Enjoy a glimpse of history through old images of the seaside town of Lowestoft in the English county of Suffolk, England, UK.
Old Photos of Lowestoft
The Detroit Publishing company had an extensive collection of colour photochrom images in their 1905 catalogue of Views of the British Isles. Several of them were of Lowestoft Pier, Harbour, the Royal Hotel, and other nearby locations.
I’ve suggested the ‘c.1900’ date because the images in the catalogue were thought to have been taken in the 1890s or shortly after the turn of the century.
Old photo of donkey rides and promenade along the Terrace at Lowestoft, Suffolk. The photo was part of the 1905 catalogue of the Detroit Publishing Company, which is now held in the archives of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Old photo of the inner harbour at Lowestoft, Suffolk, with the Royal Hotel in the background. The photo was part of the 1905 catalogue of the Detroit Publishing Company, which is now held in the archives of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Old photo of the Royal Hotel and its setting at Lowestoft, Suffolk. The photo was part of the 1905 catalogue of the Detroit Publishing Company, which is now held in the archives of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Old photo of the sands at Lowestoft, Suffolk, taken from the Royal Hotel. The photo was part of the 1905 catalogue of the Detroit Publishing Company, which is now held in the archives of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Old photo of the Pier Pavilion at Lowestoft, Suffolk, with the Royal Hotel in the background. The image was in the 1905 catalogue of the Detroit Publishing Company, which is now held in the archives of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Old photo of the harbour at Lowestoft, Suffolk, and the sailed fishing boats moored there. The photo was part of the 1905 catalogue of the Detroit Publishing Company, which is now held in the archives of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Old photo of the entrance to the jetty at Lowestoft in Suffolk. The photo was part of the 1905 catalogue of the Detroit Publishing Company, which is now held in the archives of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Old photo of the Pier at Lowestoft, in Suffolk. The photo was part of the 1905 catalogue of the Detroit Publishing Company, which is now held in the archives of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Old photo of pier head at Lowestoft, in Suffolk. The photo was in the 1905 catalogue of the Detroit Publishing Company, which is now held in the archives of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Old photo of the HIgh Lighthouse at Lowestoft, Suffolk, and the house in front of it. The photo was part of the 1905 catalogue of the Detroit Publishing Company, which is now held in the archives of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Old photo of the pretty cottages at Lighthouse Score, Lowestoft, and their vegetable gardens. The photo was part of the 1905 catalogue of the Detroit Publishing Company, which is now held in the archives of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Old photo of Belle Vue at Jubilee Bridge, Lowestoft, and the cattle grazing at the grassy banks. The photo was part of the 1905 catalogue of the Detroit Publishing Company, which is now held in the archives of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.Old photo of St. Margaret’s Church at Lowestoft in Suffolk. The image was part of the 1905 catalogue of the Detroit Publishing Company, which is now held in the archives of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
Old Photo of Lowestoft’s Beach
It’s not clear what year this old photo was taken. It’s before 1907, but could be much older than that.
It looks like a small group of boys are alone on the beach, wearing jackets and full trousers. So perhaps this is before the summer season started in earnest?
Very old photo of the beach at Lowestoft, Suffolk, held in the archives of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
Old Cigarette Card Photos of Lowestoft
People used to collect cigarette cards, and some brands printed photos of places across the world, including various locations around Britain. Luckily, several showed photos of Lowestoft and added nice clear location titles too.
An old cigarette card, now held in the George Arents Collection at the New York Public Library, showing a tram going over the bridge at Lowestoft Harbour.An old cigarette card, now held in the George Arents Collection at the New York Public Library, showing the Royal Hotel at Lowestoft.An old cigarette card, now held in the George Arents Collection at the New York Public Library, showing the Wellington Gardens in Lowestoft, Suffolk.An old cigarette card, now held in the George Arents Collection at the New York Public Library, showing people enjoying the seaside at Lowestoft, Suffolk, England.
Old Postcard of Lowestoft Boats
This old postcard has a lovely combination of fishing boats moored in the harbour, young lads hanging about watching what the photographer is doing, and a father looking down at his little child as they take a stroll together.
Everyone looks very natural and unposed, and the long shadows tell us everyone will soon be heading home as the summer day comes to a close.
Old photo postcard of young boys standing near the fishing boats in the harbour at Lowestoft, Suffolk, England.
North Denes Camp
This is an old photo postcard showing a large number of people at a camp site at North Denes, Lowestoft, in 1911.
An old photo of North Denes in 1911, where a large camp fire draws a lot of interest.
The Warren House
A mill once stood close to the Warren House near Lowestoft. Here the clay was ground up, and then transported to the Lowestoft Porcelain Factory on Crown Street.
Further down this page you’ll find a collection of photos of the porcelain factory buildings as they were in 1902, one hundred years after the business closed.
Old photo of Warren House and the Gunton Ravine, in Suffolk, England. Taken in December 1902. From the archives of the New York Public Library.A postcard from 1913, showing the Denes Warren House near Lowestoft, Suffolk.
Denmark Road
A postcard sent in 1916 gives us a glimpse of Denmark Road in Lowestoft, at the corner where the Great Eastern Hotel stood.
The attractive metalwork, large windows, dinner poster, parked bicycles, and collection of men is fascinating, so I’ve added two closeup images from this image too.
