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Holidays as a kid...


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Where did you go as a kid on holiday ?

Before the days of 99p flights and train straight through to Eurodisney

I remember Ingoldmels and Scarborough fondly with the odd visit to Flamingo Land too

Very basic holidays but I think as it was basic there was less demanded from us as kids and more time spent just enjoying it

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Guest tsavo

Bridlington by charra (coach) with United Motor services, later Sheffield United Tours from Pond Street. Toilet stop at Sherburn in Elmet, then pouring rain, playing Bingo, trying to win Mum a bucket bag, getting just enough wins for a water jug...which leaks when filled over half full, brilliant sunshine, sand castles, crab sandwiches for tea as a special treat, swingboats, sticks of rock, Punch & Judy, sand between your toes, being sick on the coach going back, falling asleep and waking up at home. Now that was some day out!

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Mablethorpe camping through the 1960s then Skegness in the 1970s. I gave up family holidays as soon as I could and concentrated on doing my own thing, even if that meant staying at home whilst rest of the family headed for the bright lights of the Lincolnshire Coast. :(

Oh one year we ventured as far as North Norfolk! Yikes it seemed to take days to get to the caravan site, but Snaps at 2P a bag in the on-site social club made up for the long journey and I won a knobbly knees contest... result First time I recall hearing an East London accent.

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We always went to Bridlington. First of all, for years on a caravan site outside of town, then later a bungalow on the same site. Dad just dumped us at the site and went off fishing every day! Only as I grew to be a teenager, and complained that there was nothing to do on the site, did we move into Brid itself and into a boarding house. We went the same two weeks every year to the same place - and met up with the same crowd from previous years.

I remember getting up at the crack of dawn to go to the beach with my dad to dig for worms with his long fork. And going out on the "Yorkshire Belle" or the "Bridlington Queen", and doing the "Mystery Tour" coach trip, which was no mystery as it always went to a pub for food and entertainment!

First stop when we got to Brid was to go and rent 4 deckchairs and a windbreak for the fortnight. There's many a time I've wished for that windbreak whilst sitting on a Greek beach on a windy day, eating sand every 10 minutes.

I also remember seeing Amen Corner and Love Affair at the Spa Ballroom in the same weekend.

I was lucky - I also got 2 weeks away with my gran & grandad. They took me to Pontins at Middleton Towers. Gran always entered me for every ruddy thing that was going on - everything from the talent competition to the donkey derby!

One other holiday comes to mind too - 2 weeks on a farm in a little village called "Three Holes". It was close to some good fishing, so yet again we were dumped and hardly saw dad during the day.

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Guest coffee cup

When we were very young we used to go and stay in my uncles caravan at Humberston. There were swamps all over the site so you had to be careful if you needed to go to the loo after dark.

Used to walk into Cleethorpes every day, there wasn't much esle to do, but I do remember there some swingboats on the beach near the caravan site.

Much later, we used to holiday in Newquay, although I remember we also went to wales a couple of times, always had good weather.

B)B) B)

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I guess I was pretty lucky - got two holidays at year - usually both at Blackpool - my Nan's brother bought a house there and left the thing empty most of the year - but let family and friends use it in Summer. so I got a holiday when Nan and Grandad went away and then when Dad took us - My earliest recollections are the old Golden Mile with all the side shows (two headed man etc) - the seaside woolies were always different and the one at Blackpool was huge - right under the tower. Uncle Toms Cabin - a great pub to the north of Blackpool - behind the pub was a large garden which had one or two shops/stalls etc where you coudl get hot dogs, toys etc.

Occasionally Dad was flush and we 'broke away' and went further afield - my one abiding memory when he bravely set off for Cornwall - I don't remember a thing about the seaside, but do remember us breaking diown in some tiny village. The guy at the local garage had to send away for parts so we were stuck there for about three days. I havent a clue where we stayed but obviously it cut short our time by the sea - nice village though - had a shop which sold ice cream and it was yellow!! - never had real cornish ice cream up to that point and I remember it still.

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Guest shezza91

Skeggy most of the time in a 6 berth caravan. Great days, life was so simple then.

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I was fortunate when i was young as both aunty and my uncle worked for British Rail, and they both used to get given to them what was called Pt's (privileged tickets) limited to so many a year.

You could use them for a free trip to any destination by train so we got about quite a bit as you can imagen, they also got discounts off the fares when the Pt's ran out.

Oh and not to forget the endless supply of soap we had (compliments of 'BR' of course), do you remember it that strage smelling scented stuff in a small tablet form with the letters BR marked in it.

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i remeber going down to Lynton in Devon camping. The first time we went dad had only just passed his driving test. the car was filled to the rafters with camping gear etc and me and 2 sisters and a brother were sat in the back too. I remember it took hours to get there we always stopped in Bristol or there abouts so dad could have a nap. the one thing i do remember is trying to put the tent up and getting the help of what seemed like everyone on the site to help. Unfortunately unbeknown to us we had wrong pieces for the tent. never remember it raining while we were there. I took my son and daughter to the same place for a holiday 9 years ago it rained for the majority of the week but the sun did come out once....on the day we left!!!!!

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Guest nosy nellie

Usually went to Cleethorpes every year,but once went to Whatstandwell in an old converted railway carriage in a field, old gas mantles,very basic, very quaint .Had to go across the field for the toilets and sinks,I don;t remember any showers or any other facilities.But there was a river and lots of other campers fantastic holiday this was in the fifties glad of a holiday anywhere at the time.

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Guest coffee cup

that converted railway carriage would be worth a fortune now.

