War cut short the holidays

This photo was taken during the summer of 1938. My father Cecil Bensley is presenting prizes to holiday makers on his beach site opposite the ravine on Gorleston beach.

The prizes always happened on the Friday, before the new people arrived the following day. There was a treasure hunt for the children with gifts buried in the sand in ice cream cups, tug of war, the greasy pole etc. Lots of fun for the holiday makers.

My father had two beach sites before the war. He had seven hundred deck chairs, half on the little beach & the rest up near the ravine, also a hundred tents and 39 huts. The chairs & tents were stored in the Storm H.Q. in the winter months, on the corner of Pier Road and Brush Quay. This is where I spent many happy days before the war as a child.

I can remember the outbreak of war so clearly. The holiday makers cut short their stay, handed in the keys to their beach huts and returned to London & the Midlands as soon as possible.

I was eight years old. Father’s huts, tents and chairs were stored as soon as possible, I remember seeing the horse and cart leaving with the huts from the beach site.

Father died in 1944. So, more beach site ...

ARTHUR BENSLEY

QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA