Photos Of The Broads From The '80s And '90s

[kpnut]

Just look at all those boats - busy, busy. Thankyou so much for sharing these. 

[NeilB]

Fantastic photos, takes me back to my childhood with holidays in Hoveton.

[Roy]

Thank you so much for sharing amazing pictures can I ask what happened to the house that was opposite potter and haylett yard where the so called park is now it looked a big house. 
 

8ft clearance at wroxham bridge proof something is stopping the bure from draining ! 

[webntweb]

A few more: Alan Johnsons White Champagne, Wroxham Oct 93

[webntweb]

Fineway's yard, Wroxham Oct 94

[webntweb]

AF 38? coming under Wroxham Bridge, Oct 94

[webntweb]

Brister's yard, Sabena? opposite, Oct 94

[webntweb]

And a few on the trip to Coltishall, Oct 94

[Broads01]

Fascinating photos, Roy, thank you.

The 1981 Porter and Hayletts photos could almost be a modern scene because the Connoisseurs were so ahead of their time. Looking at those now it's hard to believe the photos were taken over 40 years ago.

The photo from the same year taken looking upstream to the bridge is an interesting contrast to the one looking downstream. The one looking upstream could almost be a modern photo except Loynes boatyard was where NBD dayboats now reside. Looking downstream has changed much more however, particularly to the right where the sheds have since been replaced by holiday properties.

The Horseshoes - was that the one next to the King's Head?

[Lulu]

The first one of the Porter and Haylett took me straight back to my childhood holidays. Exactly how I remember it every year with my parents and brother. The terror of going over the marina bridge in dad’s wallowy old cortina and  the excitement of getting onto the boat. Very very happy memories and wish I could go back in time just to experience it with them again.  Thank you for posting that one in particular. I’ll have to show my dad who is now 91 

[kpnut]

13 minutes ago, Lulu said:

The first one of the Porter and Haylett took me straight back to my childhood holidays.

I thought of you Sam, as soon as I saw it. I remember you telling me your memories of that yard. 

[bucket]

Wonderful photos, thank you so much for sharing!

[bucket]

10 hours ago, webntweb said:

Fineway's yard, Wroxham Oct 94

That AF Pearl may well be our syndicate boat Blue Mist?! She is Brister built and was on hire for 4 years from Fineway in the nineties....... 

[webntweb]

11 hours ago, Broads01 said:

Fascinating photos, Roy, thank you.

The 1981 Porter and Hayletts photos could almost be a modern scene because the Connoisseurs were so ahead of their time. Looking at those now it's hard to believe the photos were taken over 40 years ago.

The photo from the same year taken looking upstream to the bridge is an interesting contrast to the one looking downstream. The one looking upstream could almost be a modern photo except Loynes boatyard was where NBD dayboats now reside. Looking downstream has changed much more however, particularly to the right where the sheds have since been replaced by holiday properties.

The Horseshoes - was that the one next to the King's Head?

Yes, I remember the Horseshoes being very 70s inside, but wonderful views of the river traffic from the garden.

[dom]

12 hours ago, Roy said:

Thank you so much for sharing amazing pictures can I ask what happened to the house that was opposite potter and haylett yard where the so called park is now it looked a big house.

The big house belonged to Charles Hannaford and was for many years the operating base for Broads Tours, back in the days when they had all the lovely wooden tour boats named after princesses. Len Funnell bought Broads Tours in the 80s, selling it for a while, then buying it back again, so the site was no longer needed. It's a bit hard to figure out who owns what around that area. Some of it is owned by Roys. I think there may also be an element of public ownership for some bits.

[dom]

14 hours ago, webntweb said:

Porter & Haylett's, early September 1981:  

Thanks so much for taking the time to post these.

Whenever I return "home" to Wroxham, I always feel like the lead character in Orwell's 'Coming up for air'. I remember the place vividly, but half the sites don't look like they should. The above image of Porter and Hayletts is just like a screenshot from inside my head. It's one view which in my mind epitomises how things looked when the boating industry was at its best.

What's also interesting about the above view is that turnaround was mostly Saturday in those days, with just a few boats going out on Sundays. Judging by the number of Connoisseurs on the quay, it's likely the image was taken on a Saturday and yet the old station moorings above the bridge are also pretty full (you can even see more boats further up through the second span). Just goes to show how busy the area was in its heyday.

