This film brought back happy childhood memories of visits to Skegness & Mablethorpe in the 60s, when life was much more slower and the World was much more pleasant.

 

 

we went to Mablethorpe every year, here’s me and my big bro, who’s sadly no longer with us.

I have seen the footage before there's a documentary on YouTube that uses it - along with footage from Butlins. It can get pretty busy on the beach these days, whereas when I was younger it wasn't remotely all that busy. I'm probably born in the generation where families were going overseas more than holidaying in the UK.

I wouldn't change holidaying in the UK for anything, loads of fond memories of Skegness, Winthorpe, Ingoldmells and Chapel St Leonards.

My own childhood summer holiday memories : Scarborough, Llandudno, St Annes on Sea, Weston Super Mare, Plymouth,  Isle of Wight, Ostend by ship from Dover a few times. 

I can just remember being taken to Blackpool by my paternal grandparents in August 1953,while my parents prepared to welcome my sister's birth back in Derbyshire. We also had family holidays at both Skegness and, mostly, Rhyl Derbyshire Miners holiday camps. Wonderful memories.

I think childhood memories of seaside holidays can last a lifetime, the days were endless and the sun always shone.

We once took a friend of our son on holiday with us, I had just been made redundant so we didn’t want to spend much, we took a trailer tent to a cliff top campsite in Norfolk and when we got there our sons friend who was about 10 at the time told us he’d never been to the seaside before, I felt so sorry for him but he certainly made up for it on our holiday he and our son had the time of their lives.

When I was 5-15, I always loved going into the arcades where the machines would cost 10-20p. It became too much, when short plays would cost 50p to £1. Obviously, I loved the beach and playing sports on it. I have found memories of playing football with my brother, dad and grandfather. One time, at the top of Winthrope Avenue. We were playing, and some older people set up deck chairs on the path near to the sea front, just above from where we were playing.

It was like having Sky cameras on me, I have to admit I did try harder as I enjoyed hearing their comments. They watched in a nice spirit, not in an alienating way and I appreciated that.

Playing beach cricket and rounders was always fun; it's something my lot really don't do without complaints. Ava is actually scared of balls, bless her, so that can be difficult (I think it's more about being hit in the face), but she avoids them like the plaque.

Some of the happiest times of my life, involved walking to Skeg pushing @GrannyPie's wheelchair and seeing my children grow up to loving Skegness, it's almost like re-living it through them. @super_ram will be coming against us, during our next family break and I love that he can join us. My children really loved it last year when he did; it gives us something extra to look forward to.

I don't like hearing people criticising Skegness, as it feels like my second home. I know some of the locals, which is nice to speak with. They are few and far now, as I have been going all my life. Whilst it's sad to see certain aspects fade, such as the lights and ornaments which would be fun to look at. If someone really doesn't like it, then I wonder why they go - especially just to moan.

I like Skegness, but I think it was better when I was much younger. It seems to be becoming more commercial, with bigger chains, and the arcades don’t seem as good. I love the beach, it’s the best sandy beach I’ve seen in the UK. I don’t like pebbles or those green plants like grass that grow there. I know they’re important for the environment, but I find them awful. Skegness used to be a place I loved for day trips, weekends, and the odd week away. I’m not criticising it, but I think they should focus more on making it a place for young children and families, rather than rowdy stag parties and that sort of thing, it’s a bit tacky.

7 hours ago, Blake said:

but I think they should focus more on making it a place for young children and families, rather than rowdy stag parties and that sort of thing, it’s a bit tacky.

@Blake I couldn’t agree more, we went to Bridlington and it was full of stag and hen parties getting tanked up on booze and spoiling it for ordinary families, it’s a shame when that happens.

I can remember going on holiday to Warners Puckpool in the Isle of Wight in the summer of 1960.

They had a children's singing competition & I could sing some of the songs of the day because Mum and Dad had one of those retro early 60s record players.

I asked my Dad if I could join in, well they stood me on a chair on the stage in front of a big microphone & Audience.

I sang Green finger by Adam Faith. I knew all of the words, I got the audience laughing because I wouldn't stop and surprisingly, I finished up winning it.

My parents loved going to the holiday camps of Warners & Butlins 

Here's the song that I sang. It's quite catchy.

 

On 13/08/2024 at 09:29, Piethagoram said:

My own childhood summer holiday memories : Scarborough, Llandudno, St Annes on Sea, Weston Super Mare, Plymouth,  Isle of Wight, Ostend by ship from Dover a few times. 

i have family on the isle of wight and man, those are lovely mostly unspoilt places which i have enjoyed visiting. isle of man i used to go once a year before I turned 18, to visit family. one of my aunts has a house near the sea, so the beach is almost on its door step.

skegness is a lot nicer than people say, you just need to know where to go but the standard of food is nice.

my family has a caravan on richmond which has been taken over now. i have a weekend there every now and then but have not been so far this year.

I first went to the Isle of Wight aged 14 I think, I’ve been back loads of times with our children and then just me and Mrs, T when the kids had left home, we used to go quite a lot in our campervan, it’s a lovely place for a holiday, with it being on the south coast there’s usually good weather and the beaches are lovely golden sand.

@Fan of Big Tone isle of wight is a stunning place, have you ever been to the isle of man?

Not yet @liampie but never say never, it’s certainly somewhere I’ve often thought of going to but never tried.

Next year we are doing a round Britain cruise which will take in Southern Ireland, Northern Ireland, Liverpool, Edinburgh and a couple of Outer Hebrides Islands but sadly not Isle of Man.