When I was a kid I always said I would like to live in either a windmill or a railway carriage.

lol lol

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Every year we used to go with Roberts Tours, our local independant coach company, on their "Mystery Tour".

Part of the fun was waiting with all the other kids from school with their familes for the coach to come and then when it rolled up watching the adults make bets on where the mystery destination was.

It was only for coppers and to tell the truth we never ever won. Every year though "lucky Dave" won a few quid as he always seemed to get it right.

He wasn't a bad driver either.

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I'll get my coat. *sulks*

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Guest Genie602

Hello,

We used to go touring around the country in a 4 berth caravan, had to have an awning to sleep my two sisters and a toilet tent for the awful chemical loos. I can remember many times when we got stuck down narrow country lanes - we would have to turn the car and caravan around separately and then hitch it up again - the air was often blue! Dad used to have to collect water in 5 gallon containers for use in the caravan. The caravans were not very big, my dad is tall and I remember him putting his foot through the side of the van once. The other thing that I remember is the gas mantles, they were so delicate.

We were well travelled, from cornwall to scotland, east coast to west coast. We seemed to spend a long time travelling, stay for perhaps two nights and then move on somewhere else.

Genie 602

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As my granny and anties lived in Cleethorpes, we went there for lots of days out, I was usually sent for the full 6 weeks holidays to get some fresh air!

I remember once going to Ingollmels in a caravan when I was about 8, that was really good, as it felt like a real holiday. We also went to Prestatyn Holiday camp, that was a real treat, and dad once bought a car, he couldn't drive, so he had a friend drive us to Yarmouth, we stayed in a caravan and it poured all week only to be sunny on our last day. It seemed to take forever to get to Yarmouth.

I have lovely memories of Cleethorpes and still enjoy visiting there.

Marion

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Skegness in 1947 then Bridlington a year or two later.

Then Cayton Bay near Scarborough in a caravan - first went there in 1952 when there were just a few caravans and you had to get your milk from the farm. Shortly afterwards it became well known as "Wallis's"

Went to Cayton Bay or Scarborough for many years and still have a week at Scarborough each year.

On the last night when I was young we went into Scarborough on the bus and I was allowed a "Knickerbocker Glory" at the Harbour Bar which still does great trade.

Also at Scarborough you could go to The Mere and sail on the "Hispaniola" to "Treasure Island" and dig for dubloons !!

Anyone else go there?

John

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When we were very young we used to go and stay in my uncles caravan at Humberston. There were swamps all over the site so you had to be careful if you needed to go to the loo after dark.

Used to walk into Cleethorpes every day, there wasn't much esle to do, but I do remember there some swingboats on the beach near the caravan site.

Much later, we used to holiday in Newquay, although I remember we also went to wales a couple of times, always had good weather.

B)B)B)

I fell off those swingboats lol Parents had a caravan at Humberston (south beach) fish and chips at Fitties, riding on the small trains, Cleethorpes Zoo, being pushed into the open air lido(full of feathers from seagulls)the wooden rollercoaster at the end of the prom.

Pontins at Southport, Dennis's caravan park in Scarborough :rolleyes:

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Usually went to Cleethorpes every year,but once went to Whatstandwell in an old converted railway carriage in a field, old gas mantles,very basic, very quaint .Had to go across the field for the toilets and sinks,I don;t remember any showers or any other facilities.But there was a river and lots of other campers fantastic holiday this was in the fifties glad of a holiday anywhere at the time.

Nellie, there still is an old converted railway carriage near Whatstandwell, I wonder if its the same one? very run down at the moment though.

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Nice one of my late parents relaxing on the beach well before i was born so its pre 1948 and i don't think it's Paris

note my fathers shoes suit and jumper typical British holiday wear of the time.

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Just found this holiday photo of me and my Mum on one of those scary rowing boat rides

could possibly be on the lake in Peasholm Park Scarborough.

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Looks like every one having loads of fun the sea looks a long way in the distance

must be Blackpool they will more than likely be my ancestors sorry no names or

dates.

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Looks like every one having loads of fun the sea looks a long way in the distance

must be Blackpool they will more than likely be my ancestors sorry no names or

dates.

Do you recognise anyone now. (Hope you don't mind the tweak.) Looks 20s or 30s to me.

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Hi tsavo Nicely done i did not even realise they were in the water sorry they were all well

before my time, I have loads of old family photos but very few with information on them

and some are in a worse state than that one.

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Guest nosy nellie

Yes Briyeo. Could very well be the same railway carriage it certainly brought back memories of nearly sixty years ago,

The tents were in one part of the field and caravans and railway carriages were in another,but i am sorry i have not got any photographs

of the holiday I wish I had.They were good times.

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Cleethorpes was probably the shortest distance to travel so would be visited most frequently in the 1960's. mainly as "day trips"

In those days before the M18 / M180 route which is really fast an convenient there were 3 main ways of getting there.

1) rail

A regular, fast, convenient direct service in those days, with the extra advantage that Cleethorpes station is just about on the sea front promenade so you didn't have to walk very far when you got off the train.

2) coach

Only used this if it was the WMC annual trip out. It took most of the day to get there and back due to the requirement of the WMC committee to stop at practically every pub between here and Cleethorpes for "just a swift half" or "a toilet stop for the ladies". It was supposed to be a day at the seaside for the kids but was more like a mobile escorted pub crawl for the old blokes.

3) car

A luxury at the time when car ownership was less than today, cars frequently developed problems on longer runs and, as mentioned already, there was no motorway, just A roads which passed through endless little villages with 30mph speed limits. However, if you got to go by this method, provided you didn't get travel sickness, it all made for a very nice day out.

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