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Butlin's Memories
The Story of this website

2008 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

Screenshot from Butlins Memories website in 2008

The Butlins Memories website was established in 2001 by a gentleman named Glen, with the purpose of recording and sharing people's photographs and memories of Butlins. The website quickly gained popularity, and Glen dedicated three busy years to responding to emails and regularly updating the site. In fact, much of the current content was uploaded by Glen during this time. However, Glen eventually needed some personal time, and fortunately, assistance arrived in the form of another gentleman named Kevin. Take note that the page was not showing the Butlins Hotels at this time. 

Kevin took over hosting the site through his hosting company, managed the emails, and did an excellent job of upgrading and maintaining the original Butlins Memories Forum software. Additionally, he created the original Butlins Memories Photo Gallery, which now boasts over 3,000 user-uploaded images. The Butlins Memories forum boasted over 100,000 posts, acting as a hub for former staff and campers of all ages to share their past and present experiences at Butlins, reminisce, and even plan regular reunions. By the summer of 2007, Kevin realised he could no longer oversee the site and chose to hand it over to another administrator, DiscoKev, who was an active member of the forum. Meanwhile, Kevin's company continued to offer hosting and exceptional support until the site was ready for a new owner.

2008 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

The Butlins Memories get togethers... (2008 screenshot)

In 2006, the members of the original forum would arrange "Get-Togethers". 

2009 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

Butlins Hotels features on the Butlin's Memories Website. (2009)

It was in 2009 that the website would now introduce the Butlins Hotels to its library. 

2009 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

Roger Billington, working in the Butlins Archive, requests some help (2009)

The Butlins Memories website would start to become more popular and was now the number one source for the history of the Butlins name. On this version of the website, we see Roger Billington request some help from the visitors. 

2011 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

Rocky Mason and small changes to the website (2011)

In 2011, the Butlins Memories website continued to ask for help with the Radio Butlin request from Roger Billington, with the name now being moved to the centre of the page. The new addition is the new book by Rocky Mason named The Gumshield to Greasepaint being advertised on the website. This screenshot also shows the removal of the "Get togethers).  The green box reads;

"Rocky Mason's autobiography - Gumshield to Greasepaint - telling of his boxing career & days at Butlins is available here from Authorhouse.co.uk. The synopsis on the back cover of the book reads, "Rocky Mason fought his way through adversity to a successful career in showbiz. His tough childhood led to a boxing career where he accumulated 69 straight wins in 87 bouts, losing only eight. As a PTI in the forces, he fought at the National Sporting Club in the presence of the president, Colonel Basil Brown, also a director of the Butlin Holiday Camp Empire. On his demob, after two years living rough and bumming around the continent, he was offered a job as a Redcoat boxing instructor at Butlins and his life was to change forever. With the Colonel as his mentor, he became an entertainer with his own show 'Rendezvous with Rocky' and covered Butlin TV presentations for many years. He became close friends with Mr Robert Butlin and Sir Billy himself and was proud to be an usher at Sir Billy's sad demise, at the great man's memorial service at St Martin-in-the-Fields. At the same time, Rocky became a personal friend of almost every showbiz star in the country, many of whom have contributed to this book. Also within these pages are personal anecdotes, jokes and amusing stories of wonderful times spent with these remarkable people."

To read more about Rocky Mason's story, click on these words to load the Butlins Memorabilia website's Untold Stories

2011 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

Butlins Memories website celebrates Butlins 75th Birthday and small changes (2011)

The design of the Butlins Memories website would change again and now feature a different type of font design at the top. The words "Recreating the memories 2001 - 2011" were also added, replacing "Celebrating the memories, history & fun of Butlins!" That green box has the following; 

"Happy 75th Birthday, Butlins!

The first Butlins holiday camp opened 75 years ago this April and we at Butlins Memories are keen to wish Butlins a very happy 75th birthday! A couple of books have been released to mark the occasion. "Butlin's - 75 Years of Fun!" has been written by Sylvia Endacott & Shirley Lewis - two long-standing Butlins employees. The other book is "Here Come The Redcoats" and has been written by Rocky Mason & Frank McGroarty - both former Butlins Redcoats. Both books are full of Butlins' history and photographs and can be purchased by following the links.

Another book which was reissued in October 2010 is Goodnight Campers, which traces the development of the British holiday camp from its origins a century ago through to the 1930s and 1940s pioneer camps, forward to the golden years of the Pontin, Butlin and Warner camps of the 1950s and 1960s and up to date. The book is available from (link removed), by following the link. Also available is Holiday Camps written by Kathryn Ferry, which follows the story of the Holiday Camps from the 1890s to the present day."

2011 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

Small Changes to the Website (2011)

The only area that I could find that changed was that the website domain name was larger and the wording under this, "Celebrating the memories since 2001" was added in yellow.

