I recently received a 'phone call from one of the country's leading antiques experts. John Bly, well known for his regular appearances on BBC's Antiques Roadshow, asked me to supply him with some pictures of Walton beaches over the past 100 years or so.

He required the photographs for an article he was writing for Life Magazine and I was pleased to be able to help him with several pictures from the Walton Archive.

Some days later John very kindly sent me a copy of the piece he had written and although not yet published I am hoping that he will not mind me quoting a short excerpt below.

....I took our summer holiday a couple of weeks ago, which consisted of three days and two nights in Walton-on-the-Naze. As guests of two dear friends who have a place there, Virginia and I agreed it was the most reassuring visit we had made for some time. Brenda Page of the Community Forum told me that it is called England’s Friendliest Resort and I can assure you that it is well so named. And here comes the nostalgia. We walked the length of the beach and saw families having a good time. Sandcastles, buckets, spades, rounders, beach cricket, kites, tea set on little tea tables, and as one child was heard to ask ”Is this why they are called sandwiches?” as he picked his up from the moat of his castle, proper food prepared at home and carried to the picnic. There was no rowdiness and no litter, just a lovely atmosphere of England at its best. The scene reminded me so much of my very first trip to the seaside way back in the late 1940’s to Clacton, not far away, and I said I am sure little has changed.

We who live in Walton are aware that a lot of change has taken place in the past 60 years, but it is gratifying to know that a person with such a keen awareness as John Bly can see many of the good things from the past still alive and well in Walton. Even though a lot less clothes are now de rigueur for the beach!