50+ Years Later, Four Friends Recreate Their 1972 Vacation Photos and Prove True Friendship Is Timeless / Bright Side

4 women recreated a photo they’ve taken in the ’70s, down to how they were dressed back then. There are 52 years worth of friendship and shared history in between both photos.

The first holiday without parents turned out to be an unforgettable experience for Marion Bamforth, Susan Smith, Carol Bancroft and Mary Frame. Back then, they were only 17 years old, and enjoying their one-week-long vacation by themselves. It was a week of swapping clothes, sunburn, sharing secrets, flirting with boys in fish and chip shops, making memories by the seaside, staying out late, and endless laughter.

“We always said, when we were younger, that one day we would go back to Torquay,” Carol shared.

The women stayed friends over the decades, and experienced a lot in the meantime – falling in love, creating families, making careers, grief, heartbreak, and endless other things. However, no matter what, they stuck by each other’s side. They went on other adventures together, including trips to Majorca and Portugal.

Fast-forward to 2024, all women in the photo, who were high school classmates, were now turning 70 years old. “We decided to finally go [back to Torquay]. Then Susan decided she’d love to recreate the picture that we’d taken when we were 17,” said Carol.

This idea came with some pushback from two other friends, since to recreate the iconic photograph they’d need to be dressed similarly like they were in the picture. Since times have changed a lot, Marion shared that she no longer wears skirts or dresses. Besides, the trip was scheduled for late fall, so it might not have been weather-appropriate to be dressed the way they are in the original photograph.

Still, the women were eventually won over. They got convinced that it would be a fun way to spend the time, and a beautiful tribute to the decades of their friendship, now that they are turning “the big 7-0”.

They confessed that at first they had troubles finding the exact spot the image was taken. “Nobody could remember where the photo took place but, luckily, a member of staff at the hotel where we were staying, guided us to the exact spot,” said Mary.

You can spot the difference between the backgrounds of the pictures – the white building has since been demolished, but the recognizable bridge remained. Marion described taking the picture as a “truly emotional moment”.

In order to fight against the weather conditions, the women had to change into their 70’s-inspired outfits in a public toilet so that the picture could be taken. However, all efforts paid off: “It was very cramped and very awkward. But all the pushing and shoving in the public loo was worth it. The photo is amazing.”

The older the friendship is, the better! Check out our other article: Why Friendships That Last More Than 10 Years Are Special