The development of dental practice in a new English seaside resort 1885-1916. Part 2: the next generation.

Abstract

During the late Victorian and Edwardian period, the local landowner, the 7th Earl De La Warr, instigated the development of the rural Sussex village of Bexhill into the fashionable seaside resort of Bexhill-on-Sea. Famous at the time for the introduction of mixed bathing and the first motor races to be held in the United Kingdom, the resort had a population of around 15,000 people by 1914. The Edwardian period was the highlight of Bexhill-on-Sea's popularity as a resort for the rich and famous. The town became incorporated as a borough in 1902 and the first motor races in the country took place along the promenade. Early in its development, Bexhill-on-Sea had attracted dentists mainly from the nearest town, Hastings. By the turn of the century, however, dentists were being drawn from further afield. Using primary sources such as census records, local directories, newspapers and the dental register and journals, the ebb and flow of general dental practitioners into the glamorous coastal resort is described. The family origins, qualifications and other characteristics of these dentists are discussed.