Why Cromer Changed After the Coming of the Railways

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Why Cromer Changed After the Coming of the Railways

Before the coming of the railways Cromer was an established watering

place, popular with the upper class. No other classes could take their

holidays in Cromer because a horse drawn carriage, which was the only

way to get to Cromer in those days, was too expensive. Then came the

railways in the mid-nineteenth century and the fashionable watering

places were available for all to enjoy. After the railways had been

built, several factors came into play which would ensure that Cromer

would never be the same again, transforming it into a popular seaside

resort. Factors such as Clement Scott's 'Poppyland Papers' of 1886,

Benjamin Bond-Cabbell and the GER and M&GN railways.

Railways like these promoted suitable fishing villages as fashionable

new seaside resorts. Cromer was already fashionable as a watering

place, and it was a fishing village with a beautiful beach therefore

it was not long before the Cromer High Station was built in 1877,

constructed by the Great Eastern Railway. The Cromer Beach station was

built soon after in 1887. Railway companies bought and developed many

land schemes with new houses and hotels as well as encouraging others

to buy land in the auctions beginning 1885. New shops were also built,

which helped the trade and income of the town.

By the 1850s there was a growing number of railways all over Europe.

This meant that people could travel cheaply and quickly almost

anywhere in the country, all classes of people too, not just the upper

class. This was important because it meant that more tourists were

given the opportunity to visit Cromer, demanding a change in ...

... middle of paper ...

...hermen could find work taking

day-trippers round Cromer in their boats and employment could also be

found with the opening of new bathing machines, as well as new

souvenir shops and tea rooms for the lower classes brought in by the

railways. This was important for Cromer as it meant that there was

more income for the town than just from fishing and coal trades.

To conclude, Cromer changed in many different ways with the coming of

the railways. The population almost tripled from 1881-1911, many new

hotels and houses were built to accommodate the newcomers, the

beautiful Poppyland was discovered and exploited and new attractions

and facilities were built to cater for all visitors to Cromer. All of

these changes helped Cromer to develop into an ideal holiday resort,

and all were linked in some way to the railways.

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