Horsey, Norfolk

School holidays

I feel I could write a book as the memories were brilliant! We used to spend the whole summer there and I cried when I had to leave. I remember the boatyard which was run by Mr May, his son was called Billy and he was my brother's best friend. My mom used to give me 6d to go into Lathams and buy maggots to go fishing, and I would sit all day by Mr May's shop and watch the boats struggling to go under the bridge. My dad would take us sailing on the Broads even up to last year before my parents passed away, we would ALWAYS sit and talk about the memories they had and when they spoke not once was there anything said that they regretted. I'll always have great memories of both which I'm so pleased I can remember and also keeps me feeling young.

The Water Otter

Just by the road bridge on the Yarmouth side was a pub with a long grass garden which went down to the river, on the bank was a post with a notice on it which read "Don't disturb the water otter" and tied to the post was a rusty chain. Now the road to the bridge was like a grandstand overlooking the garden and people in the garden would encourage a friend to pull the chain and the people on the bridge, who knew about its secret, would cheer the person on to pull the chain VERY slowly so as not to disturb the water otter. Most people in those days dressed up to go to the Pub, slowly this MUDDY chain was pulled in spreading the mud on the victim until a large muddy, smelly kettle came out of the river at which point the victim would throw the hotter back into the river and invariably the chain would cover him with more mud much to the joy of the onlookers on the bridge.

Family Holiday

As I read out the memorable words from a guide book about the low bridge in Potter Heigham, and thus to be extra careful, I was greeted with the words "Too late" as we rammed the bridge. Thirty years after this photo and we were still causing havoc!

Holidays in Hemsby

In 1950 my family started staying at Hemsby for a holiday each year. Would you believe that in those days you couldnt even buy a bag of chips. There was a small amusement arcade in Beach Road and a few machines at the tea rooms on the beach.

In fact the only take away food was from the cockle stall opposite the Lacons Arms.

In those early days the highlight of the week was to go to the local police house(PC Juby) and Mrs Juby would cook us chips. My parents knew the Juby family from when they were stationed in Attleborough.
We continued to go to Hemsby for many years.

After I left home my parents continued visiting for holidays right up until my Fathers
Death in 1988 and i would always try to join them there for a couple of days.
Somewhere I must have some pics of the family taken by the photographer as we walked down to the Lacons Arms for a vimto.

Roy Webster