MARX AND ENGELS were frequent visitors to a range of English seaside resorts, primarily in Kent and Sussex. The east coast was also a consideration.

Marx favoured Margate and Ramsgate and in later life Ventnor.

Engels ranged more widely. His liking for Eastbourne is well known but he spent time at a number of south coast locations including Brighton, Worthing and Littlehampton. Correspondence reveals him often searching for a source of Pilsner beer to enjoy.

Being Manchester based until he retired, he was also not unfamiliar with east coast towns. Bridlington and the beer on the pier was a favourite, but he also stayed at Great Yarmouth.

It was quite rare for Marx to join Engels. However Engels wrote to Marx on July 22 1870 with a range of possible options for a short break:

“Where do you plan to go to the seaside? South of the Humber there is nothing on the east coast. To the north there is Scarborough — dear and crowded, and Bridlington Quay. If you decide on the latter, we could meet there.”

Their correspondence does not reveal what decision they came to. After all, if they were at a resort together they would not have been writing to each other and unfortunately social media didn’t exist.

Marx did apologise to a correspondent whose letter he had received on July 21 1870, for a delay in replying as he had been on a trip in the country. By July 26 he was back in London.

Marx did go away in August 1870. He originally planned to go to Brighton, conveniently near, but discovered the weather was too hot and an emigre he did not wish to meet was also there!

Instead he went to Ramsgate. He stayed for several weeks while trying to recover from sciatica, discussing with Engels if hot sea baths would help. Engels was unsure and unfortunately his reliable GP Gumpert was in Wales on holiday and unavailable.

What happened at these mainly summer-month visits to the seaside is also interesting.

In September 1857, Engels stayed in Ryde on the Isle of Wight for some weeks while also visiting Portsmouth.

Engels often had multiple reasons for seaside stays. Sometimes, Ryde being an example, he was recovering from a health issue. In 1857 he combined this with a regular correspondence with Marx and work on articles.

He was interested in the geology of the island. Living up to his nickname “the general,” due to his deep knowledge of military matters, he also made time to inspect the armed forces in Portsmouth.

Engels wrote to Marx on September 8 1857: “I finally arrived today at my new lodgings in the middle of a frightful downpour and tomorrow shall at once get down to the army again. Yesterday in Portsmouth I noted what was worth seeing on the military side, so all that now remains is the navy, which at this moment looks distinctly sparse.

“My health continues good and if the weather improves I hope I shall soon be completely cured. It takes half an hour to get here from Portsmouth and it’s a very aristocratic little spot.”

Engels was not impressed with what he had observed in Portsmouth, noting: “The chaps lack drill. Still very poor at the double. Shoot as though half-asleep.”

By contrast Engels was impressed with the Isle of Wight writing to Marx on September 17 1857: “The climate here is really marvellous and the vegetation, except for things needing very hot sunshine, is so southern one might almost be in Naples.”

Engels stayed in Ryde until the last week of September writing to Marx that he was then off not to Manchester but Jersey via Brighton.

Keith Flett is a socialist historian. Follow him on X @kmflett.