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Holland-On-Sea
Holland-On-Sea photos
Displaying the first of 14 old photos of Holland-On-Sea. View all Holland-On-Sea photos
Holland-On-Sea maps
Historic maps of Holland-On-Sea and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Holland-On-Sea maps
Holland-On-Sea area books
Displaying 1 of 18 books about Holland-On-Sea and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Holland-On-Sea
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Holland-On-Sea.
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Holland-On-Sea.............1969 to The Present (2011)
I first remember Holland-on-Sea when I worked my first 'season' as solo organist at Valley Farm Camping Ground (as it was then called) way back in 1969. I used to regularly have lunch with a work colleague at the little 'Peter Pan restaurant' at the top end of Sladbury's lane where it joins onto Holland Road. The two ladies that ran it were extremley pleasant and years later, I was having a conversation with a dear lady friend of mine and she told me that she was one of those ladies - Miss Beatrice Navesy. What a lovely, gentle human being she was - in subsequent conversations she told me all about her years as a dancer - it was magical just to listen to her. I have forgotten the name of her partner, but she was also a spinster. I remember that the shop which I now live over was a shoe retailer and evidence of the peg board used in the shop was still about when, much later, I had the... Read more
The Naze Laundry
I am Duncan Burrett, a twin whoes brother was Paul. We had a little sister Barbara. My dad bought the Naze Park Laundry when we were 4 years of age. There are many memories of the time we spent at the laundry but I think the one that sticks in my mind is when my sister fell down a deep well in the garden. Or should I say was pushed down, probably by my brother because she wouldn't let him ride her bike. Dr Johnson was quick on the scene after my Uncle Andy rescued her from the bottom of the well which was filthy and full of rubbish, bricks and glass. She was OK. My mother and father divorced while we were there. She eventuall married Bernard Christmas and Dad ran away with Brenda Bond, one of the laundry workers. On one occation Paul and me went to the Regal cinama and fell asleep. When we woke up the place was dark and locked up. No one had seen... Read more
Brook Farm Caravan Site
As a young boy, I spent many happy summer holidays at Brook Farm Caravan Site (Nansen Road? Holland-on sea) where my parents owned a caravan. This site was very quiet and superbly unspoilt with nothing but a small shop and a toilet block on-site. The site consisted of just two fields with caravans placed around the outer perimeters only, leaving the centre of the fields completely empty. A far cry from today's more cramped sites. Alongside the fields, ran the "Holland Brook", a small river where we would fish for hours and I remember "eels" could be caught quite easily. Usually returning home on a Sunday, we would stop off at "The Roaring Donkey" for Sunday lunch on the way. Unfortunately, the caravan site (Brook Farm) closed to become a riding school, if my memory is correct. Does anyone else remember this site?
Such Great Holidays!
I remember as a child the great holidays in the 60s on the beaches at Holland. We hired a beach hut for 7/6 a week near the deck chair and paddle float hire. Who can forget the pretty girls who pushed the ice cream trolleys up and down the prom calling out "Walls Ices!" I remember one of the cafes on the beach, think the one in the photo got washed away
We used to try and climb the concrete wall going back up to the road near the first aid hut as a dare. Perhaps that's why it was put there!
We stayed at Valley Farm where in the evenings we were entertained by Ronnie Mills and his band. Highlight of the evenings were doing the "march of the mods" on the dance floor and the talent competition. Such great times they were.
The Start of Good Times.
My first holiday with my future wife and her family. We sat on the sands by the cafe as we didn't know how to hire a beach hut. That was the start of an association with Holland-on-Sea for me that is still going strong. I can't get down as much as I used to, but my daughter has a caravan on Valley Farm now so when my health lets me I do go down with her.
Can we Get Married?
After a day down the front we sat just around the corner of the Donkey just past where the cars are. It was a great summer evening and we were just finishing the day with a drink. I thought it was the right time to ask her dad if we could become engaged and he and my future mother-in-law agreed. Another milestone in my life happening in Holland-on-Sea.
Essex memories
The Royal
The Royal Hotel was built in about 1872 and was still a hotel right up to about 1994 when the building became disused and went into a bad and poor building!!! But in 2007 the building has now been started work on to restore it to how it used to be back in the 1960s and 70s and is going to cost around the £10,000,000 mark.
