1938 Lowestoft Grand Hotel Travel Ad | Antique Suffolk Ephemera UK Seaside

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Item ID: 297241763525
eBay Seller ID: britishfareasttraders
eBay Store Link: View this item
Category: Collectables:Paper & Ephemera:Ephemera:1901-1950
Condition: In decent condition. Please check our images.

1938 Lowestoft Grand Hotel Travel Ad | Antique Suffolk Ephemera UK Seaside

An evocative 1938 advertisement for Lowestoft’s Grand Hotel–a rare seaside ephemera from Britain’s interwar tourism boom, ideal for collectors and historians of coastal heritage.

Measurements: approx. 4 3/4 x 3 1/2 inches
Dates: n/a
Condition: In decent condition, please see images. 
Internal notes: QC passed

Picture the bracing air of Suffolk’s coast in 1938, as well-dressed holidaymakers arrive by train, the salty sea breeze rustling their papers as they stroll towards the Grand Hotel. Laughter floats on the wind, mingling with the strains of a dance band echoing from the ballroom. Advertised as the â€œMost Popular Hotel on the Coast”, the Grand Hotel at Lowestoft stood proudly in its own extensive grounds, offering tennis, dancing, private bathing, and even a golf course just five minutes away. It was a time when leisure was elegant, the sea a place of cure, and sunshine–always bracing.

This original vintage travel advertisement, measuring approximately 4 3/4 x 3 1/2 inches, is a preserved clipping from the 1938 Overseas Daily Mail. With bold fonts and period-specific design, it captures the aspirational spirit of pre-war British holidays. Guests were encouraged to contact â€˜Pakefield 11’ for bookings, a charming nod to the telephonic simplicity of the era. The piece is in decent condition and remains a powerful visual representation of the optimism and accessibility of domestic seaside tourism in the late 1930s.

Collecting such historic travel ephemera is more than a pastime–it is a way of safeguarding the memory of Britain’s cultural and social evolution. Each detail–down to the mention of â€œGarage Free”–invites us to reflect on how holidays, infrastructure, and hospitality have changed. Whether displayed in an archive or a personal collection, this piece offers a tangible connection to the golden age of British seaside heritage.