Oakwood Hall

A Memory of Holland-on-Sea.

My parents used to run this as a country hotel for 6 years in the 1950s, when I was growing up from the age of 10.

There were 8 bedrooms - 6 in the new part, and 2 in the old part, plus 2 in the attic. I had one of the attic bedrooms, while there was a retired school teacher as a permanent resident in the other attic bedroom. My mother preferred people to book, so she could plan the food. My mother did classic British cooking on a full Aga, like roast beef, lamb and pork; seafood dishes like plaice and chips (as we were so close to the sea, there were several fish deliveries a week); mixed grills and stew and dumplings in the winter. She made all the desserts herself. My brother was a waiter in the restaurant. Molly was employed as a chambermaid and waitress as required. We had 36 hens, and it was my job to look after them, as there was still rationing, to provide eggs to the restaurant. Fanny Craddock and her husband came to the restaurant incognito. They revealed who they were at the end of the meal, and gave my mother's cooking a very good review. The biggest money spinner was the afternoon teas for 3/6d consisting of a round of sandwiches, scotch pancakes and iced cakes on a long individual tray. My mother made the sandwiches and cakes, while I made the scotch pancakes and acted as waitress; my father made the pots of tea. Afternoon tea could either be taken in the garden or the restaurant.

My father ran the bar - it was set up as a club, which patrons could join for a small fee, so that alcoholic drinks could be served in the bar and restaurant during working hours. My father was good at talking to people. We used to play devil among the tailors and darts in the bar.

There was also a caravan site with permission for 15 caravans. My parents owned 2, which they rented out as holiday lets.

They sold Oakwood Hall, when I was nearly 16, as my mother was exhausted.