The thesis begins by looking at the background to the development of seaside resorts and the historiography of such developments in the British Isles. The main research questions involve an examination of the causes of Bangor’s development as a resort in the nineteenth century and its impact on the town. The thesis looks in particular at the role of the landlords, the contribution of local government, the development of communications and the actions of entrepreneurs, both local and external. The local and regional setting of the town was also important. The key factors were proximity to Belfast, the development of transport and the attitude of the landlord. The second main aspect examined was the impact on the town. This involved the tone of the resort and the type of visitors, both their class and length of stay. Amenities and attractions for the visitor are also considered and how these evolved during the period of study. Local attitudes to visitors are also assessed. All these have been placed in the context of the growth of seaside resorts in the British Isles. Other research questions were also addressed such as the industrial revolution’s impact on transport, the growth of Belfast and the provision of amenities. The thesis also looks at other issues such as the impact of the rise of the resort on port functions, gender, temperance and disorder. The material is organised chronologically except in the latter part where the increased availability of resources enables a more thematic approach. The main conclusion is that the key factors resulted in Bangor’s development as an important seaside resort, indeed the leading resort in the north of Ireland, by 1899. Bangor, did not, however, match the chief English resorts in size, amenities or attractions.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:727960 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Millsopp, Sandra Ann |
| Publisher | Queen's University Belfast |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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