The Evolution of the Holiday Snap
“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... It remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.” - Aaron Siskind
Scroll down to explore our ever-growing collection of treasured holiday memories from the last 100 years.
1910s
“Abbie, Matie, Mabelle, Mr. Ashdown, Della, Amy, Mary Dyar, Bulah, Ceccie, Lyle, Austin, Bert Byar and Davie at Ocean Beach, California in 1910. The Herbert Dyer family had come to visit the Smith/Carringer family.”
“My great grandparents, Lida and Maurice sporting appropriate bathing attire in Cleveland, July 1911.”
“Grandfather William's sister Babette Weidenthal Newman, kneeling back row left, with friends - Euclid Beach, Cleveland, Ohio in 1911.”
“The joy of reaching your destination. Provo Canyon June 1919. Friends of my great aunt Winifred, aka Winnie, and I think, some early members of the Wasatch Mountain Club.”
“My great aunt Bob (Babette) third from left, with her husband Joe Newman and friends on the Humphrey tennis court at Euclid Beach near Cleveland, August 1911. She wrote on the photo: "Love All" How the heck did they play in those long skirts?! You might be familiar with their nephew, Paul Newman.”
“Bathing beauties. Provo Canyon, Utah June 1919. Nothing like a wool swimsuit in a cold mountain lake!”
“Ellen Doctor, posing on the rocks at the beach during a family visit to California. She was originally from Belleville, Kansas. This would have been La Jolla Beach near San Diego, in about 1913.”
“Henry, Della and family enjoying a refreshing watermelon in the sun in Alpine, California in 1917.”
“This is my great-grandfather Lyle Carringer and his friends, probably on La Jolla Beach in San Diego in about 1916. He often went to the beach for fun”
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1920s
“Skiing in Utah early 1920 with Great Aunt Winifred.”
“Betty and her father on a visit to San Diego Zoo in about 1923. The zoo offered elephant rides to patrons, probably for a fee. This photo appeared in the ZooNooZ magazine published by the Zoological Society.”
“This was in San Diego, Betty had a toy pedal car and the gas station attendant was pretending to fuel her car. This was taken in about 1923.”
“Alec and his friend digging for treasure as the waves crash behind them in Goodrington, Devon in 1920.”
“Alec, Don and friend sat on the beach in Goodrington, Devon in 1920.”
“The Cooper and Gray families in Goodrington, Devon in 1920.”
“This is my New Yorker grandmother sporting vintage swimsuit fashion in circa early 1920s.”
“This is my grandmother taking a dip in her stunning swimming attire in the 1920s. Pretty sure this is as deep as she would go in as she was not a keen swimmer.”
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1930s
“My grandmother, Maria Rodriguez, and her boyfriend enjoying the Pennsylvania spring in 1937.”
“Long Beach April 1937 - Robert & Junior.”
“Long Beach April 1937. Looking at the camera is Hilda, my grandmother.”
“Mabel and her best friend Ada on the beach with 'the lads from Leeds' in 1937.”
“A trip to Christchurch Harbour in Dorset to celebrate the Whitsun bank holiday in 1939. Pictured here are Father, Mother in her favourite hat, their beloved dog Denly, and sons Midge and Jeffrey.”
“Enjoying a road trip through California and Oregon to Washington state in 1936. They took many photos on Mount Rainier.”
“Long Beach April 1937. Walking in the distance is my father with what looks like a fishing pole in his hand. The barefoot man in the foreground is my grandfather Benjamin.”
“My grandfather Hermann Gruber on the right in St Martin, Upper Austria, 1938.”
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1940s
“My grandfather, Harold Coar, was a highly decorated Air Force Pilot and spent time all around the world. He was a very strong man, and in all of his travels around the world, he used to do handstands everywhere. This particular Polaroid we found after he died was of him doing one of his 'famous' handstands on the edge of the Grand Canyon in July of 1943, with "I'll never grow up" written on it.”
