The magic lantern, an early form of slide projector, has been entertaining, and latterly informing, children and adults for over 300 years. Travelling magic lantern showmen toured towns and villages in Europe putting on shows in homes, taverns and castles. By the early 1800s shows were being given in theatres and by the end of the century magic lantern shows could be seen in church halls, schools, town and village halls.
Robin is the author of a number of books on the local and railway history of the Yorkshire coast and has been providing shows for a variety of audiences for over 30 years. Shows are tailor made from a collection of over 3000 original lantern slides that include dissolving views; hand-painted and animated slides; the dazzling chromotropes; and a large number of topographic slides that cover the Yorkshire coast especially Scarborough, Whitby and Robin Hood's Bay; lifeboats and shipwreck; local history; railways and other transport; marine and seashore life; village life and street scenes; and seaside resorts. These slides range in date from about 1880 to 1950. Each show can end with some of the humorous and animated slides that are up to 150 years old; these are very popular with all audiences.
