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Holidays of the past

Re: When did you first se the sea?

All our first brummie holidays seem to be Rhyl. Is this because it was nearest place. We progressed to Weston super Mare.
 
Re: When did you first se the sea?

Rhyl and the donkeys, it's straight across. Where the horse drawn helicopters were with the horse called Carol, Carolina. Or Weston Super Mud as dad called it. My family rented a stone beach hut at weymouth from when I was little till they passed away, they went so many times they made a lot of friends, fellow holiday makers and locals alike. A couple from there still send us cards. I used to ride on Stardust the horse on the prom you had to put a tanner in him. I have spoken to to others who did to. I remember a long line of words at Weston over the arcades, comainandhavesomefun, all joined up, and the fountain which changed colour at night which kept me happy for hours & Nan holding me by my flannel shirt at the back when I was only knee high to a grasshopper dragging me through rivulets on the beach shouting sweem! sweem! Great memories thank you all for bringing them back and so nice to hear from Podgery again.
 
Re: When did you first se the sea?

hi folks this video has been on the forum before but i thought this thread would be a good place to re post it...packed with nostalgia...hope it brings back memories of those heady seaside days


Hi Lyn,

I have just sat and watched the video. I thouroghly recommend it to anyone who has not watched it. What a responsibility those adults took on who looked after the youngsters on their day out; The children in the film will now be in their late forties or fifties. I wonder if any of them are on this forum. Thank you for showing it to us again.

Chris Beresford
 
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Re: When did you first se the sea?

Yours truly, taking one of his earliest glimpses of the sea, even if not now remembered. Well, more probably estuary rather than sea, from East Portlemouth towards Salcombe, August 1938.

Chris
 

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Re: When did you first se the sea?

My son first saw the sea in 1971 at Borth in Wales and also tasted it ...
First Taste Sea 1971 Borth.jpg
 
Re: When did you first se the sea?

About 1943 my aunt & uncle became caretakers for the Barmouth property belonging to W. Greener, the gunsmiths, now converted to a hotel about which there is a thread elsewhere on the Forum. I remember being carried on my uncle's shoulders along the sands and going along the Panorama Walk. After that is was Rhyl, Prestatyn, and Burnham-on-Sea in the years following the end of the war.

Maurice
 
Re: When did you first se the sea?

Can't really remember when my I had my first sight of the sea, it was post war on the south coast, there was barbed wire along the beaches, maybe Bournemouth, maybe 1946? Do remember a large liner the Mauritania?
 
Re: When did you first se the sea?

I once wrote about my first real recollection of the seaside. It's written in the third person but is my own precise memory, as best as I can recall it, and is entirely accurate as to date.

A VISIT TO THE SEASIDE

Nothing could be better than this. Nothing. He’d been to the seaside before. Of course he had. Lots and lots of times. His mummy had told him. But the last time was ages ago and he could only just remember a stony beach because he’d been there in August and now it was May. A Friday. Nine months is a long, long time when you’ve only just had your fourth birthday. Now here he was at the seaside again, but this time standing on a sandy beach which stretched for miles and miles. There was more open space than he had ever seen before, enough to make him breathless with wonder at the vastness surrounding him. And the sea stretching away for ever, blue and sparkling. When he looked out over it, the edge where it met the sky was curved, which proved to him that the earth was round, just like his big sister had told him. Like a huge orange, she’d said. She knew about lots of things. It was a pity she was so bossy. But at least she was now helping him make a sand-castle while their mum and dad and elder brother lay back on the sand in the afternoon sunshine, hands behind their heads. They were all squinting at the distant horizon and seemed completely wrapped up in their own thoughts.

The sand-castle was finished. It only needed the little tissue-paper flags which had been bought especially from a kiosk on the promenade, just behind the beach. No sooner than he had opened the packet, the dozen little flags inside, which were the national flags of more countries than he knew existed, were grabbed from his hand by a violent gust of wind, scattering and disappearing totally, utterly, irretrievably. This disaster was so unexpected and so complete that he was numbed with shock and did not even cry. In fact he was surprised at his own bravery. Still dry-eyed he soon found himself trotting along the promenade in the midst of the family, licking a consoling ice-cream. But then he caught sight of something wonderful, a device he’d never seen before, and that was a multi-coloured windmill. It was tied to another toddler's pushchair and was spinning furiously in the breeze as it passed by. The owner of the desirable object was not even looking at it and, unbelievably, seemed to have an expression of boredom on her face. A sense of his own recent loss and a desire to own such a beautiful thing overwhelmed him. Two quiet requests to his parents were followed by a more forceful plea which in turn led to a tantrum that even by his standards was one to remember. But despite standing in his parents’ path, barring their way and screaming as loudly as he was able, no windmill was going to be bought for him and the world appeared wholly bleak and cruel.

At breakfast the next morning his outlook had long since improved, with thoughts of windmills and lost flags dismissed and the world again full of promise. He had the vague impression that his cheery mood contrasted with that of the other four. They seemed to have lost their high spirits of the previous day but he had no idea why. He finished his boiled egg and, bored with a serious conversation he could not follow, slipped off the tall hotel chair and started to explore the territory under the table. As he crawled amongst the legs, both human and oak, he felt some surprise that for once no notice was being taken of such behaviour in a public place. By the time that he had re-emerged, tired of this normally forbidden activity, the discussions had ceased and he was told, gently, that they had all decided it would be better to return home that morning, rather than to stay on as they had intended. Daddy would go and get the car filled up while the rest of them had a last look at the sea.

