On May 25, 2020, in the midst of the Corona-Virus Pandemic in the UK, and following an easing of some of the most severe lockdown restrictions, I headed to Southend-on-Sea, in an attempt to capture this unique moment in time. Mindful of the negative portrayal that English seaside resorts often receive by the media, I wanted to create a snapshot, a sort of time capsule, while avoiding as much as possible the cliche of tattoos and sunburns.These photos offer a glimpse of local people and visitors, who had traveled by train and car the short trip from London, to get some much needed sea air. By the end of May many of them, old and young, had been ‘cooped up’ for over a month without the luxury of gardens, and were desperate to get out, and ‘be beside the seaside’. The atmosphere was palpable as temperatures reached 25c (hot for May) and by midday coast guards had already reported several people in trouble. The mudflats of Southend-on-Sea, situated on the Thames estuary, are notorious, and people often don’t take sufficient account of the low tides, which can extend them out for 300 meters. Southend-on-Sea was once given the somewhat unkind nickname of ‘East-end-on-Mud’ by Punch magazine, also a reference to Southend's long association with the working people from the East End of London and working class culture in general.
