Page "Torquay" Paragraph 1

The town's economy was initially based upon fishing and agriculture as in the case of Brixham across Torbay, but in the early 19th century the town began to develop into a fashionable seaside resort, initially frequented by members of the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars while the Royal Navy anchored in the bay and later by the crème de la crème of Victorian society as the town's fame spread.

Renowned for its healthful climate, the town earned the nickname of the English Riviera and favourable comparisons to Montpellier.