Historian Chris Holyday is the author of many books on the history of the north coastal suburbs in Perth WA. See list below.
His next book ‘Old Scarborough’ contains vintage photos and recollections from Scarborough residents and will be out in the second half of 2024.
Cover of Chris’s new book Old Scarborough. Top photo 1911 (you can see some limestone reef) and bottom 1954.
Bonus excerpt from upcoming book “OLD SCARBOROUGH” by Chris Holyday
From the 1930s, new surf club rooms, called the ‘White house,’ and accommodation cubicles had given Scarborough a growth spurt. This followed major beach infrastructure works in the form of Perth Road Board construction of a long retaining wall and wide parking areas on the Esplanade. These features and the 1934 surf club, and accommodation cubicles to the south, can be seen clearly on the beach front in the following photos.
A number of shops had appeared on the Esplanade, including McGovern’s with its large arches. Kool Corner looks to be under construction at the corner of Scarborough Beach Road and the Esplanade, possibly indicating the photo dates from 1934/35. The beginnings of Luna Park are evident in the shape of a tower to the left of Kool Korner, possibly the chair-o-plane ride removed from Cottesloe Beach by showman Barney Heyward.
There are very few houses behind the beachfront; many would be guest houses such as ‘Mons Desire’ on Manning Street, before the Scarborough Hotel was built in 1938/39. The shop at the foot of Manning Street in the ‘Scarb Beach Improvements 1932’ photo would later become The Snake Pit after Don and Rosina Errichetti purchased what were old tearooms and opened it in 1953 as “La Spiaggia” (“The Beachfront”). Rosina died last year aged 100, a Scarborough legendary identity.
Chris has kindly shared some of the vintage beach pics from his new book with Surfing Down South.
Scarborough was developing a strong following for the new sport of “surf shooting” as early as 1929. And Scarborough would soon become the natural home of surf ski/board riding. According to the newspapers, hundreds were using these home-made body boards leading to them being banned in the swimming areas of Scarborough Beach following injuries to bathers.
Scarborough Surf Life Saving Club was forming up in 1928/29, so maybe the board riders in the following pics would be some of the first members of the Scarborough Club.
If you can identify surfers in the photos, please let Chris know on Mobile 0403 328 933.
1929 Bodyboard surfing at Scarborough. Courtesy Western Mail 24 Jan 1929.1929 January. Bodyboarders at Scarborough WA. Bros Kurvil & Freddy Bartlet on ends, others unidentified. Bob Brown pic.1930s McGovern’s shop on the Esplanade Scarborough. Surfboard hire/dressing rooms/showers/ice cream.1948 Bodyboard surfers at Scarborough. Courtesy CBreez Kiosk Scarborough.
Historian Chris Holyday is the author of many books on the history of the north coastal suburbs in Perth WA. See list below.
His next book ‘Old Scarborough’ contains vintage photos and recollections from Scarborough residents and will be out in the second half of 2024.
Bonus excerpt from upcoming book “OLD SCARBOROUGH” by Chris Holyday
From the 1930s, new surf club rooms, called the ‘White house,’ and accommodation cubicles had given Scarborough a growth spurt. This followed major beach infrastructure works in the form of Perth Road Board construction of a long retaining wall and wide parking areas on the Esplanade. These features and the 1934 surf club, and accommodation cubicles to the south, can be seen clearly on the beach front in the following photos.
A number of shops had appeared on the Esplanade, including McGovern’s with its large arches. Kool Corner looks to be under construction at the corner of Scarborough Beach Road and the Esplanade, possibly indicating the photo dates from 1934/35. The beginnings of Luna Park are evident in the shape of a tower to the left of Kool Korner, possibly the chair-o-plane ride removed from Cottesloe Beach by showman Barney Heyward.
There are very few houses behind the beachfront; many would be guest houses such as ‘Mons Desire’ on Manning Street, before the Scarborough Hotel was built in 1938/39. The shop at the foot of Manning Street in the ‘Scarb Beach Improvements 1932’ photo would later become The Snake Pit after Don and Rosina Errichetti purchased what were old tearooms and opened it in 1953 as “La Spiaggia” (“The Beachfront”). Rosina died last year aged 100, a Scarborough legendary identity.
Old Scarborough beach photos
Chris has kindly shared some of the vintage beach pics from his new book with Surfing Down South.
Scarborough was developing a strong following for the new sport of “surf shooting” as early as 1929. And Scarborough would soon become the natural home of surf ski/board riding. According to the newspapers, hundreds were using these home-made body boards leading to them being banned in the swimming areas of Scarborough Beach following injuries to bathers.
Scarborough Surf Life Saving Club was forming up in 1928/29, so maybe the board riders in the following pics would be some of the first members of the Scarborough Club.
If you can identify surfers in the photos, please let Chris know on Mobile 0403 328 933.
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Between Beach and Bush published by Hesperian Press 2020
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