Print: Morris cars advert 1934
added to the website on Sep 07, 2011
Readers of Punch magazine in May 1934 would have seen this wonderful advert for the Morris Ten-Four saloon car describing it “as lively as a surf-board”. You’ll notice the surfers are holding ropes, and the type of board they would be using was known as an “aquaplane” – the precursor to the wakeboard that was ……»
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: A Royal wave 1920
added to the website on Jul 28, 2011
The Prince of Wales, Edward Windsor learned to surf with the great Duke Kahanamoku in Hawaii in 1920. On his first trip to Waikiki in April he was taken out in an outrigger canoe, then later in the day was coaxed into standing up on a surfboard to ride the waves for the first time ……»
Photographs: Agatha at Waikiki 1922
added to the website on Jul 27, 2011
A wonderful portrait of Agatha Christie on Waikiki beach, Hawaii in 1922 – she was travelling with her first husband Archie (a pilot in the Flying Corps in WWI) – and mastered stand-up surfing, becoming one of the earliest Briton’s known to do so.
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.
News: 8th World Bellyboard Champion crowned
added to the website on Sep 06, 2010
The skies may have been leaden, the rain driving, but the main ingredients of pumping waves and stoked competitors kept the chill at bay and delivered a truly wonderful & typically British seaside day of surf and smiles. Jack Johns wowed the crowd with his accomplished ply riding to be crowned 8th World Bellyboard Champion ……»
Events: World Bellyboard Championships
added to the website on Aug 18, 2010
We popped down the Atlantic Highway from North Devon to Chapel Porth beach in Cornwall for the 8th annual World Bellyboard Championships on September 5th, 2010. In the back of our VW combi Mobile Museum we took a selection of classic British wooden surfboards from the last 100 years. The art of surf riding has ……»
Print: The Art of Surf Riding 1934
added to the website on Jul 16, 2010
Written by Ronald S. Funnell in 1934 and reprinted in 1953, this is believed to be the first instructional surfing book published in Britain. It included tips on how and where to surf and beach safety. Funnell was also responsible for the Crest wooden surfboards produced in the 1930s.
News: Dick Pearce – an unsung hero of British surfing (April 12 1929 – July 10 2010)
added to the website on Jul 15, 2010
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Dick Pearce, who shaped traditional wooden surfboards in North Devon for the last fifty years. Thousands of British surfers got their first start on one of Dick’s famous ‘surf riders’, and it’s a fitting tribute to him that they’re now going through a revival ……»
Photographs: Jasper Reis 1925
added to the website on Jul 09, 2010
Photograph taken of Jasper Reis posing with his surfboard at the Horseshoe Hotel, Highgate, London – dated on the back of the picture April 6, 1925.
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 – ……»