David Wilson
Contributor
I've just been delving among the Hulton Archive of images and came across several illustrating the earliest decades of snorkelling (Thirties, Forties and Fifties). The captions accompanying the pictures provide dates and context. Here's a few. I hope they are of interest to others.
Title: Flip Flop Dance. Caption: 4th January 1939: The Lambeth Walk is very popular at Nice and here are two bathers, wearing the fins, during their flip-flop version. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)
http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/3314782.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D68369125C033D358E22022B6F6850C6E11D40A26B3E28636
Title: Swimming Fins. Caption: 14th January 1939: Two bathers on the beach at Nice, France, show off their fins, the latest swimming novelty on the Riviera. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)
http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/3302102.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D298054E4C84AD437C11697D02C4C52FE11D40A26B3E28636
Title: Aquatic Stanwyck. Caption: American actress Barbara Stanwyck (1907 - 1990), poses on a rock with mask and fins, circa 1945. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/71144569.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834
Title: Scuba Lessons. Caption: 28th April 1954: Pauline Ady, a tutor at an under water swimming school in Cobham, Kent, explaining the importance and use of fins to her pupils (left to right) Dorethea Martin, Pat Palmer, Michael Cameron and Diana Martin. (Photo by Reg Speller/Fox Photos/Getty Images)
http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/3432428.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D0B546F256F623F3FB90695211F340EC803AA0CF64F13FC89
Title: Leap-Frogs. Caption: 1955: Two women wearing fins play leap-frog on the beach. (Photo by Peter Purdy/BIPs/Getty Images)
http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/3428688.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D236ADFA61BC9B23302502484270F51B403AA0CF64F13FC89
Title: Frogwoman. Caption: 1955: A woman equipped for a diving session with an unusual full face mask with integrated snorkels and wetsuit. (Photo by Peter Purdy/BIPs/Getty Images)
http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/3428687.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D809E44DEF23FEDAF02502484270F51B45223CE6E4BAF89B1
Title: Flipping Heck. Caption: 27th July 1956: A group of holidaymakers in fins and snorkels on the beach at Torquay. Original Publication: Picture Post - 8618 - Flippin For Fun - pub. 1956 (Photo by Alex Dellow/Picture Post/Getty Images).
http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/3066403.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D7105EF815DA8EF69AE8A15C206207E7205AFC5CF6109BBC7
Title: Snorkling Woman. Caption: 11th August 1956: Two women sitting on deckchairs on the beach. One of them is wearing a swimming costume and fins and by her side rests a snorkel, mask and a towel. (Photo by Alex Dellow/Picture Post/Getty Images)
http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/3142669.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D73788FC829E0E8311A7507D62E5D871D8D143FD4AE7FC81B
Title: Flip Flop Dance. Caption: 4th January 1939: The Lambeth Walk is very popular at Nice and here are two bathers, wearing the fins, during their flip-flop version. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)
http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/3314782.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D68369125C033D358E22022B6F6850C6E11D40A26B3E28636
Title: Swimming Fins. Caption: 14th January 1939: Two bathers on the beach at Nice, France, show off their fins, the latest swimming novelty on the Riviera. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)
http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/3302102.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D298054E4C84AD437C11697D02C4C52FE11D40A26B3E28636
Title: Aquatic Stanwyck. Caption: American actress Barbara Stanwyck (1907 - 1990), poses on a rock with mask and fins, circa 1945. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/71144569.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834
Title: Scuba Lessons. Caption: 28th April 1954: Pauline Ady, a tutor at an under water swimming school in Cobham, Kent, explaining the importance and use of fins to her pupils (left to right) Dorethea Martin, Pat Palmer, Michael Cameron and Diana Martin. (Photo by Reg Speller/Fox Photos/Getty Images)
http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/3432428.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D0B546F256F623F3FB90695211F340EC803AA0CF64F13FC89
Title: Leap-Frogs. Caption: 1955: Two women wearing fins play leap-frog on the beach. (Photo by Peter Purdy/BIPs/Getty Images)
http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/3428688.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D236ADFA61BC9B23302502484270F51B403AA0CF64F13FC89
Title: Frogwoman. Caption: 1955: A woman equipped for a diving session with an unusual full face mask with integrated snorkels and wetsuit. (Photo by Peter Purdy/BIPs/Getty Images)
http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/3428687.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D809E44DEF23FEDAF02502484270F51B45223CE6E4BAF89B1
Title: Flipping Heck. Caption: 27th July 1956: A group of holidaymakers in fins and snorkels on the beach at Torquay. Original Publication: Picture Post - 8618 - Flippin For Fun - pub. 1956 (Photo by Alex Dellow/Picture Post/Getty Images).
http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/3066403.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D7105EF815DA8EF69AE8A15C206207E7205AFC5CF6109BBC7
Title: Snorkling Woman. Caption: 11th August 1956: Two women sitting on deckchairs on the beach. One of them is wearing a swimming costume and fins and by her side rests a snorkel, mask and a towel. (Photo by Alex Dellow/Picture Post/Getty Images)
http://cache1.asset-cache.net/xc/3142669.jpg?v=1&c=NewsMaker&k=2&d=45B0EB3381F7834D73788FC829E0E8311A7507D62E5D871D8D143FD4AE7FC81B
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