Summer Holidays From 1949 Onwards

A Memory of Fraserburgh.

Despite its northerly location The Broch was the Summer Holiday destination for our family from my birth in 1949. My mother had been born there in Grattan Place where the Scottish side of the family had originated. They were called Summers and were deeply connected to the Fishing Industry with my Grandfather managing the George Walker business for many years.
Fraserburgh was such a change from where we lived in Buckinghamshire that the holidays were just different. I well remember the distinct smell of the harbour - the gut factory - the tarred nets on The Links. The beach was and still is quite superb with the weather somehow always being warm and sunny in July and August. At that time the distinct memory is of Irn Bru - Fish and Chips - Soft Ice Cream the like of which we do not alas see today.
We were particularly trainspotting fanatics then and now so it was quite a change to see LNER and LMS steam locos on passenger and heavy fish trains every day.
When my mother died we took her ashes back to The Broch in 2000 so there still is a reason to return despite my wanderings away.
Gerald F. Rivett  March 2007

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