This Southend tea towel features artwork by Edward Pond (1929–2012), created in his distinctive late-20th-century graphic style. Best known for his iconic Network SouthEast railway posters, Pond used bold shapes, simplified forms, and a confident, limited colour palette to evoke a strong sense of place.
The design captures Southend-on-Sea in bright, modern abstraction: crisp white sails skim across deep blue water, while the shoreline is rendered in blocks of red, cream, and green. The harbour, boats, and clustered buildings are reduced to their essential forms, creating a scene that feels lively, coastal, and unmistakably optimistic.
Originally produced to encourage travel by rail, Edward Pond’s poster designs are now highly collectible examples of British graphic design. This Southend by Train tea towel brings that celebrated railway poster aesthetic into the home, combining mid-century modern clarity with everyday practicality.
Printed on 100% cotton and handmade in Britain by our small family business, this tea towel is designed for regular kitchen use while preserving the strength and character of Pond’s original artwork.
Details:
Artwork by Edward Pond (1929–2012)
Destination illustrated: Southend-on-Sea, Essex
British railway poster–inspired design
Late-20th-century graphic style
100% cotton
Approx. 50 × 75 cm
Handmade in the UK
Hanging loop included
Machine washable at 40°C
Ideal as a Southend souvenir, British seaside tea towel, or gift for lovers of railway posters and classic graphic design, this piece forms part of our Edward Pond collection, celebrating iconic destinations through one of Britain’s most influential poster artists.