Images of Lost UK Seaside Camera Obscuras in Our Collection
In the 19th and early 20th centuries is seems that the pier at every seaside resort in the United Kingdom had a camera obscura.
Margate Jetty

 

The camera obscura on the Jetty at Margate England was listed in this location by 1898. The sign on the side reads "Beautiful Effects Caused by Reflection" "Charge Two Pence". The card on the left is one of four postcards of Margate in our collection. It was mailed in 1904.

On the left is a stereo card that appears to be from the same era. The card has suffered some water damage but camera obscura cards are so rare that we did not pass it up. The publisher is Henry Borton of Ramsgate and Margate.

Below is a 6 1/4 inch souvenir plate of the Jetty at Margate. In the close-up detail you can clearly see the camera obscura peeking into the left side of the vignette.
Weston-Super-Mare, Avon England
Below is a green velvet plaque with a glass print of the jetty and camera obscura at Weston-Super-Mare, Avon, England. The plaque measures 9 1/4" X 6 1/4" and the manufacturer is identified as Brown & Rawcliffe Ltd. The patented process is "silvergraph". The close-up below shows an admission of 1d.

Swansea, Mumbles Pier, Wales
The postcard below is a Tuck "Tintopho" postcard. It was mailed from Swansea, Wales in 1905. The small camera obscura building can be seen beside the entrance to the pier.

In the enlarged scan on the right the signs read "Camera Obscura, Beautiful Scenery, Real Living Pictures, Only One Penny" on the roof and "Camera Obscura, Everybody Pleased, Grand Coloured Scenery..." on the side.

Additional lost UK camera obscuras are shown on the page Other Lost UK Camera Obscuras in our Collection.


Magic Mirror of Life Home Page and Site Map

What is a camera obscura?

Why we created this site

Frequently Asked Questions about the Camera Obscura (please check this page before sending email questions)

Links and a Bibliography about the camera obscura

Map and illustrated diary of
our visits to
US camera obscuras

Map and illustrated diary of
our 1996 trip to
Great Britain camera obscuras

Images of camera obscuras from our collection.

Some Images from our collection
The Camera Obscura at War
Advertising flyer for a Camera Obscura
Trade Cards with Camera Obscuras
Lost UK Seaside Camera Obscuras < You are here
Other Lost UK Camera Obscuras
Lost US Seaside Camera Obscura
Lost US Park Camera Obscuras
Melville Garden Camera Obscura
Other Lost US Camera Obscuras
Lost European Camera Obscuras
No, it's not a camera obscura

Portable and box camera obscuras from our collection.
Wooden Camera Obscuras
Metal Camera Obscuras
Camera Obscuras with the Lens at the Top
Cardboard Camera Obscuras
A French Artist's Camera with supplies
Vermeer's Camera, a 1934 teaching camera
Camera Obscura Publications

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Modified 11/2004