P.T.
Barnum supposedly once said, “Every crowd has a silver lining” and
nothing can be more true of the development of Great Yarmouth as a
holiday resort in the 19th century.
Inextricability linked to
industrialisation and the expansion of consumption of all kinds, the
history of popular culture in Britain is diverse and complex, but
always relates to a common understanding of what was enjoyed by the
majority of people at a given period of time. The main focus of this
book is to link the development of popular culture in the 19th
century with the growth of Yarmouth as a holiday resort, and, in
particular, its relationship with types of entertainments and
entertainers who were attracted the town.
Each chapter of this book provides
an opportunity to explore an entertainment that took place in the
town through particular performers. In doing so, it hopes to reflect
the nature of popular performance during the period.
Yarmouth’s populace was no
different from other small towns, but for its size, and due to the
influx of visitors, it had many more places of entertainment. |
