections isn't there? I am not a collector of postcards (as such) and yet I seem to have hundreds of them strewn over the house! Most of them, as I look at them nostalgically are from people I cherish who originally sent them as a means to let me know they had reached their destination safely or wanted me to know what a wonderful time they were having. Today, of course, that has been superceded by the use of text/sms or Skype or any number of other electronic methods which leave no physical trail - after all who wants to keep an 'arrived ok' or 'held up at the airport' or 'stuck in traffic jam' notification. The postcard at least is a very personal thing. I know that when I sent any, it was with the recipient in mind and wherever I could, I chose appropriately. I think only the Eiffel Tower matches the Midland Hotel for variations on a theme! It's interesting to follow the fortunes of the hotel (the Eiffel Tower of course has never lost its appeal) as my examples will show how the hotel became diminished after the war and throughout the 50s to well into the 2000s before its Renaissance in the first and second decades of the 21st century. An additional bonus of having so many images over the years, it gives us a historical record of the hotel. For my own part, I created a postcard with a chronological record printed on the reverse (not leaving much room for any messages) for the simple reason that having been involved for so long in the campaign run by the 'Friends of the Midland' and suffering so many setbacks, by the time Urban Splash took over I was seriously afraid that the hotel would fall down before it was saved. Luckily that was not the case.
I created my own
I was so impressed with a postcard that had been created for the closing of the 'Ocean Hotel' in Saltdean, that I was inspired to create my own when it was announced that after many disappointments and stop/starts yet another company, this time Urban Splash, were to take over the restoration. At the time we did not know Urban Splashs' pedigree and their success in restoration.
Multi-Views
An unusual multi-view featuring the Midland Hotel in all four segments, in the distance on the Promenade and Bandstand, Midland Hotel & Harbour Bandstand, Midland Hotel and the Central Promenade - the centrepiece features a girl feeding the seagulls in typical 30s attire and hairstyle - a wonderful historical record. This is my latest acquisition (August 2018) - unfortunately the postmark is obscured but the postcard bears a 1d George V red postage stamp. (I have a postcard postmarked 1936 featuring the bandstand [top right] so will class this one as circa 1933-36)
An unusual multi-view postcard with a Christmas style 'Merry' pre-fix featuring (clockwise from top left) Morecambe Baths, the Winter Gardens, Central Pier with a prominent Don's Café, The Gaumont (with Art Deco features and Flash Gordon streetlights, The Alhambra and The Empire. (Date and provenance unknown)
Multi-view featuring the Midland Hotel, the Super Swimming Stadium and the Central Rockery, Pier and Promenade (postmarked 1958) - from my private collection
Multi-view featuring the Midland Hotel, the War Memorial (Cenotaph), Central Promenade and Heysham Gardens (postmarked 1935) - from my private collection
Multi-view featuring the Midland Hotel (not identified) in the centre of the collage and surrounded by the Promenade and Pier, West End Bandstand, Promenade and Swimming Stadium and the Heysham Gardens - from my private collection
Multi-view with the Midland Hotel identified in the centre and surrounded by the Harbour Promenade and Bandstand, West End Promenade, West end Bandstand and the Sunny Slopes lake in Heysham - from my private collection
Early multi-view of Morecambe featuring the ubiquitous Clock Tower, with the Midland Hotel in the distance, the Central Promenade and Gardens, War Memorial/Cenotaph and Winter Gardens, an aerial shot of the Midland Hotel with the Super Swimming Pool taking centre position (postmarked 1937) - from my private collection
Here the Midland Hotel is centrally showcased withing a lucky horseshoe and surrounded by the Bandstand and Gardens, Sunshine Slopes in Sandylands, the Winter Gardens and the Bathing pool (postmarked 1949) - from my private collection
Refreshing composition with the Midland Hotel place in the prominent position and surrounded by the Lido Promenade & Rock Gardens, Sandylands, Central Promenade, West End Promenade and Sunset at Morecambe - from my private collection
The West End takes centre on this multi-view and is surrounded by the The Promenade and Bandstand (with a distant view of the Midland Hotel in the background), High Tide at Heysham Point, Sunny Slopes and a rear view, from the sea of the Midland Hotel (postmark obscured but the card carries an orange 2d stamp bearing the head of King George VI) - from my private collection
Multi-view postcard featuring the Midland Hotel in what is a tribute to Morecambe's West End Promenade - from my private collection
One of the unusual blue tinted mutli-view cards featuring the Promenade and Clock Tower as the centre piece and surrounded by images of the Promenade and Central Pier, Rockery Gardens, Beach and Winter Gardens and an aerial view of the Midland Hotel identified as the Town Centre (postmarked 1957) from my private collection
Multi-view postcard featuring the Midland Hotel in what is a tribute to Morecambe's Central Promenade (postmarked 1947) - from my private collection
The Central Pier takes centre stage on this card surrounded by views of the West End Promenade (twice), the Central Gardens and finally a distance shot of the Midland Hotel with the Boating Pool in the foreground (postmarked 1962) - from my private collection
