In this stunning book you can experience the Tenby and Saundersfoot that you know and love as they were in past times. It is lavishly illustrated with 100 beautiful photographs from the world-famous Francis Frith Collection, all of which were taken between 1890 and 1965.

"As well as gaining insights into the history of these two unique places, readers can enjoy the sights, including the bustling harbours, the shops and buildings, the ancient monuments and the fine coastal scenery," said co-author Marion Davies.

In addition to Tenby and Saundersfoot, the book also includes photographs of Amroth, Caldey Island, Carew Castle, Gumfreston, Lydstep, Manorbier, Penally and Wisemans Bridge.

The decision will be a welcome one for many people in Tenby and Saundersfoot, since only 2,000 copies were printed the first time around in 1995. "They sold-out in no time at all," commented Ken Daniels, a regular contributor to our sister paper, the Tenby Times.

"Pembrokeshire has been fortunate to have always had excellent photographers across the County, leaving a legacy of events and street scenes. Many of the best photographic postcards are very scarce, because there may only have been six cards produced at the time.

"Tenby photographer Mortimer Allen had a reputation for taking a photograph of a special event one day and the next it would be in his shop-window. That was when he had his studio in High Street.

"Of course, with the seaside attracting visitors from all parts, postcards from Tenby went all over the world."

Mr Daniels was inspired to start his collection when he was employed in his first teaching post in 1951. On visiting the street market in Enfield, he came across a stall where a man was selling cigarette cards and postcards kept in shoeboxes. Despite being 300 miles away from Pembrokeshire, he discovered three pictures of Saundersfoot amongst the collection, and found that special longing for home, or hiraeth, awakened.

Mr Daniels recalled: "In those days you could buy postcards for a penny or a halfpenny; boxes for half-a-crown, but good photographic cards now are hard to find. Most of them are in collections."

The most valuable card in Ken Daniels' collection is one of Emily Pankhurst's impromptu rally in Laston Square. Unlike other Mortimer Allen postcards, it is neither named nor dated, so its historical significance could easily be missed.

Priced at £5.99, the 160-page pocket size 'Saundersfoot and Tenby', includes 240 old photographs capturing with intimacy colourful local characters, family businesses, sporting scenes, special events and forgotten patterns of work.

The publishers, Nonsuch Publishing, conclude: "It is a book which will evoke nostalgia among local residents and will intrigue and inform both those who have retired to these communities and the many thousands of people who each year make Saundersfoot and Tenby their choice of holiday destination."

Tenby Observer: The name Dorothy Morse Brown is one that many of our readers will immediately recognise. The subject of a new book, Dorothy Morse Brown, became known as The Tenby Artist. Dorothy was the leading professional artist in Tenby from the 1940s to the 1960s. Her watercolour studies of Tenby and district are proudly displayed in the homes of many local people and visitors throughout the country. She lived at Little House, Broadwell Hayes, and worked from a number of different studios in Tenby, including the Cliff Studio overlooking Tenby Harbour. As well as painting her distinctive style of watercolour paintings, Dorothy also produced hand-made jewellery, embroideries and weavings. Our older readers may recall a weekly column entitled Echoes from the Town Walls which featured a drawing by Dorothy Morse Brown throughout the 1950s.
Neil Westerman will be familiar as the author of a book on another Tenby artist, E. J. Head, published in 2001. Mr. Westerman told us that having researched the life of E. J. Head, he had no intention of following this up with any further books. However, that was to change when his brother gave him a watercolour painting of Tenby harbour by the artist Dorothy Morse Brown as a Christmas present. Neil decided that he would like to know more about the artist and finding that no one had researched her life he decided to do the research himself and the result is this beautifully produced book.
With a foreword by Dorothy's son, Guy Morse Brown, Impelled to Paint tells the story of Dorothy's life beginning with her birth and education in Bristol. The story continues with her marriage to the portrait artist Sam Morse Brown and her move to Carmarthen. It was while resident in Carmarthen that Dorothy developed her watercolour style and mounted a joint exhibition with her husband at the Glyn Vivian Gallery in Swansea. In 1939 Dorothy Morse Brown settled in Tenby where she lived until 1977. As well as examining Dorothy's artistic career in Tenby, the book devotes a chapter to the role Dorothy played in the Tenby and District Arts Club and her role in the founding of the Friends of Tenby.
Neil Westerman, a native of Tenby, now lives in Slough, but is a regular visitor to Tenby. He told us: "It is important that the lives of local artists are documented and recorded for the benefit of future generations."
The book is beautifully illustrated with eight colour plates and eight black and white plates. The colour plates include some of the artist's early works, including three different designs for Christmas cards and one children's book illustration. The black and white illustrations include a Christmas card design featuring the Nort statue in Carmarthen, Manorbier Castle, and six views of Tenby. Two further colour views of Tenby are featured on the cover of the book.
Mr Westerman said: "Back issues of the Tenby Observer were an invaluable source of information. I spent many hours studying these at the British Library Newspaper Library in London."
The book has been well received by individuals lucky enough to have received an advance copy. Guy Morse Brown described the work as a 'splendid book' and added: "It was lovely to see some of my mother's earlier works in print - how pleased she would have been!" Sue Baldwin, honorary librarian of Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, described the book as well researched and beautifully presented.