Back In Time On Bognor Beach!

Imagine stepping back in time by more than a century to see what life was like in Victorian times, right where history happened.

The 'Bognor Regis Time Portal' is a brand new, innovative cultural heritage experience for the town, using augmented reality (AR) to bring the past to life. Augmented reality takes history beyond museums and books. This free and easy-to-use technology will allow viewers to reimagine an element of Bognor Regis's history in the very same spaces where it took place over a century ago and engage with the town's rich seaside heritage in a completely new and immersive way. 

On the other side of the time portal will be a digital recreation of Mary Wheatland, a 19th-century bathing machine operator, swimming instructor, and lifeguard, standing next to three life-sized digital models of her bathing machines. Mary is famed for saving more than 30 people from drowning and was decorated for her heroic efforts. 

Mary (portrayed by local actor Vicky Edwards) worked the bathing machines on Bognor Beach for over six decades. She must have been a very tough character to thrive in what was a male-dominated world. Mary also taught people how to swim as part of the bathing machine experience and is said to have dived off the pier every day until she was in her 70s.

Mary's story of a strong and independent woman who was well ahead of her time is not widely known. This brand-new piece of AR technology will be unveiled on Good Friday, March 29th, celebrating her wonderful legacy.

This work has been created to mark the 100th anniversary of the death of Mary Wheatland (AKA The Bathing Woman of Bognor and The Mermaid of Bognor) on the 1st of April this year, which falls on the bank holiday weekend when the portal opens.

The local artist behind the time travel experience, Matt Reed, said, “I’ve been developing this project for the last three years, and now, with my team, I’m really excited at the prospect of bringing this to my hometown, celebrating the heritage of Bognor Regis and the life of an incredible local figure, Mary Wheatland.” Matt has worked in the creative industries for over 25 years as an artist and designer and within the film industry on productions including Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Red Dwarf, and Saltburn, to name but a few.

Matt also added, “Members of the public will literally be able to step back in time and witness “digital twins” of bathing machines where they once stood on the beach and to encounter a holographic rendition of the "Mermaid of Bognor" herself, created using state-of-the-art volumetric video and augmented reality technology.”

Is it a DeLorean? What will it look like?

A brightly coloured, futuristic looking ‘portal’ frame signposts the location of the augmented reality experience. By following simple instructions on the signage and scanning a QR code with their mobile phones or tablets, audiences will see and hear Mary Wheatland, alongside three full-sized digital models of wooden bathing machines positioned on the shingle for the first time since 1923. 

Where will it be?

The physical portal and augmented reality art installation will be in place between the pier and Butlins, opposite the fountains, and will be activated at noon on Good Friday, March 29th, 2024. The experience will run for 18 months until the end of September 2025. 

Funding

This augmented reality experience is supported by an Arts Council England project grant and is one of three installations being delivered in late March 2024 using funding awarded from Arun District Council’s allocation from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).