Use of camps during winter inc. Winter Social Clubs

[Baz]

I just wondered whether this subject has ever been discussed before.

I grew up in Clacton during the 1950's and 1960's.

We had no swimming pool at our school and like many other schools we used the Butlin's indoor swimming pool. It meant all getting on coaches to be taken down to the camp. I can remember to this day what it felt like afterwards - going out into the freezing cold, still a bit wet, and clambering on a coach for the trip back to school.

But the best deal for us kids was the Winter Social Club. You (or your parents!) paid a fixed amount and it meant you had use of some of the camp facilities right through the close season. Mainly it was the indoor swimming pool, but also snooker and table tennis tables, television rooms etc.

I think when it first started you could use them all day at weekends, and four evenings a week (schools using the pool during daytime). There was a short period over Christmas when you couldn't go in as the camp was open as normal. In later years the number of evenings reduced and then it stopped all together. From what I can remember the cost was on a sort of sliding scale. i.e. for two parents and one child it was a certain amount and then for each extra child it was a reduced amount. I have it in my head that for me it was 10 shillings (50p!) for the whole winter season. Even allowing for inflation that was a fantastic deal!!

I know somewhere I have one of my old "season tickets". I can upload it if anyone is interested.

Baz

[KAF]

Yes, please do!

K

[Baz]

KAF

I hope this is of interest.

http://www.aboutnelson.co.uk/butlins/butlins4.jpg

I didn't even realise before that it doesn't have the Butlins name or logo on it, but you see that the President is Sir William Butlin M.B.E. All the facilities we were entitled to use were within the Butlins camp.

A few things I remember - which would have been the same for regular vistors.

2 television rooms - one on each side of one of the corridors. Of course we only had 2 channels back then, so one was permanently on BBC and one was on ITV. The chairs were hard wooden affairs and in rows across the room.

Brylcreem machines in the changing rooms. I think you put a penny in the machine and got a splurge of Brylcreem in your hand.

A video/film juke box in one of the games rooms. Don't let anyone tell you that pop videos were invented in the late 60's or early 70's. Butlins had them years before that! There were a couple of different makes of these juke boxes but I think this one was most likely a "Cinebox".

http://scopitone.tripod.com/colorama.jpg

For more information click here (http://scopitone.tripod.com/cinebox.html)

I have other memories of Butlins - being a "townie" rather than a regular visitor. I will try and share some of them another time.

Baz

[Baz]

One thing I meant to ask.

Did all the Butlin's camps have their indoor pools up on the first floor like Clacton did?

Baz

[clactonjohn]

The signature of the secretary on that membership card is that of William Henry Aston Perry, who was known to everyone as Fred for obvious reasons. Fred and his wife Alice were very good friends with my parents - Alice was in charge of Ambleside, the staff residence along the seafront at Clacton.

Alice is still with us, I believe she is in her mid 90s, but sadly resides in a home and does not have the best of health.

[Baz]

CJ

Thank you for that - very interesting.

I remember the building called Ambleside along the seafront.

But when we were kids there were so many hotels, guest houses, homes etc. etc. that we never really knew what went on in half of them.

So was Ambleside a place where normal staff such as redcoats would have stayed?

Do you know how many years the Winter Social Club ran for. My feeling is that it was about four years but my mind may be playing tricks with me there. Also I wonder if it was something they did at all the camps. I can't see why it should have been something special for Clacton.

Baz

[dancingdog777]

One thing I meant to ask.

Did all the Butlin's camps have their indoor pools up on the first floor like Clacton did?

Baz

I believe so. I think it was done that way so you could see into the swimming pools via large glass panels.

[butlins steve]

minehead pool was on a first floowith windows.

[Baz]

I think this is Clacton.

http://www.aboutnelson.co.uk/butlins/butlins5.jpg

[Pushbutton]

I had absolutely no idea about this "social club". All these years I didn't have a clue just how deprived I was as a child!