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  1. Home
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  4. Brambles Holiday Camp

Brambles Holiday Camp

A Memory of Freshwater Bay.

When I was about ten (1967), we went on holiday from London to the Isle of Wight with my mum and dad and brother. We stayed at Brambles Holiday Camp, which I think was in Freshwater Bay? It was one of those old fashioned British places like on 'Hi di Hi', where they woke you in the morning with loudspeaker announcements, and told you of the itinerary for the day. It seemed like everybody got involved with endless events all day long, including obstacle races, nature trails, whist tours, horse riding, and rollerskating, amongst many others. I remember the weather was beautiful and sunny, and the location was wild and pretty. In the evenings, they would have a show in the clubhouse for the adults, and there was a patrol of the chalets by staff to listen out for the children crying. I have a photo of me, with my mum and dad, at a table in the clubhouse one night. I'm wearing a stick-on moustache and striped boating hat that my dad put on me to make me look old. I saw the show "The Dambusters" (all very patriotic), it was very good as I remember.

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Added 07 December 2010

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Comments & Feedback

In 1969 1970 I worked the Summer season at Brambles, it was run on fortnightly schedule 1st week finale was finished whith Dambusters March, 2nd week finished whith 1812 oveture.I was sacked by Jock the band leader, for reversing these on the Friday finales. Whent to see him maybe 15 years ago he still had the bands instruments in the garage. By the way I fell in love whith a girl, by the name of Spiteri from Paisley in Scotland, if anyone knows of Her.xxxx
By kphillpot on Tue Dec 30th 2014, at 2:34 pm
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I worked at Brambles too with my best friend at the time, Sheila Silvester. First time away from home and what an amazing summer it was. I think it was in 1962. Anyone out there who remembers us? Barbara Evans.
By Barbara Crawford on Sun Aug 16th 2015, at 2:20 pm
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kphillpot. I remember the band.
By Barbara Crawford on Sun Aug 16th 2015, at 2:23 pm
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Does anyone remember my parents, Rose and Ralph Deane who met and married at the camp having worked there for several summer seasons in the 1950s? After I was born they continued to return with me every summer season until I was 4 years old.
By Bonita Holland on Sun Aug 16th 2015, at 5:57 pm
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I had two years of lovely holidays there in the late 60's.
Learnt to swim in the pool. Lovely chap encouraged us, turned out he was the owner or the boss.

Remember the Dam busters, clouds projected on the syke,
remember sleeping in what I'd now call a garden shed,

Those with more money stayed on the big house,

Playing clock work golf ,
and more than anything, the what I guess was a giant pavlova one day of the week,
I have memories of it on fire as well,

Had a key ring with a picture in it, you looked through one end to see the picture.

By francis on Wed Oct 10th 2018, at 8:14 pm
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Y mum and dad worked at Brambles from 1955-1962 if anyone remembers them Rose Noakes and Ralph Deane they gut married and until I was 4 I joined them every summer season as they worked. Once I was born Rose my mum ran the creche/nursery but was a waitress before that. My dad was a chef.
By Bonita Holland on Thu Nov 22nd 2018, at 9:02 pm
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Brambles Chine Holiday Camp was, still is, at Colwell Bay. When I was 7 we had a family holiday there. Train from Tonbridge to Lymington, ferry to Yarmouth, picked up in a minibus from Yarmouth. We visited Freshwater Bay on that holiday. I had an old memory of a big chalk rock in the middle of the bay. Holidaying there as an adult, I found the rock was at the side of the bay. I was confused by my memory not matching the reality. Much later (2017) I visited again, but this time by public transport, and when I got off the bus, the rock was in the middle of the view from the bus stop, and of course my first view of the bay when I was 7 would have been from the very same bus stop! Everything slotted into place.
By steve.gerrish on Sun Jul 26th 2020, at 10:42 pm
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