I’ve been working on an unexpected but interesting little video project over the last few days. I received an email at the end of last week from Will Downing who had just had some 8mm cine footage taken by his parents of a Broadland holiday in 1963 transferred to DVD. He very kindly sent me a copy for the archives and gave me permission to share it via the Broadland Memories YouTube channel.
Will’s parents, Don and Mary Downing, were living in North London at the time and holidayed onboard the motor cruiser Breydon Lass II which was hired from the Cobholm Boatyard at Great Yarmouth. The yard was situated on the Southtown side of the River Yare, almost opposite the entrance to the River Bure, and ceased hiring in the mid 1970s. There were three of the Arnott Fowler designed Breydon Lass class which were just 22 ft 6 inches in length with an 8 ft 6 inch beam. The compact galley/saloon contained a pull out double bed and a small forward cabin housed a WC and washbasin. The film has some nice footage of the boat and even includes some interior shots towards the end. I don’t have a copy of the 1963 Hoseason’s brochure, but the image on the right is the entry for the Breydon Lass class from the 1968 edition. According to the entry for her on the Boats of the Norfolk Broads database (linked to above) she was sold to a private buyer c1973 and was renamed White Heather and, as far as I’m aware, is still kept on the Norfolk Broads to this day.
The film runs for just under 13 minutes and begins with some lovely footage of St. Olaves, followed by a trip along the Waveney to Oulton Broad. Heading back along the Haddiscoe New Cut the film then moves to scenes of the seafront at Great Yarmouth. This is followed by a short section of the rail trip between Great Yarmouth and Reedham, passing the Berney Arms halt. Don and Mary then head across Breydon and onto the River Bure where they film two sailing cruisers, one of which is from the quirky Crestella class built by Laura Craft of Martham. Passing St.Benets Abbey, the couple then film Horning Sailing Club and the Swan Hotel before stopping at Wroxham. The scene of a roadside verge covered with daffodils indicates that their holiday must have been taken quite early in the year. Cruising back through Horning, they pass the Ferry Inn before the film cuts to a view of Thurne Dyke Windpump where the couple moor and visit the Lion Inn and St. Edmund’s Church. Finally, we are given a guided tour of Breydon Lass II as the camera pans round the boats’ interior.
Many thanks to Will for allowing me to add this lovely little film to the Broadland Memories archives. It’s quite exciting to be able to expand the archive in this way and make this footage available for others to see. If you’ve had any old cine films of the Broads transferred to DVD then I would love to see them! I never tire of watching these old home movies and they provide an important and often fascinating record of life and leisure in Broadland. If you are happy for the films to be shared then I can also upload them to the internet for you. As with the photographs, personal memories and general ephemera which are displayed on the Broadland Memories website, you will of course be given full credit for the films and retain the copyright. If you think that you can help then please do get in touch!
