Plymouth, Devon – Harry Riley – 1958

Plymouth Delightful Centre for Holidays, Portsmouth Harbour, Devon – Harry Riley – 1958

In this vintage British Railways Plymouth poster, the artist Harry Riley has recreated a scene from Plymouth Hoe. It is locally referred to as the Hoe, and a large south-facing open public space. The Hoe is best known as being the place that Sir Francis Drake played his famous game of bowls in 1588 while waiting for the tide to change before sailing out with the English fleet to battle with the Spanish Armada.  The Hoe has also been the home of Smeaton’s Tower, the upper portion of John Smeaton’s Eddystone Lighthouse, since 1877. It is quite possible that it is the top of Smeaton’s Tower that provides Riley’s high vantage point for the poster.

This British Railways (Western Region) Plymouth poster was produced in 1958. In the centre of the poster Riley has featured the unique, art deco Tinside Lido. The lido was designed by John Wibberley and built in 1935, in the archetypal art-deco style popular at the time. It is a 180 feet (55 metres)  diameter, semicircular design complete with a sun deck that overlooks Plymouth Sound. 

According to Wikipedia, Tinsdale Lido became yet another seaside victim of declining popularity and neglect and the lido closed in 1992. However, following a vociferous local campaign the outdoor pool area was renovated, at a cost of £3.4 million, and Grade II Listed Building status in 1998. The Lido re-opened to the public in 2005 and is consistently voted in the top 10 of Europe’s outdoor pools. 

Plymouth Sound, known locally as The Sound, is always a hive of nautical activity. Harry Riley’s Plymouth poster acknowledges the extensive variety of recreational boats, commercial ships and naval vessels that frequent The Sound. Plymouth has been synonymous with the Royal Navy for over six centuries and Royal Naval sailors are prominently represented in the poster along with locals and holidaymakers on the waterfront walkways.

The island in Plymouth Sound is known as Drake’s Island. Known originally as St Michael’s Island, Drake’s Island has a rich and varied history and has formed an integral part of Plymouth’s sea defences since the 16th Century. The island has served as a prison, a refuge, a religious centre and most recently an adventure training facility.

Our posters are carefully and professionally created from vintage originals. Whilst great care is taken in the production of these posters, we also try to maintain a vintage feel, so there may be small imperfections, fold marks, scuffs, tears, or marks that were part of the original poster master. If these do appear they should be visible on the larger views of the item on this listing. The originals of many of the posters we offer can cost many thousands of pounds, so whilst these posters look great, especially framed and mounted on a wall, they are intended as fun, affordable reproductions and not intended fine art prints.

The 50x70cm version has been specially produced to be used in conjunction with Ikea’s 50x70cm Ribba picture frame which currently retails for around £15. So you can bag a print and frame for a great price.