Not many people could swim in the 1900s – they could only paddle. Rich people paid to get changed in wooden huts called bathing machines which were then taken into the sea by a horse. A lot of people didn’t own their own costumes and had to hire them.

Today, people often change into their own swimming costumes with a towel wrapped around them. They like to: swim in the sea, play with inflatable toys and do sports like windsurfing.