Persuasive writing: advertisement for the new Torbay Hotel 1860

Start with a class consideration of the Imperial Hotel advertisement of 1890 to model the style of later 19^th century adverts. This could be projected onto a screen or pasted into a word processor document and printed and enlarged. Invite pupils to pick out various selling points which the compiler of the advert decided to use. Some are concerned with the hotel in particular, others relate to the features of the town. Notice that it was cheaper to stay in the hotel in the summer.

Ask pupils to examine the Effects of the Railway, the Montpelier of England and Billings Directory and Gazetteer to find features of this slightly earlier period which might be used in an advertisement for the Torbay Hotel. The latter is the most demanding source to access. Features should include balls and parties, baths and assembly rooms, public gardens, libraries and reading rooms, ease of access by train.

Remind pupils that Torquay was a mainly a winter resort until the end of the 19^th century and that therefore some modern selling points, such as beaches and summer sun, would not be relevant

There is little evidence of the early days of the Torbay Hotel so pupils will need to concentrate mainly on the attractions of Torquay.

Pupils could paste the Torbay Hotel picture source into the middle of a page in a word processor and add selling points in the borders round the picture, in the style of the Imperial Hotel advertisement.