Name/Title
Framed photograph of Brighton Police officers arresting a male in May 1964Entry/Object ID
2258Description
Framed reproduction photograph of three Brighton Borough Police officers arresting a male on Brighton Beach on the east side of the Palace Pier in May 1964.Context
Throughout the spring and summer of 1964 there were a number of confrontations at seaside resorts, between two youth subcultures, The Mods and the Rockers, distinguished mainly by the music they listened to and the clothes that they wore. Throughout that year large numbers of youths congregated at popular seaside resorts over Bank Holiday weekends, culminating with clashes between the two groups and the police. These incidents led to a much wider debate regarding the perceived lack of respect of for law and order and a "moral decline", mainly fuelled by a right wing press. Subsequent research suggested that these concerns were grossly exaggerated and that what was actually happening was the post war generation, with increased disposable income, struggling to express itself.
The first disturbances occurred in the Easter of 1964 and by the time of the May Bank holidays, not only were more youths attracted to the coast, but the police became better prepared. Other versions of this image show it to have taken on 18th May 1964 during the Whitsun Bank Holiday, when there were widespread disturbances in Brighton, reported in the press at thew time as "The Battle of Brighton". This photograph shows Brighton officers with their white summer helmets arresting a male, who from his hair and clothing, appears to be a "Mod". One of the officers is carrying what appears to be a golf club and it suggests that the youth may have been using it as a weapon, possibly having obtained it from a nearby "crazy golf" course. There is another photograph in existence which appears to show the same youth being escorted up the steps from the beach .
Over the course of the weekend it is thought that at least 70 youths were arrested in Brighton, with similar disturbances having taken place at resorts across the country. These problems continued during the remaining public holidays that year.