The Boating Lake

A Memory of Colchester.

My siblings and I were regulars here for much of the 1950s and 1960s. Our maternal grandparents lived on Northgate Street and we often marched down to the park to go on the boats. There were five of us and my oldest brother was usually in charge of the half a crown, part of which Bill the Boatman would often press back into his hand so we could buy some sweets. I think he was married to a relative or something.... No fashion clothing or Nike trainers in those days, it was school uniform or Sunday best.