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By 1955 it was estimated that Broadland was now attracting 200,000 holiday visitors a year which had doubled on the pre war estimate of around 100,000. The increase in car ownership and paid holidays, along with the fact than many women were now starting to go out to work meant that, with more leisure time available, holidays were becoming an affordable option for most households in Britain. The choice of holiday available around Broadland provided something to suit most pockets and although boating still remained comparatively expensive it was attracting more and more people. The days of cheap package holidays in the sun were still a good way off so most families spent their vacations within the UK.

The boatyards continued to build new motor cruisers and many developments were being made. By 1956 the first diesel marine engines were appearing on hire boats. “Caroline”, a 24ft, 3 berth boat from Porter and Haylett at Wroxham, was advertised in Hoseasons brochure as being fitted with a two cylinder Stuart Turner diesel motor “to give economical cruising at approx. 1d per mile”. She cost between £19 and £36 per week to hire. Burecraft, also at Wroxham, had the 4 berth “Lady Jane” and Lady Moya” for hire from £22 to £39 per week which were fitted with two cylinder 10hp Petters diesel engines. There were also some interesting converted boats available to hire on the Broads listed in the 1956 brochure. “Foynes” was a 72ft long ex-admiralty M.T.B. which slept between 7 and 16 people and “Blue Lagoon” was a 60ft converted M.G.B. sleeping up to 20. Both boats were moored at Oulton Broad and were regularly hired out to groups of Sea Scouts and Guides with hire prices ranging from £19 up to £34 per week. There were also 28 pages of bungalows listed ranging from “The Cabin” at Horning Ferry which was a 12ft by 12ft octagonal chalet which slept two and cost from £4 to £8 a week, up to “The Willows” at Wroxham which slept eight and cost between £12 and £14 per week.

Blakes 1958 brochure was in the new, A4+ size, upright format and hire prices seemed to have risen quite steeply in just three years. “Broadland Dabchick” from Ripplecraft now cost between £15 and £30 per week which was an increase of £9 a week on peak charges. Diesel engines were slowly increasing in numbers amongst the hire boats on offer and the first mention of a fibre glass hull was made with the 3 berth sailing cruiser “White Finch” from Robinsons of Oulton Broad.  Of note amongst the adverts in this brochure was that The Broadshaven Hotel at Potter Heigham was now under new management as, sadly, Herbert Woods had died after suffering a massive heart attack on Easter Sunday in 1954.

Hoseasons too had introduced there new A4+ upright format brochure and in 1959 made the claim that 80% of their boats had now been built since the war. In the introduction we were also told that “this year every craft carries a cold food storage cupboard (or refrigerator) and all boats are now fitted exclusively with fresh water taps to wash basins and sink. River water is not used in any way”.  Another new innovation in boat design came with the brand new 30ft, 4 berth “Shenandoah” from Faircraft at Wroxham which featured dual controls – one in the aft cockpit and a second in the forward wheelhouse. She could be hired from £23 to £47 per week. Of the other motor cruisers available, F.B.Wilds at Horning had the 5 berth “Merry Days” and “Jolly Days” at a cost of £24 10s rising to £50 a week whilst Royalls at Wroxham offered the 2 berth “Royal Tiara” for just £15 to £28.  Amongst the 44 pages of bungalows and houses available to hire around Broadland were some new “service chalets” at Brundall. These tiny, twin bedded chalets provided just a wash basin and toilet but were offered at a cost of £15 to £20 per week, fully inclusive of all meals which were taken at the adjacent White Horse Inn. Portable televisions for these could be hired for an extra £1 per week.

A decade which had started with an economic depression in a country that was still recovering from the Second World War ended with the then Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, claiming that we had “never had it so good” . Britain had become an affluent society, wages had risen, leisure time had increased and Broadland had become a booming holiday destination, heavily reliant on the income that the tourist industry provided. The next decade would see even greater numbers of hire boats on the rivers, more holiday bungalows and cottages to let and innovations would be made that were set to revolutionise the future of boat design on the Broads.

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©  Carol Gingell 2006

The 1950s - An Historical Overview