As Sidmouth was a place of such renown there are photographs and postcards from at least as early as 1860.

Most of the images can only be dated very roughly. Where there is a postmark we can know that the image was prior to that date but many images seem to have been used for at least a decade. Most images will therefore be identified by posting date, if known, and by judgement of fashions and building changes where it is not. If you can help to pin down dates please let me know.

I scan, rebalance and restore the pictures I collect. Therefore where copyright will have lapsed (that is where it is more than 70 years since first publication ) or where I can not trace the copyright holder, I claim artistic copyright of all images on this site. If you would like to use them in another context please contact me.

Other copyright details appear at the bottom of this page.

Each of the images below also have their own page where further information can be found. Clicking the image will take you to its page where you can obtain an enlarged view.

Drill Hall and site.

The white building is identified as the Preventative building by Peter Orlando Hutchinson in his sketches from the mid 19th century. The Preventative Water Guard was established in 1809 to prevent smuggling, they later became the Coast Guard service.

It looks as though it was on the east corner of what we now call Ham Lane, where the Lifeboat Station now stands.

Aerial photographs of the town

This page is under construction.

Where images are from Francis Frith the original copyright resides with them if it is less than 70 years since first publication. No images have been taken from their website they are all from postcards in my possession.

For Valentine’s photographs I follow the guidelines issued by the University of St Andrew’s who hold the Valentine’s black and white postcard archive.

In other cases the copyright holder is clearly identified next to the image. If you believe copyright has been infringed please contact me.