The splendour of Victorian and Edwardian life in St Annes is today
nothing more than a fast-fading memory. Imagine what fun it must have
been to witness the growth of the genteel seaside resort in the late
eighteenth century. Lytham was the grand old lady of the Fylde coast,
steeped in history and tradition, and St Annes was the brash newcomer; a
town hacked out of the sandhills by rich and powerful industrialists as
recently as the mid-1870s. When the ancient and modern communities
combined - albeit reluctantly, in 1922 - the 'Opal of the West' quickly
developed and fortunes soared. The beaches were filled with relaxed
holiday makers and St Annes' pier echoed with the laughter of
daytrippers. A cut above bustling and brassy Blackpool, St Annes
attracted gentry eager to make their homes in the town. Join Peter Byrom
on this fascinating and nostalgic journey in St Annes Through Time.