Wonderful Times

Children's Yachting Lake c1960
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"Hold his hand and, don't let him fall in", were my dear old mum's famous last words. As an 8 year old when this photo was taken, keeping an eye on an accident prone 6 year old brother was no easy task. Off we went on the old steam train all the way from London to stay with our grandfather in Pier Plain, and I remember little brother Billy literally running down the road with his brand new yacht under his arm. It was amazing how, year after year, he hit the water before the yacht did. No wonder he became such a good swimmer with the amount of times he went in either there or, outside the lifeboat station. Mum hass gone now, Grandad has gone as well but me and 'Billy the kid' are still fighting old age. It doesn't matter how long ago it was, those wonderful sunny summer days remain in my memory as clear as ever. We're still best mates and always will be but, every time I see a picture of old Gorleston it still manages to put a lump in my throat. John Woodward Lordswood, Kent