Caravanning in times gone by

Mar 14, 2005
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I want to hear from anyone who can remember what caravanning was like in the 1930s, 40s, 50s or 60s? How have things changed, and what was the atmosphere like in the early days?

Please emails me direct at: jennifer.stuart-smith@haynet.com

Or post your recollections on the Forum.

Thanks in advance

Jen
 
Aug 2, 2006
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Hi Jennifer, Don't know if this is what you want but take a look here,http://caravanningmemories.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk
 
Mar 14, 2005
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I can remember it well - we borrowed a friend's Sprite 4 berth and towed it with a 1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate 1.6 litre. We toured west and north Wales. The party included my parents in law, wife, self, six week old baby daughter and a dog. The date was the summer of 1969.

The first night was spent in Aberystwyth when the skies opened over night. The tents were washed out. We had to have a tractor to pull the caravan off the site. From Aberystwyth we ventured up to Pwlleli - thw car constantly cutting out every 100 miles or so for no apparent reason, not even the AA could fathom it out. The access to the site in north Wales was up a steep hill where many other combinations were struggling to climb without assistance. The car passengers were walking up and a crowd of men pushing on the van. My turn came to ascend the hill - I put the car in bottom gear before starting and rode the clutch all the way up staying in bottom gear. We climbed the hill with full compliment of passengers and no pushing. I reached the top of the hill to a round of applause. The full week in north Wales was a wash out - rained all the time. Had to walk a fair distance for toilets and water. We came home without stopping for food etc. via mid Wales and glad to see home.

During the night my mother in law insisted that we put a blanket up across the van for her to dress and undress in privacy. The whole holiday was a disaster but looking back we all have a chuckle now. From this experience we decided to buy a van but leave the in laws at home. As the saying goes the rest is history and enjoyed every year afterwards as a family.
 
Mar 14, 2005
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I can remember it well - we borrowed a friend's Sprite 4 berth and towed it with a 1964 Vauxhall Victor Estate 1.6 litre. We toured west and north Wales. The party included my parents in law, wife, self, six week old baby daughter and a dog. The date was the summer of 1969.

The first night was spent in Aberystwyth when the skies opened over night. The tents were washed out. We had to have a tractor to pull the caravan off the site. From Aberystwyth we ventured up to Pwlleli - thw car constantly cutting out every 100 miles or so for no apparent reason, not even the AA could fathom it out. The access to the site in north Wales was up a steep hill where many other combinations were struggling to climb without assistance. The car passengers were walking up and a crowd of men pushing on the van. My turn came to ascend the hill - I put the car in bottom gear before starting and rode the clutch all the way up staying in bottom gear. We climbed the hill with full compliment of passengers and no pushing. I reached the top of the hill to a round of applause. The full week in north Wales was a wash out - rained all the time. Had to walk a fair distance for toilets and water. We came home without stopping for food etc. via mid Wales and glad to see home.

During the night my mother in law insisted that we put a blanket up across the van for her to dress and undress in privacy. The whole holiday was a disaster but looking back we all have a chuckle now. From this experience we decided to buy a van but leave the in laws at home. As the saying goes the rest is history and enjoyed every year afterwards as a family.
1964, what a great year that was.....
 

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