This photo postcard of the Great Eastern Hotel in Denmark Road, Lowestoft, was posted in 1916. Thanks to Mark Crombie, who has uploaded an extensive collection of old postcards to Flikr.Closeup of a photo postcard of the Great Eastern Hotel in Denmark Road, Lowestoft, which was posted in 1916. Thanks to Mark Crombie on Flikr.Closeup of a photo postcard of the Great Eastern Hotel in Denmark Road, Lowestoft, which was posted in 1916. Thanks to Mark Crombie on Flikr.
The Lowestoft Bombardment
In 1916, some of Lowestoft’s residents lost their homes and even their lives when a naval battle between the British and German fleets led to a bombardment of Lowestoft and Yarmouth.
In 1916, British and German naval forces fought in the North Sea as part of World War I hostilities, and the two coastal towns of Yarmouth and Lowestoft found themselves under fire. 21 British servicemen were killed at sea, a serviceman and 3 civilians died in Lowestoft, with a further 19 civilians injured by the bombardment.
Time Travel Video
Enjoy James Fox’s video creation using old photos and pictures. With location titles and dates, you know when and when you are.
Lowestoft South Pier: A Journey Through Time (Suffolk): The Time Travel Artist (YouTube)
Lowestoft Porcelain Factory
The Lowestoft Porcelain Factory in Crown Street, formerly Bell Lane, produced soft-paste porcelain containing bone ash from 1757 until 1802.
One hundred years after the factory closed, photographs were taken of the premises, mould fragments discovered on the property, and the man who found them.
By then a brewery had been established at the site, with several rooms now used to dry malt.
Unfortunately, the collection of photographs taken in December 1902 have become particularly precious, as the historic site was demolished in 1955.
An old photo taken in December 1902, showing the remains of the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings, then in use as a malt brewery. Two cottages adjoined the buildings on Crown Street, once known as Bell Lane. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.A photo taken in December 1902, showing the Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings at the entrance to the works yard. At the time of the old photo the factory building was now used as a malt brewery. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.An old photo taken in December 1902, showing the east view of the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings, then in use as a malt brewery. The man in the picture is Robert Skelton, who found various porcelain mould fragments around the building a century after porcelain production there had ceased. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.An old photo taken in December 1902, showing one of the rooms in the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings, then in use as a malt brewery. This room was beneath and next to rooms where mould fragments were found, a century after porcelain production had ceased here. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.An old photo taken in December 1902, showing one of the walls of the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings, then in use as a malt brewery. The unpainted brick shows the marking of “J.B. 1770” -(but since the 1770 company was called Robert Browne and Company, it was probably R.B. rather than J.B. and paint obscured part of the letter). The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.Plans of the ground floor and upper story of the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings, drawn around 1902. Porcelain production had ceased a hundred years before, and the building was being used as a brewery when these plans were drawn. Despite the importance of these buildings being recognised by history enthusiasts back in 1902, the demolition crews were sent in to sweep away this famous local landmark a half-century later in 1955.A photo taken in December 1902, showing the inside of the kiln at the Crown Street (previously known as Bell Lane), Lowestoft Porcelain Factory. At the time of the photo the factory building was now used as a brewery, and the kiln had been converted to a drying floor for malt. Thanks to the New York Public Library.An old photo taken in December 1902, showing the original windows still in place upstairs at the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings, then in use as a malt brewery. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.An old photo taken in December 1902, showing an upstairs workroom at the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings, where workmen once manufactured the famous china and pottery. At the time of the photo, the building was used as a brewery and this room was used to dry malt. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.A photo taken in December 1902, showing the passageway leading from Crown Street into what had been the Lowestoft Porcelain Factory. At the time of the photo the factory building was now used as a brewery, but the fireclay box known as a sagger, which protected the ceramic ware while it was fired in the kiln, was still on the premises. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.A photo taken in December 1902, showing one of the rooms in the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory, which had been converted to a brewery with the room now used to dry malt. The image is now in the archives of the New York Public Library.Taken sometime around 1902, this is an old photo of porcelain mould fragments found on the site of the former Lowestoft Porcelain Factory buildings. Image credit: the New York Public Library.
Enjoy a glimpse of history through old images of the seaside town of Lowestoft in the English county of Suffolk, England, UK. Old Photos of Lowestoft The Detroit Publishing company had an extensive collection of colour photochrom images in their 1905 catalogue of Views of the British Isles. Several of them were of Lowestoft Pier,… Read more: Old Images of Lowestoft, Suffolk
Suffolk is in the region called East of England, which is below Northern England and above the South East region.
About the author
Hi, I’m Debbie. I’ve enjoyed books, films, and documentaries about history for more than 30 years. My favourite trips with friends and family are to museums, historic houses, archaeological sites, and I love unearthing old photos and archive film bringing history to life.
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Enjoy a glimpse of history through old images of the seaside town of Lowestoft in the English county of Suffolk, England, UK. Old Photos of Lowestoft The Detroit Publishing company had an extensive collection of colour photochrom images in their 1905 catalogue of Views of the British Isles. Several of them were of Lowestoft Pier,… Read more: Old Images of Lowestoft, Suffolk
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Suffolk is in the region called East of England, which is below Northern England and above the South East region.