Today we're taking a look into the past of Lyme Regis and Bridport in the 1920s, 30s and 40s.

These glorious pictures, showing people strolling along in the seaside resort of Lyme and handsome cars parked along Bridport's East Street, were taken by a keen photographer called Mr Davis.

Mr Davis lived in Tiverton, Devon, and he and his wife rode bicycles touring England and Wales, taking photos.

It's thanks to reader Gregory Wellman that we can share these beautiful images.

It seems Lyme Regis was fast becoming a popular tourist attraction by the 1930s.

The 1933 edition of the annual town guide promised the following: "Lyme Regis appeals at once and quite irresistibly to those who seek real relaxation, facilities for holiday sport and recreation among surroundings of unique charm and beauty."

Strangely, then, the lifeboat station boasting five sailing and rowing boats was closed in 1932 after the motorised lifeboats from Exmouth and Weymouth were judged as being able to cover the area.

The town's accessibility to visitors across Britain was also celebrated within the guide: "The facilities offered, both by road and rail transport companies, are excellent and visitors travel easily and comfortably to Lyme from all over the country."

The progressive nature of the town was emphasised during the 1930s, too, when the mill had its water wheel removed and replaced by a turbine. From 1936 until 1946, electricity generated by the mill supplemented the power supplies of the town, until it fell into disrepair following the nationalisation of the electricity industry after the Second World War. It was not until a team of dedicated volunteers restored the mill earlier this year that it began to produce electricity once more.

Bridport was also a town in development: by 1931, its population was almost 6,000, double what it had been at the start of the century. The Electric Palace had opened in 1926, after a local brewing family made the bold decision to build an opera house powered by electricity. Today, the building retains many of the original art deco features characteristic of this era, while St John's Church in West Bay, which was built in 1936, continues to stand tall.

Yet the effect of the Second World War was keenly felt in the town. Bridport received large volumes of orders for the cordage and netting required for balloons, parachutes and camouflage, and the town produced a significant proportion of ropes and nets needed by the military. An emergency coastal battery was installed on West Cliff at West Bay, armed with two naval guns, and in 1942 the town was bombed twice in a matter of months, causing major damage to buildings along East Street.

Nevertheless, morale remained high, and crowds would often gather outside the Town Hall to sing patriotic songs in support of their country.

*Do get in touch if you have photos of either town that you wish to share.