British families started going on holiday to the seaside around the middle of the 19th century. The first holidaymakers were quite rich and went for their health and education.The seaside was a place to be …(1)…of illness, and doctors recommended bathing in the sea and drinking sea water. Also to …(2)…their knowledge, families attended concerts and read books from the library.
At that time, ordinary working people had very little time …(3)…work. However, in 1871, the government introduced four "Bank Holidays"-national holiday days. This …(4)…people to have a day or two out, which now and then gave them a taste for leisure and the seaside. At first, they went on day-trips, talking advantage of special cheap tickets on the railways.Rails fares were reduced and cheap hotels were built to accommodate them.
By the 1880s, rising incomes …(5)…that many ordinary workers and their families could have a week’s holiday at the seaside.Today , the English seaside remains popular , with more than 18 million holidays taken there each year.