My second in a series of childhood Holidays memories. My first staying at our caravan on Otley Chevin.
This time it’s in Scarborough, staying at Colleys Cosy Camp, where we stayed for a week during the 6 week mid-summer holidays. We stayed in chalet type buildings which were originally an Army base. As we travelled along the A64 from Leeds to Scarborough in our Shooting Brake, praying that our car would not break down as it frequently did. It seems nowadays cars are more reliable, ours certainly wasn’t then.
I and my three siblings would make games up such as I-Spy. See how many cars we could spot of a certain type. And the usual question after about 90 minutes, are we there yet? Couldn’t wait to get on the sands and paddle in the sea. First we would book, dump our luggage in the chalet and then made our way down the hill passing the Old Scalby Mills Hotel, to the beach. On the way down I saw this massive house with paramatic views over the Bay, the house had a telescope on the veranda. I always thought if I could afford it later in life and the house was up for sale I would love to own it.
Anyway the Holiday Camp was on the North Bay, the only time we spent in the camp was for breakfast and evening meal and evening entertainment. Rest of the time spent on the beach or catch the bus that went along the front to the South Bay. Then we would go round the amusement arcades spending our extra spending money for the week. Our parents buying ice creams for us four children and for a change hire deck chairs and stay for a while on the South Bay sands.
We would also go on the boats that sailed up the coast, Regal Lady or the Corona to see the many sea birds at Bempton Cliffs. On the way back to the North Side, was a waffle shop selling strawberry waffles with loads of cream, running down my face and Candy Floss. We tended to have these on way back to camp so we had chance to wash our sticky faces.
In the camp was a lake, which I used to sail a model boat that my parents bought me. The battery run out of the remote control and boat was stranded in the middle of the lake. Not sure how deep the lake was so waited until somehow the boat managed to get to the bank again.
These holidays was when I first got interested in photography, at the age of 10 years old. There was a kiosk in the camp, if you handed your negatives in, from my then Brownie Camera. 24 hours late you picked up the prints. Couldn’t wait to see how many turned out OK.
Later in life did a photographer course, and between jobs did some freelance photographic work. Unfortunately did not pay the bills so gave it up. Those were the days when I used to develop and print my photos in my house loft, the only dark room in the house. Those memories for another day. Back to my holiday.
I remember one year I fell off the camp roundabout and twisted my ankle. That put paid to me walking to the beach and all my meals had be brought to the chalet. Luckily it happened towards the end of the week, so didn’t spoil everyone’s fun to go off for the day.
The best day for entertainment was Friday, our last day before change over day on Saturday. Such things going on as knobbly knee contest and best Glamourous Granny. On the final evening was like a talent contest. I believe my brother won one year, forgot what for. The main entertainment was some sort of TV Star. Thinking maybe a star in some other country, certainty never heard of them in Great Britain.
Anyway we packed up our cases on Saturday morning, and make our journey back to Leeds.
All Photographs taken by me when I was approx.. 10 years old.
If you have any childhood holiday memories. Please write then down with some photos on a disk or memory stick I will blog them for you under your name.
Do you remember this Holiday Camp. Please put your memories in comments below.
