I recently chatted to a lovely group of readers at The Exchange in Erith, only fifty yards from where The Woolworths Girls books are set. In fact, The Exchange was once the library used by Ruby and her family and called The Carnegie Building. We had quite a lively chat about ‘the good old days’ and amongst the conversation the subject of holidays popped up. So many of my memories were the same as my readers, so I thought it was worth writing about.

Born Christmas 1953, I’m classed as a ‘baby boomer.’ My parents were children at the beginning of WW2. Dad wasn’t called up for national service until after the end of the war, not many years before he married Mum on February 28th, 1953. Their honeymoon, and first ever holiday together, was to Ventnor on the Isle of Wight. Arriving late I could be classed as a honeymoon baby. Thank goodness my parents weren’t the Beckhams, or you’d be calling me ‘Ventnor Everest!’

That First Holiday

Our first family holiday was when I was around four years of age and my sister a toddler. It was a caravan in Seasalter with my memory being of a boy in the next caravan telling me he only had potatoes for lunch and Mum telling me to not quiz the lad. Mum had made we two girls matching kilts knitted jumpers to match. We had berets with the ‘bobble’ being a penny covered with the same tartan fabric. I was told off for trying to remove the penny. My final memory was of helping Dad to dig up cockles and listening to them as they were boiled on the small cooker top. I was told the noise was them ‘singing…’ Gullible even then!

After that our holidays were spent in boarding houses first in Ramsgate and later, on the Isle of Wight. In Ramsgate I discovered a second-hand book shop and spent many happy hours on the beach with my nose in a copy of Little Women. That started my addiction to purchasing books which continues to this day. Sadly, Little Women perished in a house fire in 1988. Both Ramsgate and nearby Margate are close to my heart when I recall family trips. So much so, that it was a work of love when writing The Teashop Girls to have my Nippies working in the two Lyon’s teashops in those seaside towns.

Dad didn’t drive so our journeys to our holiday destinations were either by Margot’s Coaches from Crayford or by train. Mum would send on the largest suitcase by rail, and we were tasked with pushing it in my baby brother’s pushchair up to Slade Green station. If we were lucky, we’d see our Uncle Cyril working in the signal box and he would wave to us and come down for a quick chat.

Trips to the Isle of Wight were such an adventure as the journey was unknown to us, and at the end of the adventure was the ferry – so exciting for a child. On one such trip the weather was rough and we stood waiting for the choppy waves to ease off as the ferry rose and fell and we were unable to embark. It is funny what we remember. There was no feeling of sickness as we often experienced on coach journeys. In fact, the only time I’ve been ill of a boat was when I took a day trip as an adult on the Scillonian to the Scilly Isles.

Thank you, Mum!

I know we were very lucky to have a two-week holiday each year. This could only be achieved as Mum took on a part time job four hours an evening in a local electro plating factory. Dad would care for us three children and on the evening my sister and I went to Brownies in Arthur Street he would watch us walk part of the way up Slade Green Road and Mum would pop out of the factory to see us safely on the second part of the journey. On the way home we would go into the factory and during her tea break Mum walked us to the end of our road. The whole area was much safer in those days I hasten to add.

Mum carefully squirreled away her savings and paid extra money on our council house rent each week, in order to have ‘free’ weeks in mid-summer. Mum controlled the purse strings at home, just as many women did, and that is why we had a good childhood. Also like many women she was a good seamstress and knitter, and we never went short of clothing. Like many families clothes were passed down so gaberdine raincoats, school uniforms, wellington boots and plimsoles were passed down between cousins, as were Brownie and Girl Guide outfits. Nothing was ever wasted; no doubt this came from the war years when women had to make do and mend. I have memories of helping to unravel a knitted garment and watching Mum steam the yarn over a boiling kettle ready to be used again for a new knitting project. Like many women of my age, I was taught to sew, not only at school but also at home. It was second nature to buy a paper pattern, then visit Dartford Co-op, or the market for fabric. On one occasion while in the Girl Guides, I achieved a fifteen-mile hike then returned home to cut out and sew a bell-bottom Summer trouser suit (in psychedelic colours) then wear it to dance all evening at the local football club – I feel tired just thinking about it! No wonder I enjoyed writing The Patchwork Girls so much as it meant revisiting my passion for sewing.