“My dad showing off in front of his new bride (my mum) on their honeymoon in 1947.”
“My grandfather was in the navy and used to travel on the merchant ships during the war. He took this picture of some local snake charmers while he was in Sri Lanka, or Ceylon as it was then in 1942.”
“My nan and great-nan sunning themselves on the beach in Blackpool 1945.”
“On this holiday in 1946, my father, pictured here, saw two boys struggling in the water having fallen out of their boat. Two onlookers dived in to save them, both struggled to swim out to the boys. Dad was just about to go in and help when one of the men realised the water was only about 3ft deep! They all stood up and walked out of the lake covered in algae. My dad thought this was very, very funny and laughed profusely whenever he told the story.”
“Doris and Len enjoying the sunshine with their best friends in Skeggy in 1946.”
“Mabel topping up the tan under the sunny skies of North England in 1946.”
“This was in 1946, a man was selling horse rides and photos, he provided the outfit too!”
“This is my grandmother Maria visiting Nuevo Leon, Mexico in 1946.”
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1950s
“Each week during the summer the Leicester Evening Mail would dispatch a photographer to Skegness to get photos of families from Leicestershire on holiday. The photographer was a man called Neville Chadwick, he evntually opened his own photographic business and press agency. A few years later in August 1969, at the age of 16, I got my first job as a junior photographer at 'Neville Chadwick Photography'. I showed him our photo and he remembered taking it.”
“This is me, my mum, dad and brother family walking along the pier in Llandudno in 1954. My mum always said that I looked unhappy in this one because I had got sand from the beach in my shoes, so they were uncomfortable to walk in. To this day I can remember that and they did hurt!”
“John Briffa crosses the equator for the first time in 1956”
“My dad Emmerich with his cousin Rosi visiting their Oma (Grandmother) for a little holiday break in Hinterstoder, 1956.”
“Gillian and Gladys on a donkey ride on the beach in Lancashire in 1959.”
“The photo was taken in 1958 at Butlins in Ayr, Scotland. My grandad drove the bus for all the holiday makers and was allowed to take my grandma for one of their first holidays after they were married.”
“This is my dad at the Rufus Stone in Cadnam, New Forest. The iron-clad stone marks the spot where King William II was fatally wounded with an arrow in 1100AD. But this was a little later on, 1956 to be precise!”
“My dad and Ken at the pier in circa 1954.”
“My nan, Peggy, on holiday in Austria in 1950.”
“Annetta with Jonathan travelling to Singapore in 1958.”
“Brian, Andrew and David Jackson enjoying an afternoon treat in Chipping, Lancashire in 1957.”
“This is Grace Weidenthal in the summer of ’57 on the Staten Island ferry. It was her first time going back to visit her parents in NY after getting married and moving to Cleveland.”
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1960s
“John, Annetta, Jonathan and Fiona Briffa boarding SS Oriana in Naples to continue their journey to the U.K. from Australia in early 1961. This was the Oriana’s first return trip from Australia, a trip that took approximately 2 months.”
“The Andrews Family enjoying a bank holiday at Birchington-on-Sea in 1961.”
“Kitty and daughter Lesley playing ball on the beach in Frinton in 1964.”
“The Riesner family on holiday in Gosau, Upper Austria in 1967.”
“My grandparents Emmerich and Berta Riesner are pictured here with my Great-Grandmother and my Aunts Hannelore and Margit in Hinterstoder, 1964.”
“Peter, his mother Dorothy and his father in the Bernese Alps on a trip to Switzerland in 1963.”
“This was 1960, we are outside the caravan at Warkworth - buckets and spades at the ready. I don't know who the two kids on the left are - we probably met them at the site. We made friends for life for two weeks and then usually forgot about them.”
“Keith Andrews enjoying a treat at the beach in 1964.”
“Jonathan, sisters Fiona and Antonia and Mum Annetta visit Washington D.C. in late 1969. Fiona and Antonia were often dressed in matching outfits.”
“This is my mom, Suzanne, and her brothers, Stephen, Rich, and Kevin, at the 1964 World's Fair in New York City.”
“David Stubbs dressed in Cowboy attire as he enjoys a holiday in Wales in 1960.”
“This was on a train journey to Gwendreath Cornwall. My brother John and I were obviously a little sleepy!”
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1970s
“My parents Erich and Sonja exploring Bali's Hindu temples in 1976.”
“My sister on a cruise holiday on the SS Uganda in the summer of 1974 - flares were obviously obligatory back then, even in the desert!”
“My dad on a boat trip along the Vietnamese coast in 1975.”
“This is Rose, my great grandmother (who suffered with glaucoma) looking as sun-kissed and glamorous as always on board the QE2 with my aunties in 1970. I love their long white socks and matching necklaces - groovy baby!”
“Regina Riesner with her daughter Christina making the most of the snow in Rossfeld near Salzburg in 1977.”
“Annetta on holiday in Malta. Here she stands by the Upper Barrakke Gardens in Valetta in 1976.”
“Cousin Joe and family looking glamorous on one of Malta's many rocky beaches in 1976.”
“My grandparents, Tom and Maria, visiting Universal Studios in the late 1970s.”
“Hilda and Frederick Ross visit Bath's Royal Crescent with their daughter Annetta in 1976.”
“This is my dad Jack camping in Northern Pennsylvania around 1975.”
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1980s
“My mum and dad on their 1st wedding anniversary in Versailles, Paris in 1988. They are celebrating their 30th anniversary next year! We'll dig out the yellow dungarees!”
“Jenna trying on a pair of clogs in Amsterdam on a layover, en-route to the UK from India in 1988.”
“My dad enjoying a Jeep safari in Gran Canaria in 1984.”
“Mary and 'Big Joe' Ullianich visit Stone Henge with Annetta Briffa in 1987.”
“This was a trip to Canterbury with my grandmother in the 1980s, she was blind but loved to get out and explore the world!”
“Jenna and Cassie having fun at Jurong Bird Park, Singapore 1988.”
“Hal Elferdink holidaying in Giza, Egypt in 1989. After Hal's wife passed away, he spent his time travelling the world.”
“Jenna with with Geeta (her Aiyah) at the Taj Holiday Villiage, Goa, India in 1987.”
“The Moore family on a mini break to Amlwch, Anglesey to visit great grandma Charlotte Evelyn Moore. Pictured here is the Moore Family - Hilary, Barbara, Laurence, Charlotte Evelyn and friend Joan Dorkins in 1982.”
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1990s
“These cool dudes are enjoying the 1999 total eclipse in Reims, France. Dad said that it would be a great vantage point. I suppose it was just a coincidence that it was in the Champagne region!”
“David with his two daughters Hannah and Emma by St Quen’s Bay, Jersey in 1992.”
“Steve, John and Peter at Morte Point Near Ilfracombe, North Devon in 1994.”
“Me and my yacht in Cannes in 1994. I really loved those sunglasses”
“This is my niece in 1994, she loved to roll around in the sand, whereas her sister would spend all day walking to and from the sea washing her feet!”
“Charles the Priest visiting from Adelaide, Australia in 1994. He would visit his aunt in the UK every couple of years, usually going via Malta where his mother was born.”
“Sand dunes with Emma and Hilary in Rousillon in 1998.”
“My brother and I visiting Mickey in Disneyland Paris circa 1995.”
“Grandad having a ball on St Catherine's slipway, Jersey in 1999.”
“Pam and sons John and Peter with their matching outfits in North Devon, 1994.”
“My Grandad Laurence playing his favourite banjo in Guillamet, Dordogne in 1992. Grandad loved to play the banjo.”
“The girls standing by one of Malta's infamous and slightly dangerous buses. Hannah and Olivia visited Malta to attend a big family wedding in 1994.”
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2000s
“Me on the horse I took to the entrance of the Siq to get into Petra, Jordan in 2004.”
