Shire Library
2 primary works
Book 285
Amusement machines were all built for the exact same purpose: parting customers from their hard-earned money. Yet the ways in which these machines have done this is as varied as the glorious designs that have adorned them. Machines range from the mutoscopes that showed 'What the Butler Saw', through...Read more
Amusement machines were all built for the exact same purpose: parting customers from their hard-earned money. Yet the ways in which these machines have done this is as varied as the glorious designs that have adorned them. Machines range from the mutoscopes that showed 'What the Butler Saw', through to pinball machines, fruit machines, the classic one-armed bandit, and the penny slot machines that are so evocative of seaside holidays and Edwardian amusements. They continue up to more modern versions of the amusement machine, like table football and golf machines. "Amusement Machines" charts this stunning range, and investigates the changes in their design and evolution over time.
Book 406
Originally constructed as landing stages for trippers by boat in the nineteenth century, piers later developed into attractions in themselves, with ornate pavilions, delicate ironwork and exotic lighting. Lynn F. Pearson, an architectural historian, outlines the fascinating history of pier and pavilion construction, using colour illustrations and photographs to...Read more
Originally constructed as landing stages for trippers by boat in the nineteenth century, piers later developed into attractions in themselves, with ornate pavilions, delicate ironwork and exotic lighting. Lynn F. Pearson, an architectural historian, outlines the fascinating history of pier and pavilion construction, using colour illustrations and photographs to show the development of these attractions from simple wooden structures to complex entertainment venues. This book explores the allure of seaside developments from the Victorian charm of Weston-super-Mare's grand pier to the seaside developments of the twenty-first century, such as Ilfracombe's Landmark Theatre, which continues to impress and entertain to this day.