2012 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

The Butlins Memories website guestbook (2012)

By 2012, the guestbook was also removed from the Butlins memories website. 

2012 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

The Butlins Memories website guestbook (2012)

Interesting was that the older logo was being used at the top of these pages. Sadly, nothing was saved from the guestbook and all that is shown is what you see here. 

2013 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

The Butlins Memories image gallery (2013)

In 2013, the Butlins memories image gallery was removed from the website

2011 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

The Butlins Memories image gallery (2011)

This is all I can find for the Butlins Memories photo gallery; however, when I click on the options shown, it tells me that there is nothing to see, which is the same as there was a great deal on here  (just over 3000 photos)

2011 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

The Butlins Memories Forum (2011)

For now, this is the only screenshot I was able to take of the original forum on the website. 

2013 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

Wish you were here (2013)

The Butlins Memories website became a location for authors to seek help with research, with the author Neil Hanson requesting some information about his next book, named "Wish you were here". The green boss tells us;

"Wish You Were Here

"I'm an author and, with my partner Lynn Russell, we're writing a book for HarperCollins, titled "Wish You Were Here", about women who worked (or holidayed) at Butlin's in the 1940s, 50s, 60s and 70s. It's a follow-up to our very successful book "The Sweethearts" about women workers at Rowntree's York chocolate factory, which spent several weeks in the Sunday Times Top 10 earlier this year.

We want to tell the stories of a number of women from the heyday of Butlin's. We want to reflect your lives in and out of work, your experiences, the highs and lows of working there, the laughter - and perhaps the tears - the friendships and bonds - and sometimes marriages - you formed, the relationship with supervisors, and whether work at Butlin's was "just a job" or something more.

Through those stories we aim not only to tell the tale of Butlin's but also of changing times and changing attitudes. It's not a history of Butlins, but obviously it's what all our interviewees have in common and the book will reflect the unique place that the company holds in the story of the British seaside holiday, and in the affections of many of those who worked or stayed there, year after year. It's a warm, nostalgic look back at an era that has now passed, but above all, it's a celebration of the women who worked or holidayed there.

I know that the women who collaborated with us on "The Sweethearts" found it a very worthwhile and enjoyable experience - so much so that some of them have become regular interviewees in TV and radio studios - and we're sure that former Butlin's workers and guests, will find it equally worthwhile. Every single one of our Rowntree's interviewees loved their working lives at the company - 'I'd go back there tomorrow if they'd have me' said one 95 year old, and I'd be very surprised if many former Butlin's workers didn't express similar sentiments.

You can reach us by email: (removed link)
Phone: (Removed number)
Or mail: (Removed address)
Everyone's story is potentially interesting to us - please get in touch!

Neil Hanson"

Wish you were here

Wish you were here

Here is that very book, with the Butlins Memories website helping with the research with its members. 

2022 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

Butlins Memories website has been quiet for some time (2022)

The Butlins Memories website was at a standstill, with 2016 being the last year it was updated. The website would remain in place for others to use, but the devices of today's internet required more from websites, and sadly, the Butlins Memories website was just missing out. The coding was good at the time, but it needed some updates, including the need to resize automatically for the mobile phones that was being extremely popular. 

2022 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

Butlins Memories website gets a new owner (2022)

An annoucment was made that the website has new owner and that the emails were now being monitored. Known as BMAdmin, new numerous updates and  content have been introduced, including a switch to a different hosting and email service. Additionally, BMAdmin has obtained a new software license and revived the Butlins-Memories.com Forum and reintroduced this to the website. Butlins Memories website was starting to be updated once more.

2022 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

Butlins Memorabilia website is part of the team as both websites become friends (2022)

This was also the very first time that the Butlins Memorabilia website became friends with the Butlins Memories website, starting a great partnership between us. This connection continues to this very day. 

2025 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

The green boxes are removed and the Butlins Memories website will be updated (2025)

The new owner would add the new areas of "Planning application history" and "Put a penny on the drum", which were used for donations. 

2026 screenshot of Butlins Memorabilia website

New owner in 2026

In 2026, the Butlins Memories website was acquired by a new owner named Mark, who also owns another historical site related to Butlin's, known as Butlins Memorabilia. There is a significant amount of work ahead, including numerous updates needed to meet the standards of today's internet. Butlins Memorabilia and Butlins Memories are now united, both dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich history of Butlins. The homepage has undergone a complete transformation to include a menu that will eventually be displayed on every page, and the site has been made compatible with devices through auto-resizing.

