Southend Seaside Through Time

Southend-on-Sea is known for its picturesque seafront and many attractions. Visitors can stroll along the world's longest pleasure pier, or take the plunge at Adventure Island, one of the UK's favourite theme parks. Southend is also home to a vibrant music scene and cultural life, with several museums and art galleries, and plays host to a variety of events and entertainment at the Cliffs Pavilion. Recent investment draws huge numbers of people to enjoy this busy seaside town. Michael Rouse takes the reader on an 8-mile trip along the seaside from the ancient fishing port of Leigh-on-Sea through fashionable Westcliff, the day tripper's delight of Southend-on-Sea and then on to the quieter charms of Thorpe Bay and Shoeburyness, popular with lovers of the beach hut. This unique selection of old and new images and informative captions is essential reading for anybody who knows and loves this stretch of coast.

Ely-born Michael Rouse specialises in local history books, especially photographic collections, of which he has put together a great number including Ely in Old Postcards and A View in Cambridgeshire. He edited the official guide to the city of Ely for some 20 years, and has written numerous freelance articles for magazines. After some years teaching at Soham Village College, he now does storytelling at Ely Museum and takes photographs for Viva Youth Theatre in Soham. He also acts as a local councillor for Ely.