1 hour ago, webntweb said:

Yes, I remember the Horseshoes being very 70s inside, but wonderful views of the river traffic from the garden.

They made a big effort in the late 80s to try and modernise. They also tried to attract more young people in with improvements to the games room on the road side, but they were always fighting a losing battle against the arcade near the bridge. The riverside room tended to do better as an events venue. I can remember a few fairly crazy nights there in my youth, which were probably 18th or 21st birthdays. It's a shame in some ways it didn't fall into disuse a bit earlier. I suspect if it had, Nando Sappia, who set up the first restaurant (La Carozza) at Wroxham station might have turned it into a restaurant, which could have been a fantastic outcome and might have remained successful until today.

 

[dom]

14 hours ago, webntweb said:

Wroxham, early September 1981

I'm fairly sure Hotel Wroxham was under the ownership of Norwich City footballer Mel Machin around this time (his daughter was my first girlfriend when I was at Hoveton St.John middle school). I think that probably drew a few people in, and may well have been HW's most successful era, which may account for the boats stacked up outside.

[Aboattime]

2 hours ago, dom said:

I'm fairly sure Hotel Wroxham was under the ownership of Norwich City footballer Mel Machin around this time (his daughter was my first girlfriend when I was at Hoveton St.John middle school). I think that probably drew a few people in, and may well have been HW's most successful era, which may account for the boats stacked up outside.

Great pics , bringing back so many memories thanks so much , boats. Moored 3 abreast outside the Wroxham, wouldn’t be allowed now,elf and safety? We’re booked in for a 2 night stay at the Hotel this weekend,sittiing on the terrace with a beer,doesn’t get any better?.?

[webntweb]

3 hours ago, dom said:

What's also interesting about the above view is that turnaround was mostly Saturday in those days, with just a few boats going out on Sundays. Judging by the number of Connoisseurs on the quay, it's likely the image was taken on a Saturday and yet the old station moorings above the bridge are also pretty full (you can even see more boats further up through the second span). Just goes to show how busy the area was in its heyday.

 

I captioned the pics early Sept. Just dug out the hire invoice and I was a bit out: The first two Connoisseur pics would have been taken on Saturday 19th and the bottom one probably the evening of Friday 25th.

[Aboattime]

Another thing is the Connoisseurs in the pics, how many we still see today about on the rivers . I remember sitting on a brand new C 40 thinking WOW what a boat,still like them but the side entrance steps not so good for the old knees now.

[dom]

1 hour ago, webntweb said:

Just dug out the hire invoice and I was a bit out: The first two Connoisseur pics would have been taken on Saturday 19th and the bottom one probably the evening of Friday 25th.

I wonder where I was on those days. Probably playing in the playground down Park Road in Wroxham, or down at Caen Meadow I suspect.

It's interesting to see the cost. Seems much better value than now. A quick calculation based on what my dad earned then vs a mid-management wage now and I get something like 1.5% of annual salary for a week back then, 4% now. And that's based on a Barnes Brinkcraft boat built not that long after the Connoisseurs. A more modern boat is more than 5%.

I think they were being a bit optimistic with the truth saying 1/4 mile from the station - unless you ran across the viaduct!

[petersjoy]

Wonder if P520 was the boat?

http://www.broads.org.uk/wiki2018/index.php?title=Boat_Details&BoatId=6029

[maggie57]

20 hours ago, webntweb said:

Some Wroxham area pics from 1981 to 1994. They were all colour slides and some of them are grainy, mainly caused by my waiting too long to scan them (about 2017), Anyway here they are and apologies if I have posted some of them before.

Porter & Haylett's, early September 1981:  

 

[maggie57]

What a beautiful photo we are moored at Bridge broad ,can't believe how busy it was then , and that bridge is always like going on a roller coaster 🎢 😀 thankyou for sharing 

[Graham47]

2 hours ago, Aboattime said:

Another thing is the Connoisseurs in the pics, how many we still see today about on the rivers . I remember sitting on a brand new C 40 thinking WOW what a boat,still like them but the side entrance steps not so good for the old knees now.

Did you go on it when they had an open day on the first one they built? We did, and I had the same reaction as you. It really did have the WOW factor.