My Story 7. Beautiful Bridlington – The Summer of 66 - Barmston Village Fair and Sports Day
Bridlington, Brid as the locals call it, is in my DNA
July 1952.
The newly married couple, Betty and Clifford Lambert, South Cliff, Bridlington, East Yorkshire. [Yorkshire Post]
Nine months, later 29th April 1953, I arrive in the world.
Dad had just taken part in the world’s first, live, televised game of Rugby League; the Cup Final, Featherstone Rover V Workington Town at Wembley. The highlights were transmitted world-wide on Pathe News, and now on YouTube.
My first memory of
Brid was aged 7, Featherstone Miners Welfare chartered a train to send the
townsfolk and their children for their annual day at the seaside. A tuckshop
bag with a sarny, bag of crisps and bottle of pop. I fell in love with trains
and Brid.
By the time I was thirteen,1966. we had a 4 berth van
Southcliffe Caravan Park where my mum was way to busy looking after Mick 9,
John 7 and Mandy 5 to pander to my needs.
I would walk for miles along the beach, sit on the harbour wall dreaming of a different life but most of all I felt anxious, alone with no real friends or siblings, being much older, to connect with. My transfer to the grammar school had left me even more confused and anxious as being in the year group below my age meant I had to be in class with one group yet play sport with another. I had just been told Latin and French were not for me -I was relieved- but I had also been call disgusting for flicking a girl’s skirt with my ruler to show her stocking tops. I did get in the school athletics team but otherwise cut a very shy and lonely figure. The only other thig I remebered was the free milk, I drank gallons of it every day as always loads left. [Clue Protein]
Brid was heaven, I explored everywhere, the amusement
arcades, the harbour; tried a seven-hour fishing trip, great for first hour
then six more being sick bobbing about off Flamborough Head. But the bit I
truly loved was exploring on my bike.
Saturday 27th August 1966 A lost and lonely Colin climbs onto his bike, no rucksack, water, or helmet, £2 shilling in pocket and makes his way onto Kingsgate, the Hull Road A165 and 30 minutes later arrives at the seaside village of Barmston to find its carnival and sports day.
Barmston is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the Holderness coast, overlooking the North Sea and to the east of the A165 road. Barmston is approximately 6 miles (10 km) south of Bridlington town centre. The parish includes the village of Fraisthorpe, the former villages of Auburn and Hartburn have been abandoned due to coastal erosion. Barmston is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The parish church of All Saints is a Grade I listed building. A key industry in the village is tourism and there is a caravan park located on former agricultural land near the beach.The cliffs are made of soft marl clay and are subject to erosion. Numerous properties have been demolished over the years to prevent them from falling into the sea. [Wikipedia]
Colin parks his bike, locks wern't needed in those days, he sees a large notice board, listing the day’s events; ‘1430 hours, Junior boys (11-13) 100 yards’ catches his eye. ‘1500 hours, intermediate boys (13-16) 100 yards’ does the same. He notices the senior boys race time, but of no relevance. As the park is full to bursting, heats are needed for junior boys races. A short while later, Colin is the proud owner of a cricked bat, ball, stumps, and bails, all in a bag with a shoulder strap. Roughly thirty minutes later, Colin also owns two tennis racquets and four balls, also in a shoulder strapping bag, perfect for a lad on a bicycle. He was refused entry for the senior boys and men’s races.
His biggest problem was convincing mum and dad he hadn’t stolen the cricket and tennis sets arived home with.
An even bigger problem, one that would take decades to understand, was about to arrive with a bang. Fame!
Om
Ps. Slam senior (95) is till lives in Brid and Junior visited and cut his lawn last week. Bridlington has another 50 years of history to share with you, please be patient.
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