Butlins Memories continues with a new future

Mark has a strong connection to the Butlins name and understands its significant meaning to all of us. A dedicated Butlins collector, he has amassed over 3,000 postcards and more than 2,000 (it's very large) memorabilia items, with his collection continuing to grow. His passion for research is ever-increasing. The Butlins Memorabilia website gained significant traction thanks to a friend who manages a large Facebook group called Butlins Memories. With the support of this group, Mark was able to enhance the visibility of his site, eventually leading him to create his own groups, with the Butlins Story becoming the largest among the website's social media groups.

On August 8th, the Butlins Memories website officially joined the Butlins Memorabilia website family, marking a significant milestone. On that memorable day, Mark was left speechless and found the experience overwhelming. Owning this website and everything it represents is truly astonishing, and he expresses his gratitude to the previous owner for this opportunity. Although he cannot disclose the previous owner's name due to their request, he wishes to say, "Thank you from my heart; this is a wonderful gift, and I am incredibly honoured to own this remarkable site. I feel... well, it's difficult to explain my emotions, but one thing is certain: I will work very hard to ensure this website continues to thrive for many years to come." It was undoubtedly an emotional moment for Mark, and even as I write this, I find it breathtaking to know I own this website.

Mark extends his gratitude to Glen, Kevin, Disco Kev, and BM Admin for their efforts in keeping this site alive. He also thanks everyone who contributed to the stories and appreciates all visitors!

Would you like to add your social media group to this page?

Get in touch

Join the Butlin's Memorabilia and Memories Social media groups

Butlins Memorabilia Group (Public Setting)
A group where you can discuss any Butlins camp/resort, hotels or parks (public setting)
Join the group
Butlins Memorabilia Group (private setting)
A group where you can discuss any Butlins camp/resort, hotels or parks (private setting)
Join the group
Butlins Memories Website Facebook Page
The Butlins Memories Website Facebook page. 
Follow the page

Who and What is the Butlin's Memories Website
Established in 2001 by a gentleman named Glen, the Butlins Memories website has evolved into a premier resource for researching the history of Butlins. By August 2026, the Butlins Memorabilia website had transformed into its current form and became an integral part of the Butlins Memorabilia site.

Are you the official Butlins Archive?
There exists only ONE official website that represents Butlins, and that is located at www.butlins.com. The Butlins Memorabilia website is NOT the official archive of Butlins, nor does it serve as the authentic historical record of this extraordinary company. Butlins and their respective parent company have no role in the development of this site and have not participated in its creation. The official source for all Butlins information is the one indicated above. This site is strictly a fan-created platform, and any material presented here should be viewed as unofficial. Butlins and their esteemed parent company have NOT reached out to me to create this site, nor have they requested me to promote them. I undertake this effort solely to demonstrate my appreciation for their remarkable name and brand.

If you want to know more about this website
If you would like to read more about this website, you are more than welcome to click on these words. This special page will show you more about this site, how my Butlins collections started, how to get in touch with Mark, Social media links, our Facebook experts and the friends of this website. 

"Your Memories" of Butlin's
The website is the section titled "Your Memories" includes a range of personal stories. These stories have been contributed by members of the Butlins Memorabilia social media groups and those who designed the original Butlins Memories website. It is important to understand that these stories are not sanctioned by the official company but are personal recollections from the individuals, as indicated on the page. You should understand that all the information that you read in these areas is deemed unofficial Butlins history but is based on personal experiences. 

Do you have any discounts for bookings?
The Butlins Memories website is not affiliated with the Butlins company, and we do not have any official connection with one another. Butlins is not involved with this site and has not provided any special discounts for visitors to this website. For the latest deals, please visit www.butlins.com, where you can find what is planned for the year and all the information you need to book that well-deserved break.

Can I get in touch with you about my situation at Butlins for some help?
For any issues related to bookings, inquiries on how to use the app, or to file a complaint, it is essential to follow the official procedure by contacting Butlins directly. The Butlins Memories website is not equipped to handle these matters, and no assistance can be provided through this platform. Complaints must be directed to Butlins, as they are the only ones capable of addressing them; this site lacks the direct control or involvement necessary to assist. The sole website that can provide help is the Butlin's official site, www.butlins.com. Everything you need can be found there, including their contact page, which is available on this link, and assistance with the Butlins app can be found on this link.

Google adverts and policies
There is a single Google advertisement located at the top of each page. I have created a privacy policy available at this link and a cookie policy at this link, which aim to provide further clarification regarding this section of the website, with the intention of enhancing your understanding of how this operates.

Butlin's Memorabilia Sitemap - Visitor layout
For those who prefer a sitemap layout to the menu, please click on these words.

Reporting an error on the website
I am very sorry that there was an error on the website, and it was not noticed by me. Could you please get in touch with me by clicking on these words to send me a report so I am able to check and find a fix to the error that you have spotted. Thank you for your time in letting me know.