Oh We Do Love to Be Beside the Seaside…
Don your knotted hanky, grab a cornet and join us for a nostalgic look back at the sunny summers of yesteryear…
The Places We Went…
From Burntisland to Blackpool, wherever we headed off to for the “trades fortnight” a Great British seaside holiday was sure to be full of fun – and, with any luck, a bit of sun! From marvelling at the iconic Blackpool Tower in the north to screaming with delight as we rode the wooden rollercoaster and enjoyed all the other delights of Dreamland in Margate, each of Britain’s thriving seaside resorts dotting the coastline had something different to offer. Mostly hotels weren’t an option – far too expensive! – so instead we booked into one of the many B&Bs or boarding houses that lined the seafront, usually hosted by a rather strict landlady. For a lucky few, of course, there was a conveniently located relative who lived by the seaside – prime for a visit in the sunny summer months!
The Food We Enjoyed…
For high days and holidays it just wasn’t food unless it was sugar-packed or deep fried. Ice cream, candy floss and fish & chips were, of course, the holy trinity of the seaside holiday diet. There were a few other treats on the menu, too – sandfilled sandwiches were de rigueur for any family seaside picnic, along with a little cup of winkles, juicy and smothered in salt and vinegar, eaten straight from the cup with the aid of a pin. Blackpool regulars may remember the tradition of “jugs of tea for the sands” – at only two shillings it was well worth it, to be able to enjoy a hot cuppa lying back in your deckchair in the sun!
Attractions We Loved…
Armed with simply a bucket and spade and perhaps a net for rock-pooling, we could while away hours playing in the sand, but there was so much more to do. Penny arcades, donkey rides, prize bingo, talent competitions and tea dances at the lido were all part and parcel of any seaside holiday. Choosing between a stick of rock or a “kiss-me-quick” hat to take back for the poor folks left behind at home provided hours of entertainment, too. Then there were the summer shows – during the 50s and 60s Britain’s top acts flocked to the coast to perform. Everyone from Gracie Fields to Marlene Dietrich graced the theatres of Blackpool, while Dame Thora Hird returned each summer to her home town of Morecambe to entertain visitors and locals with her traditional show Ma’s Bit Of Brass.