This rather impressive collection of pictures of West Bay show the popular resort as it once was.

These are just some of the images on our archive that came from the Sanctuary Bookshop in Lyme Regis.

Click into our photo gallery above to see the pictures full-sized

More than 60 pictures were acquired and here is a mere selection of them.

The views are of West Bay harbour and beaches and if any readers can shed light on dates we’d love to hear from them.

West Bay experienced a demise as a popular port for industry and trade emerging as the popular holiday resort it is today.

As it continued to develop as a holiday destination, facilities included the laying down of a golf course on West Cliff in 1891, which was later moved to East Cliff in 1911.

They also included three bathing machines on the beach and a Pavilion, built on the Mound to provide refreshments and entertainment.

The Esplanade was constructed by the Bridport borough Surveyor, Frederick W Cooper, to celebrate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee in 1887, along with a new road.

The money was provided by Mr Thomas Colfox who left a bequest of £1,000 and it was very popular.

The Volunteer Band played here two to three times a week and a policeman regularly patrolled the esplanade on Sundays during the summer.

By 1936 West Bay had an 18-acre campsite. It was advertised as open-air, carefree holidays at a reasonable cost. Its popularity was attributable for the excellent sanitary facilities and connections in the field to main water.

It was primarily used by caravan owners. One portion of the field is set aside for hikers and tent dwellers. The kiosks followed in the 1950s.

The west pier we have today was built and formally opened by the Duke of York in 2005.