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Founded in 1810 by Lewis Tregonwell, Bournemouth was originally a deserted heathland, home to fishermen and smugglers. Initially marketed as a health resort, Bournemouth's growth really accelerated with the arrival of the railway and it became a town in 1870. The arrival of the railways precipitated a massive growth in seaside and summer visitors to the town, especially from the Midlands and London. In 1880, the town had a population of 17,000 but, by 1900, when railway connections to Bournemouth were at their most developed, the town's population had risen to 60,000 and it had become a favourite location for visiting artists and writers.Today, Bournemouth has a population of almost 190,000 people, and is a tourist centre of leisure, entertainment, culture and recreation. It has come a long way from its roots in the nineteenth century. Those roots, the formative years of the town, are the focus of Bournemouth: The Biography, which charts the evolution of Bournemouth from a smuggler's haven to the coastal resort we know today.