“Grandad by the beach at St Quen’s Bay, Jersey in 2005”
“Bryan and Steve on a cliff top whilst on holiday in 2008.”
“On top of the world in New Zealand in 2009.”
“Here are my lovely aunties, sunning themselves in France. They put the patio chairs in the pool and used our bodyboard as a table for their drinks and snacks. Talk about luxury!”
“Taking in the Icelandic landscape in circa 2004.”
“Enjoying the view from the 'Top of the Rock' in 2006, such a beautiful day for it too!”
“My older sister got married in 2001 on the island of Grenada in the Caribbean and I wanted to capture the moment as a family member and not a professional photographer with my Diana camera.”
“This is a shot from a November vacation in Big Bend National Park in Texas, my wife Alesandra is in the photo in circa 2007.”
“In 2007 I went on a volunteering holiday in Costa Rica. I met volunteers from all over the globe, this couple were Canadian and we discovered more of the local area together on this trip.”
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2010s
“This is Hua Mountain, China. It is very famous in Chinese legend; Hua Quan Kung Fu is one of the most traditional styles of Kung Fu, dating back centuries and takes its name from this mountain. That’s why I had the sword – they were selling them at the bottom so people could pose like a Kung Fu Master at the top! Getting there was terrifying, I had to climb along the most dangerous mountain path in all of China, literally balancing on a wooden board on the side of a sheer cliff face!”
“Me and my friend Emma enjoying a Czech beer in spring 2016.”
“Tom, Emma, Lucy and I posing at the beach by the Twelve Apostles during our trip along the Great Ocean Road in Australia in 2016.”
“We took a road trip around Iceland in 2013, at one point we followed a road marked 'impassable' thinking our big 4x4 would have no trouble. Before we knew it we were stuck in the snow with nothing but a lunch box to dig ourselves out! I suppose you could say it was character building!”
“I was lucky enough to capture some Zanzibar locals fishing on Zanzibar Island when holidaying in 2015.”
“The Garbers family on holiday at beautiful Lago Maggiore, Italy in 2011.”
“Hannah and I acting casual by an elephant in Avignon in 2010. Excellent photo bombing skills by the child.”
“This was on a visit to Marae Arahurahu - a sacred ground and sacrificial alter in Tahiti where locals re-enact old Polynesian ceremonies. Their thunderous drumming echoed throughout the valley and appeared to cause an almighty rainstorm - we used giant banana leaves as umbrellas! It was one of the most spectacular things I have ever seen.”
“Ben doing the classic Leaning Tower of Pisa pose when we were visiting in 2012. It was so much fun to see all the tourists posing with the tower.”
“Here I am hanging out on a palm tree with Kirsten, a German girl I met when on holiday in Costa Rica in 2010.”
“This photo of me was taken during a road trip around Tuscany (a must for anyone who loves food and wine!) in 2012. The landscape is absolutely incredible there, and we often stopped to take photos.”
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Upload Your Photo
We hope this walk down memory lane has inspired you to dig out your holiday snaps and share stories with your family. If you'd like to contribute to the collection, you can upload your own photos using the form below.
Sources
With special thanks to:
- sharingthepast.com
- geneamusings.com
- savefamilyphotos.com
- A. Haider
- A. Parcell
- Andrews Family
- B. Doughterty
- Briffa Family
- C. Hamilton
- C. Mclauchlan
- Clayfield Family
- D. Jarvis
- E. Ibbetson
- Evemy Family
- Fox Family
- Garbers Family
- J. Forbes
- K. Lai
- Kathy M
- L. Conklin
- Lodge Family
- M. Skinner
- Mansfield Family
- Moore Family
- R. Bradley
- R. Ennals
- R. Seaver
- Riesner Family
- Ross Family
- S. Saltzman
- Sculley Family
- Stubbs Family
- Wiltshire Family
- Woodier / Harris Family
- Wyatt Family