On the promenade he was persuaded, against his better judgement, to accept the treat of a ride on a children’s roundabout. He was lifted into a small car, painted pink. He grasped the steering wheel and was overcome with self-consciousness as he found himself going round and round in front of a ring of grown-ups. These mums and dads were paying the children on the roundabout much more attention than usual. But he felt that they were all looking just at him. He bowed his head, overcome with self-consciousness, and sat for an eternity with his eyes focused on a sheet of metal in front of his knees beyond the steering wheel. It was like a tiny, enclosed world, painted pink, just like the maps of the British Empire, and flecked with rust. Finally to his immense relief the ride came to an end. He was lifted out of the car and he snuggled up to his mother where at last nobody seemed to be looking at him. She put her arm around him and seemed to press him to her side even more closely than she normally did.

They walked back to the hotel where the father had already put the suitcases in the car. As they drove off the little boy obediently gave the sea a final wave and told it he would come back as soon as he could. He nestled up beside his sister on the rear seat of the car and looked sadly out of the window at the houses and shops which lined the road out of Blackpool. As they passed a newsagent's there was a hoarding outside. If he had been able to read, it would have told him: “Latest News: German Troops Invade Holland and Belgium, Threaten France”. No one spoke. The little black Ford headed south towards Birmingham, towards the safety of home.
 
Re: When did you first se the sea?

This sounds like the opening chapter of a novel, Chris is it? If it is I would like to read it.
 
Re: When did you first se the sea?

No, Nico, just a memory, unfortunately! Of a moment in history when I was still far too young to WORRY but can remember clearly enough although I realised nothing of the implications. What my parents' feelings were at the time, I hate to think. On the following Wednesday my father and brother signed up for the Home Guard and across the Channel the disaster to the B.E.F. started to unfold.


Chris.
 
Re: When did you first se the sea?

An interesting account Chris.

My first visit was much later in 1953. I was 6 months old and I think we went to Exeter, stayed in a caravan. Obviously I don't remember it but I sense from the photos below it was a less than pleasurable visit. No-one looks happy! Absolutely no efforts to smile for the camera, so I presume it was not a happy visit. Seems a pity as I'm sure it must have been a lovely beach. Not really looked at these two photos in over 50 years and I notice they're using my carrycot to store all the beach paraphernalia. Oh, yes and I'm the baby in the photos! Viv.
 

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Re: When did you first se the sea?

An interesting account Chris.

My first visit was much later in 1953. I was 6 months old and I think we went to Exeter, stayed in a caravan. . Oh, yes and I'm the baby in the photos! Viv.
In true picture identification mode, looks more like Exmouth than Exeter!
 
Re: When did you first se the sea?

Wow thanks Jim that's great. Not been there since and don't remember the first time either! But that helps as I think it was near where some of our relations lived at the time. Viv.
 
Re: When did you first se the sea?

My first memory of the seaside was a trip to Aberyswith (sp). It must have been 1946. Dad carried me down to the sea and we filled a sand bucket with sea water. I had to
have a taste. It was so horrible, of course. I also remember on that trip going to Talybont. The first thing I remember seeing was a dead sheep lying in a field and have never forgotten it. I have always loved the seaside and am lucky enough to have lived by it for many years.
 
Re: When did you first se the sea?

No, Nico, just a memory, unfortunately! Of a moment in history when I was still far too young to WORRY but can remember clearly enough although I realised nothing of the implications. What my parents' feelings were at the time, I hate to think. On the following Wednesday my father and brother signed up for the Home Guard and across the Channel the disaster to the B.E.F. started to unfold.


Chris.
Does the sea side memory make you feel bad then or is it bitter sweet?
 
Re: When did you first se the sea?

img053.jpgimg054.jpg In 1937 I went , with my parents, on holiday to Scarborough staying with relations who I believe had a shop on the front. Although I was so young I can remember the fright and pain I had when being given a cup of tea (yes we drank tea from an early age!) which had been left in front of the open fire to keep warm. The crock apparently absorbs heat readily and burns the lips and tongue on contact!!!!!
 
Re: When did you first se the sea?

Does the sea side memory make you feel bad then or is it bitter sweet?

Sad, I suppose, Nico, as ever when you think of the passing of time. And also because for over a decade I have been the only survivor from that little drama's cast of five. But happy that, for once, I can pin down a set of my earliest recollections to a precise date, and a momentous historical one at that!

Chris

PS A belated thanks to Old Boy for starting this interesting thread which many members can respond to with their own memories of the past.
 
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In early days when day trips to see the sea became possible for most families, nobody thought about what to wear on the beach.

Grandad went for a paddle ...he's content...
blackpool1.jpg

Grannie came on the beach but what's she thinking
blackpool2.JPG
 
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Ha ha - two brilliant pictures, Phil! A walking stick in the sea? And I bet granny was cursing all that sand in her shoes! Ai, oop!

But somewhere I have a picture of my father sitting on a bench on the prom at Weston-s-M, his trilby pulled well down and his raincoat wrapped well around him. Must have been a typical English summer that year.

Maurice
 
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