If you’ve ever had an unpleasant experience as a tourist in Brighton – overdone it in the sun, paid too much to park (likely), bought fish and chips caked in grease (hmmm, I’m guessing that’s probably most people!) – there was a time you weren’t always left to fend for yourselves. Brighton did actually care about the experience of its day-tripping visitors.
For 10 years from 1952, if you took a weekend day out to Brighton, chances are you were greeted by these six girls working the promenade in airline hostess-style outfits, high heels and white gloves, on hand to help visitors with anything, from hiring a deckchair and sending postcards to lighting cigarettes (it was the 1950s after all…) and finding the best souvenirs.
These walking mines of information – with sex appeal added – had to follow rules to stay out of trouble: Never approach a man and his wife or girlfriend, you’ll only get a dirty look from the woman and the man will be led off.
They were called The Promettes and were hired from a local modelling school for their looks, poise and language skills (sexist, much?) and they had to be 5ft 7inches or taller. Having stumbled on these incredble women from Brighton history, I have so many questions I’m yet to find the answers to.
For example, who was the brains behind this PR stunt? Who designed those snazzy outfits? What was the weirdest thing they were asked? What really went on inside the Promette HQ caravan? While I carry on searching, this hilarious British Pathé promotional newsreel gives us a peek into the life of a Promette. Gotta love the awkward family photo moment at 55 seconds, enjoy!
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2 Comments
I do like a uniform
I can see you in one of these…