Nostalgic memories of Overstrand's local history
Share your own memories of Overstrand and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying Memories 1 - 10 of 16 in total
After being de-requisitioned and restored at the end of WW2, the Overstrand Hotel was a massive building standing only yards from the cliff edge, it opened, then closed, then re-opened with a new bar called “Bubbles Bar” to cater for the modern post war holiday makers, who frankly never came.
Around the late 1940's there were some very high tides which scored the unprotected cliff, creating a massive cliff fall. I went ...see more
Francis Frith must have been standing almost on the doorstep of a grand-looking house called 'The Patch' when he photographed 'Overstrand, Hotel East 1921' (Ref 71000).
In 1916, 1921, 1923 and 1924 my Great Aunts Lily and Olive sent postcards to their family in Oxfordshire from 'The Patch'. On one postcard (Ref 70999 'Overstrand 1921') Lily marks 'The Patch' with an 'X' - just east ...see more
I have fond memories of Overstrand, holidaying as children at my aunt, Kate and uncle, Reg Harvey in Thurst Rd - the bungalow at the bottom of the road. My aunt used to ask myself and my sister to fetch a block of ice cream from the cafe. She would divide it and always end up with the biggest bit. I also remember my aunt fetching crabs from Mr Davies in a special crab basket - I think they cost 2/6d - about 12p ...see more
I worked at The Pleasaunce from 1958 - 1961. My memories of wonderful Christmas house parties, and 'tradesmens' parties on New Years Day when all the tradesmen who had any contact with the Pleasaunce over the year, were invited. I remember Mrs Dennis and the boiling of the crabs in her kitchen, which was directly opposite the gardener's cottage (Mr Neave, the gardener lived there) now the bungalow. The ...see more
We spent many lovely holidays here and my lasting memory is of our first job was to race down to the beach and see 'Dick' Davies and sort a beach hut for our 2 weeks stay, they were a little piece of calm when the weather was rough, plus a place to keep all the beach bits not needed to be lugged up the slope. As we got older Claire and me would sit in there watching the world and the local 'lads' go past. I can ...see more
My memories are of working as a night care assistant from 1985 to 1990. Our work pattern was to work 7 nights on! This meant there was time during the shift to study and admire the fixtures and fittings throughout, as we had to clean it as well as look after approx 51 residents! Lots of wood floors, and panelling to dust and polish!
Early summer mornings at 4.00am we could see the crab boats go ...see more
What a wonderful picture this is, a lovely summer's day at the height of the summer season (by the look of the beach). The small shelter featuring in the picture disappeared overnight during a cliff-fall around the mid 1960s (a guess). We lived very close to this axcess point to the beach and my father heard the rumble of the fall.
This was a familiar sight during the summer months. Health and Safety would put a stop to this kind of thing nowadays but back in the 1960s it was the thing to do. Lots of holidaymakers' kids would all rush to help push the crab boats up the beach. One of the crab boatmen would push the boat while his partner would throw the next 'skid or skeet' under the boat to roll it eventually to the the ...see more
A familiar landmark for anybody who knows Overstrand. This picture could have been taken from my old front garden down Cliff Road. When I first became interested in cricket (1964-5 ish) around the age of 9 or 10, I would be watching the BBC coverage of the test matches during the summer holidays. I worked out if was quick enough I could run down to the cafe, buy myself a choc-ice and be back in front of the TV during the ...see more
Thanks to Mr T Richards for his historic knowledge of Overstrand, (and some delving into Overstrandonline) this is indeed the hotel which was built in 1903, suffered subsidence 1906, burnt down 1947 and subsequently fell down the cliff shortly after. Unless the sea has washed them away remnants of the holtel could still be found on the beach.
