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Behind the scenes at Butlins
This post was written back in 2011 in answer to a question from my youngest daughter who had recently become a mother. I was recently reminded of it by a reference made to Butlins Holiday Camp, Clacton-on-Sea, in a Facebook post. It is evident from the comments within that post, that many people hold fond and nostalgic memories of their holidays at Butlins, back in the fifties, sixties and seventies. I have never holidayed there so I cannot comment. My own experience of Butlins, it has to be said, was memorable but for the wrong reason. I was not a carefree holiday maker of course, I was staff. I was…
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At the school gate
Forced to rest after having major surgery this month, I have watched every episode of Motherland on television. Have you seen it? This sitcom is so representative of school gate life that I can recognise most of the characters in it as though I were standing next to them yesterday. Yesterday being from 1984-1998 if I have the dates right. I knew the teachers well, I even took my youngest into the classroom aged eight months, for a study the seven year olds were doing on human development, at their teacher’s request. I helped with crafts and read to the children on special occasions, but only when time permitted. This…
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“Ooh Betty!”
My brother-in-law was a character indeed. When he left this world in November 2007, it became a poorer place without him. A devout born again Christian, he preached the gospel and prayed every day. Even in his darkest moments, when death beckoned, he believed he would be saved. I sincerely hope he was. His faith was strong but so was his sense of humour. He had learnt to laugh at himself because there really was no other way. Anyone who is familiar with Frank Crawford’s Frank Spencer from, “Some mothers do ‘ave em,” can easily imagine what Stuart looked like. He was the image of a young Michael Crawford in…
