From the collection of
Established in 1992, the South West Film & Television Archive collection spans from 1893 to the present day containing more than 250,000 items. Formed from a variety of depositors, including broadcast news and programmes material from the Westward and TSW archive. In 2018 the archive collection transferred to The Box in Plymouth.
Staying in style, the iconic Art Deco glamour landmark hotel never goes out of fashion.
Frank Wintle explores the opulence of Burgh Island Hotel. Including the music, fashions, furniture and the history. The tidal island located just off the rugged Devonshire coastline is accessed by a unique sea tractor, carrying passengers at high tide from the mainland at Bigbury-on-Sea. At low tide it is approachable on foot. 1890s music hall star George H Chirgwin built a prefabricated wooden party house on Burgh Island which was sold in 1927 to filmmaker Archibald Nettlefold, who in 1929 built a substantial hotel in the Art Deco style. By the 1930s, Burgh Hotel had become one of the most popular and glamourous destinations of its time, with guests Winston Churchill, Amy Johnson, and Agatha Christie to name a few.
World War II saw Burgh Island's hotel used as a recovery centre for wounded RAF personnel. The hotel was subsequently bombed and saw a post-war decline. Improvements to the hotel in the 30s included the additions of The Captain's Cabin of HMS Ganges, a warship built in 1821, and the hotels own private tidal seawater mermaid pool, croquet lawn and tennis court. Now restored to its former glory as a Grade II listed building the hotel flourishes with theme nights, spectacular views and unique retreat-like peace. The history of the island stretches much further back than the 1930s, a small monastery was established on the island around the 1330s some of the remains of which may lie under the hotel. The Pilchard Inn one of the oldest pubs in Britain was built in 1336 and is thought to be the original lodgings for the monastery, it is one of only five buildings on the island, and was owned by the hotel until very recently.
Fashion takes enormous strides forward in 20th century Britain.
