Great Holidays Spent By The Sea

A promotional film from 1955 providing a pleasurable day tour through Great Yarmouth and its surroundings.

This promotional film takes the audience through the many attractions Great Yarmouth had to offer in 1955. The tour begins at Yarmouth beach with holidaymakers playing in the sea and sunbathing on deckchairs. Next, the hubbub of the beach is contrasted with the quiet, grassy beaches of the 'Marrams', in Hemsby. We sample the many leisure activities available in Yarmouth's two miles of seafront including horse racing, boating down Venetian Waterways, rollerskating and live big-band music at the outdoor bandstand. The Pleasure Beach has amusements such as rollercoasters, train rides and merry-go-rounds. Indoor amusements are also abundant, including the famous Hippodrome Circus; and the Royal Aquarium and Regal cinemas. A leisure cruise is taken on the 'Norwich Belle' steamer from the Quayside to Scroby Sands. From the beach a few keen onlookers watch as the new Royal Yacht Britannia passes through Yarmouth. Other highlights include Yarmouth's many 'rows', the bustling open-air market, Nelson's Monument and the beach at Gorleston-on-Sea. Basking under a blood-red sky our tour of Great Yarmouth concludes with the Illuminations of Britannia Pier.

Featured Buildings

Sewell House, Nelson's Monument, Great Yarmouth's Fisherman's Hospital, The Church of St. Nicholas, Royal Yacht Britannia, Hippodrome Circus, Royal Aquarium Cinema, Regal Cinema

Keywords

Seaside towns; Promotional methods; Beaches; Holidays

Intertitles

First – and For(e)most – THE BEACH ……or if you prefer a quiet and secluded spot the ‘Marrams’ will delight you. Over two miles of Outdoor Attractions ON THE SEAFRONT. Indoor Amusements abound in Wide Variety. Steamer Trips, Cruises on the Norfolk Broads, Yachting, etc. Mention of the Broads merits a few glimpses of the charming and tranquil countryside but five miles distant. The Royal Yacht ‘Britannia’ passing Great Yarmouth on Wednesday, 6th July, 1955. A stroll along the extensive Quayside, or a steamer trip from the Town Hall to Scroby Sands, is full of interest. The Town has its attractions too, especially for Shoppers. The large Open-air Market still survives, a colourful and fascinating scene from olden times. The sweet aroma that oft pervades the atmosphere of the town centre, denotes that brewing is in progress at the old-established Lacon’s brewery GREAT YARMOUTH, a Town of Antiquity and Historical Interest. Old Towers that once guarded the Town. Great Yarmouth’s ‘rows’ (narrow lanes) are fast disappearing. Here at Row 117 we view from the windows of the old Merchant’s House the modern council houses that are quickly taking the place of their picturesque – if less hygienic – predecessors. The Church of St. Nicholas, (Founded in 1101 by Herbert de Losinga) the largest parish church in England. THE OLD JETTY where on 6th November 1800 Lord Nelson landed after the Battle of the Nile, and was given a hero’s welcome and the Freedom of the Town In 1817 the Nelson Monument was raised on the seafront to commemorate the victories of Aboukir Bay, Copenhagen, Cape St. Vincent and Cape Trafalgar. And now……over the Bridge to GORLESTON-ON-SEA where yet another galaxy of attractions is to be found. Back to Great Yarmouth at Sunset….. ….. and to round off the pleasures of the day – THE ILLUMINATIONS.

Other Places

Hemsby, Norfolk Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk

Background Information

"Many local people have fond memories of Neville Bishop at the Marina, some of their memories can be seen below. "Neville Bishop and his orchestra used to pack the Marina out. He did three shows a day: one in the mornings for children and afternoon and evening performances with his orchestra of 20 people. He was fantastic. He was hilarious. It was packed out especially the Sunday shows when there used to be a queue a 100 ft long to get in, he used to fill that place from the time they opened to the time they closed." "My mother was addicted to the shows at the Marina; we went there several times a week. Neville Bishop and his band used to get all the kids marching around the top of the Marina. Then there were beauty contests, glamorous grannies and most attractive families, and it was all such good-natured fun. At the time it was wonderful."" http://www.ourgreatyarmouth.org.uk/page_id__456.aspx