The Happiest Memories In My Sad Life
A Memory of Jaywick.
I went on holiday with my nan and grandad and auntie and it was the most beautiful exciting place I had ever been to in my life. The amusement arcade was just across the road from our tiny chalet in Meadow Way, Nan gave me lots of pennies she had saved for me to have on holiday. She would walk up to the Las Vegas amusment arcade and get her seat to play bingo, my mum and aunt would join her and wonderful prizes were all displayed for the bingo winners to pick, my nan always let me pick a prize for myself. I remember the midnight walk home with all my family, and my wonderful grandad would be waiting for us all across the road in the pub, then we all walked back to our tiny chalet to get ready for bed and have a good laugh at somthing or other, it was my nan who would make us laugh. We had an outside toilet which had a most wonderful smell in it, this toilet was the one and only place which had this smell which would always remind me of those wonderful Jaywick holidays and would always remind me of that place which holds such a special place in my heart for the rest of my life which has sadly suffered so much family heartache and pain, and I remember that once upon a time long ago there was a magical place called Jaywick.
Add your comment
You must be signed-in to your Frith account to post a comment.
Add to Album
You must be signed in to save to an album
Sign inSparked a Memory for you?
If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?
Comments & Feedback
I am 61 years old and been to visit lots of places in the world,all fascinating and interesting, but all are shaded by my love for Jaywick.
My family - Mum ( a Belfast lady ) Dad (an East end docker) my sister and my 2 brothers, spent 2 glorious autumn weeks in Jaywick either at Sea View or Morris Avenue.
Sometimes we'd be allowed to bring one of our pals along,all the more fun.
Us boys were always up to something, trying to catch crabs on a jetty that was adjacent to the sweet shop and provisions store,where we use to buy 3d worth of bacon fat for the crabbing.
Dad use to sit with us and I'd prompt him to relate his WW2 experiences, although still deeply shocked by all that happened,he would relate some censored story and I'd gaze out to sea and try to imagine the horrors he must have witnessed.
At the time Britain was just getting its act together 12 years after the war,there was a "buzz" that after so much hardship there were true signs that the good times were here and everybody felt it,regardless of how much money you had in the bank.
As to the inconvenience of using an outside convenience, was just part of the magic.......!
We too had to get our water from a standpipe,very heavy for a 9 yr old, no health and safety then......!
I stopped going on holiday with my parents when I was well grown up a 15.Mum and Dad had saved up some money for me to go on a school cruise,when I returned my family were already in Jaywick, so I travelled straight there from Southampton via Liverpool St, but when I got there it paled into insignificance after such a wonderful holiday abroad-my first time and came home after 4-5 boring days,Mother pleading with me to stay.
I had been bitten by the travel bug.
I have been back to Jaywick many times since hoping to feel that buzz again but it's hard to find when you see all your childhood memories disjointed by decay of a neighbourhood.
I have such happy memories of Jaywick, it really was the happiest time of my life.