The Midland Hotel - Morecambe
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Welcome to the The Midland Hotel - Postcard Section (2) 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 Today, of course, that has been superceded by the use of text/sms or Skype or any number of other electronic methods which leave no physical trail - after all who wants to keep an 'arrived ok' or 'held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.
Illuminations
The Bandstand & Harbour Gardens, Morecambe Illuminations, professionally tinted - 1933 - from my private collection
New Midland Hotel, Morecambe Illuminations, professionally tinted - 1933
New Midland Hotel, Morecambe Illuminations, professionally tinted - 1933 - from my private collection
New Midland Hotel, Morecambe Illuminations, professionally tinted - 1933 (postmarked 1935) - from my private collection
New Midland Hotel, Morecambe Illuminations, professionally tinted - 1933 - from my private collection
Central Promenade, Morecambe Illuminations, professionally tinted - from my private collection
Central Promenade, Morecambe Illuminations, professionally tinted - from my private collection
Central Promenade and Clock Tower, Morecambe Illuminations, professionally tinted - from my private collection
The Illuminations, Morecambe early colour photograph postcard - from my private collection
The Midland Hotel Illuminated in full professionally tinted colour (see also mu;ti-view below) - postmarked 1951 - from my private collection
An unusual compilation - especially the 'Illuminated' Bus in the centre which carries the legend 'Beauty Surrounds, Health Abounds' Morecambe's town motto. The surrounding features are described as Bath from Midland Hotel, The Bath, Promenade & Midland Hotel and The Promenade W.E. (West End not Wallis & Edward)
Multi-View incl. Midland Hotel, Morecambe Illuminations, professionally tinted (postmarked 1951) - from my private collection
Multi-View incl. Midland Hotel, Morecambe Illuminations, professionally tinted (postmarked 1953) - from my private collection
Multi-View incl. Midland Hotel, Morecambe Illuminations, professionally tinted (postmarked 1951) - from my private collection
Multi-View incl. Midland Hotel, Morecambe Illuminations, professionally tinted - from my private collection
Multi-view postcard incl. the Midland Hotel, featuring Happy Mount Park in the centre with images from the Central Promenade twice and the Promenade and Gardens although the Midland is not mentioned on the front.
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside ......
Bathers enjoying the beach with the Midland Hotel as a backdrop (reproduced from a photograph) - 1933 - from my private collection
Rear of the New Midland Hotel with swimmers enjoying the sea - 1933 - (postmarked 1936) - from my private collection
Rear of the New Midland Hotel from the sea - 1933 (postmarked 1934 bearing George V red 1d stamp) - from my private collection
Bathers enjoying the beach on the sands with the Midland Hotel as a backdrop - 1933 - (postmarked 1939) - from my private collection
Bathers enjoying the beach on the sands with the Midland Hotel from the jetty as a backdrop - 1933 - from my private collection
Bathers enjoying sea with the Midland Hotel as a backdrop from the rocks - 1933 - (postmarked 1937) - from my private collection
Full colour plates
The Midland which suddenly has red livery on the side, at and above the entrance - from my private collection
The Midland Hotel and Gardens - from my private collection
The Midland Hotel and Central Promenade (postmarked 197?) - from my private collection
The Midland Hotel whilst owned by Scottish Brewers Ltd (provenance on rear of the card) - from my private collection
The Midland Hotel and general view of the gardens - from my private collection
The Midland Hotel and general view of the gardens - from my private collection
The Midland Hotel (backdrop) and Swimming Pool and Superdrome (1980 - 2011) - undated from my private collection
Approaching the Hotel
From the Central Promenade (looking west), professionally tinted, note the wealth of Deco frontages on the left side of the view - from my private collection
From the Central Promenade (postmarked 1935) - from my private collection
From the Central Promenade (postmarked 1942) - from my private collection
From the Promenade and Sands approaching the Midland Hotel (ink-dated October 1941) - from my private collection
From the Promenade and Gardens approaching the Midland Hotel
Here's another variation of the 'card that has got everything' ( see below) but this one is in colour and almost seems to be a painting - the cars are certainly more modern than the one above - but the lampposts are the same - (postmarked 1963 if you would believe that!) - from my private collection
This card has got everything, the Midland Hotel, the Super Swimming Stadium, the Cenotaph in the Gardens, the Promenade featuring period cars and fashions and the quirky 'Flash Gordon' lights (postmarked 1953 unbelievably) - from my private collection
Approaching from the Central Promenade with the Midland in the distance - from my private collection
Approaching from the Central Promenade with the Midland in the distance (professionally tinted) - from my private collection
Approaching from the Central Promenade with the Midland in the distance (professionally tinted and postmarked 1946 of 1949) - from my private collection
Approaching from the Central Promenade with the Midland in the distance (colour photograph card) - from my private collection
Approaching from the Central Promenade with the Midland in the distance and Tower in the forefront (postmarked 1957) - from my private collection
Approaching from the Central Promenade with the Midland in the distance and Tower in the forefront - from my private collection
Approaching from the Central Promenade with the Midland in the distance and Tower (and bus going away from the hotel) in the forefront - from my private collection
Approaching from the Central Promenade with the Midland in the distance and Tower (and bus going towards the hotel) in the forefront (postmarked 1958) - from my private collection
Colour version approaching from the Central Promenade with the Midland in the distance and Tower in the forefront (postmarked 1972) - from my private collection
Approaching from the Promenade Gardens with the Midland forming the backdrop (postmarked 1951) - from my private collection
The Beach with bathers and the Midland forming the backdrop in the distance (postmarked 1952) - from my private collection
Approaching from the Promenade with cars of the period creating a time stamp of the early sixties (postmarked obscured but could be 1960) - from my private collection
The Midland Hotel dispatched to the becoming the backdrop in this busy scene from the Promenade Gardens - from my private collection
Sea Bathing at Morecambe with the Midland visible in the distance on this colour postcard postmarked 1978 - from my private collection.
From the West End - from my private collection
From the Promenade to the Midland Hotel and Marineland - early colour photograph (postmarked 1972) - from my private collection
From the Promenade approaching the side of the Midland Hotel (unusual blue tint added to the sea and sky - postmarked 1965) has a 1950s feel about it - from my private collection
Described as a view of Morecambe Bay from the West End showing Warton Knott and Lake Hills - I can see the Midland Hotel as well - from my private collection
From the West End (not sure what the buildings are) - from my private collection
I love these lamp posts - they remind me of the Buck Rogers serials but the cars look as if they are 1950s - which doesn't mean the lamp posts are, but they're not the original 1930s we've seen earlier. Update - they are indeed 1950s read more here
From the Promenade approaching the side of the Midland Hotel - from my private collection
The West End Promenade approaching the Midland Hotel - fabulous Flash Gordon street lighting, veteran cars and something you wouldn't see today - a child wandering unattended!
From the Promenade 'showing' the Midland Hotel - date unknown - from my private collection
Well and truly in the distance, barely visible, blending into the landscape from the Promenade - date unknown - from my private collection
Page refreshed : 5th November 2018