Divers in the Super Swimming Stadium take pole position in the multi-view with the Midland Hotel in the bottom right corner - from my private collection
Multi-view postcard featuring the Clock Tower with the Midland Hotel and the Old Church in Heysham in secondary position - from my private collection
Multi-view featuring the Midland Hotel, the Super Swimming Stadium, the West End Promenade and Happy Mount Park (postmarked 1957) - from my private collection
Multi-view featuring the Midland Hotel, the Super Swimming Stadium, Central Promenade and the Sunny Slopes in Heysham - from my private collection
Multi-view featuring the Midland Hotel, Promenade and Sands (West End), Childrens, Boating and the Bandstand and Gardens and Paddling Pools (possibly June 1946) - from my private collection
Central Sands with a glimpse of Don Café in the far background, Shrimp Boats, the West End from the sea, the Midland Hotel and Bandstand all framing the centre stage ponies on these 'Greetings from Morecambe' (postmarked 1954) - from my private collection
More animal greetings from Morecambe & Heysham with the Midland Hotel relegated to the status of Promenade Gardens, other views surrounding doggy are the Model Yacht Pond, 'Bathing' (Super Swimming) Stadium and the Promenade (postmarked 1961) - from my private collection
A donkey ride is pronounced 'Better than School'
The Morecambe Tower with the Midland peeking our behind it, a 50s style bus, the Rose Garden in the Happy Mount Park and the Bathing Pool (postmarked in the 1960s) - from my private collection
The wording is complemented by roundels of images of Morecambe - from my private collection
The Midland Hotel features twice together with the Town Hall, Central Promenade, Harbour Bandstand, West End Promenade and Bandstand - from my private collection
Similar to the card above it only this time the Town Hall,Harbour Bandstand and rear of the Hotel are replace by the Japanese Gardens at Happy Mount Park, the Kiddies Paddling Pool at Happy Mount Park and Clock Tower and Promenade - from my private collection
All good wishes from the main places of interest in Morecambe including three views of the Midland Hotel but you need to look carefully (postmarked 1945/6) - from my private collection
With every good wish - two images of the Midland Hotel and a rare sighting of Don Cafe on the pier
Multi-Views in Full Colour
An early example of a professionally tinted multi-view card with the Midland Hotel in the centre surrounded by The Promenade & Gardens, The Clock Tower and Sailing Yachts - from my private collection
A very early (postmarked) 1948 professionally tinted postcard featuring the Midland Hotel in centre position - from my private collection
An early (postmarked) 1950 professionally tinted postcard featuring the Midland Hotel in centre position - from my private collection
The Midland Hotel still featuring as a major player in this (postmarked) 1974 card which lists the hotel by name on the reverse - from my private collection
The Midland Hotel is still not identified on the reverse of the card despite being give a quarter (25%) share of the postcard - from my private collection
The hotel, clearly visible is not identified by name on the reverse of the card - from my private collection
As general interest in the hotel is waning, other views or images take precedence - in this case two adorable black kittens with ribbons - from my private collection
As general interest in the hotel continues to wane, other views or images take precedence - in this case the ubiquitous beach donkey in his best hat - from my private collection
Selling romance in Morecambe? If that was the intention then they forgot to name the Midland Hotel on the reverse - from my private collection
The hotel is not identified on the reverse of this multi-view postcard despite being visible at the far end of the promenade - from my private collection
The Morecambe sunset (and they are spectacular) entices the visitor to come on a fishing holiday - once again the Midland Hotel is omitted from the description on the reverse of the card - from my private collection
A particularly uninspiring composition of Morecambe's landmarks most likely from the late 1960s/early 1970s judging by the style of the cars.
Ponies & Bikers
Motorcycle rally contestants by the Midland Hotel in 1953 © Lancaster City Museums - from my private collection
Pony rides on the beach (what more can one say?) - from my private collection
Ponies in the Sands, Morecambe (postmarked 1965) - from my private collection
Unusual Aspects
The original Bandstand pre-1933 (postmarked 1927) - from my private collection
If you are standing with your back to the Midland Hotel you would see this view of a corner of the Super Swimming Stadium to your left, the Cenotaph/War Memorial ahead of you and the pier in the distance - at the beginning of the pier you can just make out Don Café which was also designed in the art moderne style and about which, very little is known (or remembered) - from my personal collection
Although this is entitled Central Pier and Promenade - the Don Café can clearly be seen on the left hand side of the card and is the opposite to the view on the card above this one - rarely seen from this angle and the Midland Hotel is squeezed into the immediate background (postmarked 1953) - from my private collection
The Central Promenade - 1933 - taken from the Midland Hotel (postmarked 1952 but quite obviously a much earlier image - just look at the car models)
And then I found the colour version of the same postcard giving us an insight into how colourful the whole scene is when bathed in sunshine - from my private collection
Unidentified dates
Page refreshed : 26th September 2018 (G)