Butlins

Last Monday I visited Filey on the North Yorkshire coast and it got me thinking of my holiday spent at Butlins Holiday Camp on the outskirts of Filey in 1966 when I was 13 years of age.  I dug this photograph out that was taken at the time.  I am second from the left on the back row and my sister (then 17) is 3rd from the right in the middle row.  We were there with our parents.  I had the most wonderful time.  I could not believe that I did not have to pay to go on rides at the fairground, or to go swimming or to go to the cinema.  There was always something exciting going including a trip to the Hawaiian themed Beachcomber Bar where  a storm happened every so often.

1966 was the year that The Beatles released their album Revolver.  There was a pirate radio station just of the coast of Filey and it seemed to jam all other stations so my dad could not get to listen to the programmes he wanted to hear.  My sister and I were thrilled about that.   Everywhere I went I heard people playing their transistors and Yellow Submarine, Eleanor Rigby, Taxman, Good Day Sunshine etc. blaring out.  The sun was shining and life felt exciting and good.

My sister said she cried on the way to Butlins as she had a left a boyfriend behind and cried on the way back as she had left a different boyfriend behind at Butlins.

A photographer asked my sister and I to appear in this group photo and next day it was published in a national newspaper with a caption about young women enjoying themselves.

Note the two girls with their hair rollers in.  It was common then to see women going around in rollers during the day so their hair would be nice for going out in the evening.  Not something I've ever done.  My hair was always long and straight.

Happy days!!!