Photographs: Agatha and Archie Christie in South Africa 1922
added to the website on Feb 16, 2012
This photo shows Agatha & Archie Christie all suited up and ready for a spot of bellyboarding and surf bathing during their trip to South Africa in 1922. Soon after they left for Hawaii and start stand-up surfing.
Photographs: Ivy Watson 1946
added to the website on Sep 30, 2011
This lovely picture has been sent in by Jayne Shrimpton from Brighton, and shows her mother Ivy Watson aged 15 proudly showing off her bellyboard outside a row of beach huts in 1946. It is thought the photo was taken on the south coast, possibly at Selsey – if you can help identify the location ……»
News: 2011 World Bellyboarding champion crowned
added to the website on Sep 05, 2011
Naomi Perkin from St Ives won the 9th annual World Bellyboarding Championships at Chapel Porth in Cornwall yesterday. The contest, organised by our friends at The National Trust, is a celebration of the traditional art of surf riding – surfing prone on a short wooden bodyboard. It now attracts a truly international field of entrants ……»
Surf History: Agatha Christie rides the waves 1922
added to the website on Jul 27, 2011
Acclaimed crime writer Agatha Christie spent her teenage years on the south coast of England around Torquay where sea bathing was a common practice in the early 1900s – but in 1922 she would become one of Britain’s earliest “stand-up” surfers. “In fact, on a rough day I enjoyed the sea even more,” she said. ……»
Events: World Bellyboarding Championships 2011
added to the website on Jul 01, 2011
Now into its ninth consecutive year, the World Bellyboarding Championship is a very British celebration of the traditional art of surf riding – a four foot piece of wood, a swimming costume and a surfer! Organised and hosted by the National Trust at the stunningly beautiful Chapel Porth beach in Cornwall, the event now attracts ……»
Surf History: On the eve of war 1939
added to the website on Dec 04, 2010
This remarkable photograph was taken by the Millar family while on holiday in North Devon in August 1939, just weeks before the outbreak of World War Two. It shows cars parked on the beach at Croyde right up to the waters edge & people in the background surfing on their wooden bellyboards, with a decent ……»
Print: Woolacombe & Morthoe guide 1968
added to the website on Dec 04, 2010
This 1968 guide to Woolacombe and Mortehoe uses a photo of a woman wading out into the sea to use her painted wooden bellyboard to promote the area as a holiday destination. This type of advertising showing the health-giving properties of surfing had been in use since the early 1900s.
Surfboards: Surf Rider 1960
added to the website on May 25, 2010
Based in South Molton, North Devon, the late Dick Pearce (passed away July 10th, 2010) – with others including Roy Wilson – spent more than 50 years making traditional wooden surfboards used for ‘prone’ surfing; also known a surf riding and bodyboarding. Made from plywood, this one is a special extra-wide ‘Surf Rider’ model – ……»