Video - Broads Holiday 1957

[SwanR]

Watched this one this morning. What a great video and pretty good quality considering how long ago it is. I think many folk will find this very interesting.

 

[ranworthbreeze]

Looking at the children on the cruiser it is ironic that they are my age or older.

[Vaughan]

20 hours ago, ranworthbreeze said:

Looking at the children on the cruiser it is ironic that they are my age or older.

Yes, I was 10 years old at the time.  Lots of memories of when the Broads, in my opinion, was at its best.  I have noted a few things that might be of interest :

At 1m 13s, the boat is a Loynes Kingfisher.

2m 15s The yacht is a Sabrina, of Geo. Smith & sons, of which several are still registered as River Cruisers.

3m 48s, notice the standard issue cork lifejackets of those days!

6m 04s, a good shot of Percivals boatyard in Horning, with Perci's private offshore cruiser "Zeemaus" moored on the front.

7m 35s, and the Bridge at Acle looks a bit different nowadays.

at 10m 01s, so does Coltishall common!

at 14m 16s, the sign is the proof that Cockshoot Dyke, and the broad, were leased by Blakes in those days.

13m 12s, the yacht Summer Breeze is actually a Woods Fine Lady, operated out of Southgates main yard at Horning, as Woods owned Southgates as well.  Hence the red star on the sail, and not a blue one.

The motor cruiser from Fowlers which features mainly, cost £8. 1s per week low season in 1964.

Of particular interest to me, at 2m 44s, is some rare film of the Woods yacht Ladybird, which Herbert Woods built as his own private racing boat.  A very radical design, with a canoe stern and a Bermuda rig, which won all the prizes on the Broads when new in 1936.  The next year, the Cruiser Class handicapped him out of the running, so he built a new boat, on Ladybird's old keel, called her My Lady, and won all the regattas again, in 1938!  Ladybird was put into the hire fleet with a larger cabin and reduced rig, which is how we see her here.  Meantime My Lady was sold after the war, re-named Amanda, and later owned by my parents, as Evening Flight.  Ladybird was bought in the late 60s by Mark Dunham and rebuilt back to her original design and rig by Leslie Landamore.  As far as I know Ladybird is still on the water today, but sadly "My Lady" is not.

[DAVIDH]

What a lovely film. In fact a great advert for a Broads holiday. Thanks Vaughan for the key to what to watch out for. Most interesting.

[andyg]

Petty erksum interferences, don't we call that grandchildren nowadays 💁‍♂️ great film....

[floydraser]

Thanks Vaughan, I'll have to watch it again now! 

[Vaughan]

 

Here is "My Lady", racing as "Evening Flight" in Wroxham regatta week, about 1969.  Considered by many to be Herbert Woods's masterpiece.

Photo by EDP.

Mark Dunham and I had some wonderful races between the two boats in those days, in regattas all over the Broads. There was nothing to tell between them!

 

[Bikertov]

1 hour ago, Vaughan said:

Yes, I was 10 years old at the time.  Lots of memories of when the Broads, in my opinion, was at its best.  I have noted a few things that might be of interest :

at 10m 01s, so does Coltishall common!

This was Coltishall yesterday, on the bend in the river in front of the pub (can't remember the name, The Rising Sun I think ?) - is that the same place ?