AN eye-catching book showing the changing face of Bournemouth was launched on Friday.

Snapshots of Bournemouth, published by the Daily Echo in association with Planning Solutions to mark the town’s bicentenary year, features pictures from across its history, as well as looking to the future.

Yesterday Daily Echo editor-in-chief, Neal Butterworth, launched the book at Waterstone’s, Castlepoint.

He said: “We wanted to offer the town’s bicentenary a special farewell and we think the book is an excellent end to the year.

“The photos will certainly bring back memories for many of our older residents and provide some fascinating and amusing snapshots of the past for later generations.”

The book documents Bournemouth’s history from when Captain Lewis Tregonwell arrived in 1810 and founded the town.

Fascinating images trace its development from a quiet fledging settlement as it expanded, with pictures of work and play, including the Beatles playing at the Winter Gardens, snaps of the seafront and of football at Dean Court.

Royal visits, big news stories and political party conferences are all documented, as are recent events such as the Bournemouth Air Festival.

Echo librarian Scott Harrison and photographic technician Michelle Luther both worked on the book.

Scott said: “Helping to produce the book and choose the pictures for it shows what a beautiful town we live in and it’s been an absolute pleasure to research and pick out the photos. It will make an ideal Christmas present for anyone who loves Bournemouth.”

Michelle added: “Finding the images of Harry Ashley ‘The Godfather of Echo photography’ suspended from a crane bucket so he could take photos of Bournemouth Square in 1957 was the highlight.”

  • The book, priced £7.95, can be bought initially at the Daily Echo’s offices in Bournemouth and Poole, as well as Waterstone’s at Castlepoint, Bournemouth town centre and Poole and at Bookends in Christchurch.

From late next week it will also be available from the Echo’s Swanage office, Westbourne Book Shop, DJ Brookings in Parkstone, WH Smith, Poole, Gulliver’s Book Shop in Wimborne and at Swanage Book Shop.