Holiday Camps

When my brother was no longer in a pushchair Mum decided we would go to a holiday camp. Not for her the large and busy Butlins. She much preferred the look of Warner’s Holiday Camps. Perhaps it was because of the link between her fairground owning family and Sir Billy Butlin, alas she never told me and since she died at an early age some questions remain unanswered. After Christmas each year we would be allowed to look at the glossy Warner’s brochure and help choose our destination. Those first years were split between two camps on Hayling Island. After that we went back to the Isle of Wight until the summer before Mum passed away when we went to a Warner’s close to Great Yarmouth.

Our fortnight was packed, not only entering every sporting competition available, but also joining in with talent competitions and dancing each evening in the ballroom while my younger siblings were members of the Warner’s Wagtails. Such happy memories. As I reached my teens mum was convinced that I should consider, when old enough, to join the entertainment staff and be a ‘Warner’s Green Coat.’ On one hand she wanted me to work in an office and have the respectable job she was never able to have because of her upbringing, and on the other hand she was pushing this shy child to do more with her life. Sadly, it never happened and no doubt I’d have ended up a chalet maid like Peggy in Hi Di Hi! Every time I see a white-pleated skirt I remember those happy holidays. So many of my holiday camp memories were useful when writing The Butlins Girls.

Switzerland

Mum’s dream was that one day I would go abroad once I was at ‘the big school’ and at the age of fourteen that dream became a reality. I excitedly took home the form and sat down with Mum to plan how we could afford such a trip. It was eight two pounds and that was a lot of money back then. I was too young to have a Saturday job – this was before my days with Woolworths! Instead, I took on odd jobs such as collecting window cleaning money for our next-door neighbour’s son who had started up in his own business. Along with my sister I cleaned two of our uncles’ cars each Sunday morning. I also put away half of my pocket money each week. The school had a payment plan whereby parents could pay a little money each month to the teacher in charge of the trip. I would proudly hand over the money knowing I was helping as much as possible to contribute to this special treat. Come August I was seen off on the coach by Mum and urged to enjoy every moment and to tell her all about it upon my return. That holiday was glorious, and I fell in love with the beautiful country vowing to return one day. Well, dear reader it took FIFTY years!

Dogs

Married with a mortgage at the age of eighteen, and my husband running his own television and video repair business, money was tight for a few years, so we only went camping with friends. By then we had our dogs, with showing and breeding taking over most of our spare time. Yes, we went away when we could, putting some in kennels and taking several with us, but this was in the UK and our first thoughts were always for the dogs. I took a few trips to the continent to watch dog shows, but all in all we enjoyed holidays in the UK and would have continued to do so until my sixty-fifth birthday approached. My husband asked what special present I would like. As quick as a flash I showed him an article I’d saved from a magazine. ‘I’d like to return to Switzerland, but I want to go by train!’ Thus, our new hobby of train travel started and off we went to Grindelwald with Great Rail Journeys. It was such a success we decided to go again the next year. Henry, our only dog by then, had enjoyed his stay in boarding kennels so I was not worried about him pining for us. In fact, he never gave a backward turn when we dropped him off!

The Future

We decided that if we could afford to do so we would return once more to Switzerland and quickly made our booking. Of course, no one accounted for Covid rearing its ugly head and our second trip was moved again and again as the world fought this monster and we stayed safe at home. Whilst waiting for that special trip to become available I started to see if we could plan a journey by train alone. There was a folder on my computer titled ‘Two go to Switzerland’ – it would be an oldies gap year, even thought it was only two weeks! I became an expert on the right trains, the special offers, and how to live as cheaply as possible in possibly the most expensive country in the world. I joined a Facebook group for travellers from around the world who were planning Swiss holidays. We shared photographs, tips, and the best rail passes – most tourists use trains rather than cars.

As Covid restrictions started to lift we decided to ‘go for it’ and I gradually booked the boarding kennel, hotel on the banks of Lake Thun, Eurostar tickets, our route across France, and our Swiss Travel Passes. Believe me it is a lot easier to book with a travel company – but not quite as much fun.

I had a folder full of information for our detailed itinerary with links to every place we wished to visit. I even upgraded to a junior suite in the hotel and told them why – yes, upon arrival we found our rooms decorated in celebration of our impending anniversary! I was a wonderful trip, and something I’d like to plan again, possibly in another country. I would recommend it to anyone.

Of course, whilst planning this trip our earlier booking with Great Rail Journeys became available. We used the excuse of it being our ‘golden wedding year’ to also visit Grindelwald for a second time. I still feel rather guilty about it, but what the heck; we have many birthdays and occasions to celebrate, and who knows what’s around the corner…?

Enjoy your holidays whether they be camping with friends, or cruising around the world. Create happy memories to look back on with a smile on your face. xx

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