Donkey Ride beneath Cleethorpes Pier c1920.

Original real photograph postcard.

This charming original real photograph postcard captures a young child enjoying a donkey ride on the sands beneath Cleethorpes Pier. A man stands beside the donkey, gently supporting the young rider as the photograph is taken. In the background, families relax on the beach beneath the pier’s distinctive iron structure, providing a delightful glimpse of a summer’s day at one of Lincolnshire’s most popular seaside resorts.

The child holds a small pennant, while the number 1480, painted onto the photographic print, is the beach photographer’s reference number, enabling customers to order additional copies of their holiday photograph. This method of numbering was widely used by seaside photographers during the early twentieth century.

The reverse of the postcard offers no further clues. It is unwritten and bears no publisher’s name, postmark or date, leaving the identities of those pictured unknown. Even so, the image beautifully preserves one of Cleethorpes’ best-loved seaside traditions. Donkey rides delighted generations of children and became an enduring feature of holidays at the resort, making this simple, unposed photograph a valuable record of everyday life by the sea around a century ago.

Digital image: Lightly digitally conserved for online presentation. Minor age-related blemishes have been reduced while preserving the appearance and character of the original postcard.

Collection: Grimsby & Cleethorpes Museum.