Dovercourt Memories by Joyce Barrett......Dedicated to my dear sister who shared every one of these memories,sadly died too soon to share this event My sister Marjorie and I grew up in East Ham and were taken to Dovercourt for a fortnight every year until 1938,when the war scare made our Mum and Dad very cautious,I suppose. We lived for a few weeks with a case packed ready for evacuation. This contained a few essentials,together with nuts and raisins and a bar of chocolate-naturally these were surreptitiously consumed within a short while. Because Dad had lost a leg in the first war,he walked on crutches. It was impossible for him to help Mum carry luggage or me,as a toddler.They went to Yarmouth by coach early on in my life,which was a disaster.I have no recollections of this at all. After that we travelled each year by hire car-that was most exciting. Car journeys were very rare. The holidays followed a similar pattern each year. Usually we stayed in a boarding house,and were the only guuests. Mum would do the shopping for our family,and the landlady would cook the dinner. The only landlady I can recall was Doll Easter in Beach Road,where we went most years. At another house in Beach Road,the lady would get hot rolls for breakfast from a man who went round with his basket of rolls,ringing his bell....

The Retreat and Beach fun..... One year I think we stayed at the Retreat,a large building-wooden I think,close to the front,where group holidays were spent. There was a group of Lifeboys there,about my age,9 or 10 I suppose. We all became friendly with one of the leaders. Miss Myall from Berkhamstead,and exchanged addresses.(Through Miss Myall I was later to spend a holiday in Berkhamstead,and then in 1945 spent my honeymoon there.) I well remember the Phoenix public house,near the Retreat. Mum and Dad spent many a happy hour there-not the modern 'happy hour',that hadn't been invented then.There was always good company there,I imagine,and we girls played around outside,enjoying our arrowroot biscuit and lemonade. There was a barman,or potman,called William. He often teased and made a fuss of us,and must have been a great asset to the place. Even to a child it seemed he had a warm attitude towards everyone. One day a plane came down in a field beyond the far end of the front,in the area where I believe a holiday camp was later built.It created great excitement and William took charge of me,being the smaller,and either carried or gave me a piggy-back,running with loads of other people to see this wonnderful sight. On the way we would have passed a pond where there were often numbers of eels.I believe people fished for them. Stewed eels were one of my Dad's favourites,and I've always liked eels,however prepared...

THE VERY BEST OF TIMES. Of course in nostalgic reminiscing,it never rained on holiday,did it!? We always sat near the lighthouse that is still in place I understand.Photos were regularly taken on its steps-sadly they have been lost,with most of our childhood snaps. Despite Dad's one leg he was a remarkable and courageous diver. Many a time he went off the breakwater at high tide. How he got safely along the breakwater,even the few yards needed,I shall never know? Mum and Dad got to know three young men who were always full of fun,and gave us young kids experiences we could not share with Dad. The sort of high-jinks that we only played with uncles,like being swung around,and somersaults,and all the usual things that normally Dads can do. I shall never forget;their names were Dick,Cecil and George,and several years they were there at the same time as we were. They loved to torment Dad,and once they turned him upside down,each one holding an arm or leg. Mum told of the hilarious search in the loose sand for his money! Very close to the putting green on the front there were the toilets,annd a shop with all the favourite beach paraphernalia,and sweets of course. Some evenings Mum and Dad would go down to the Phoenix,and leave us in bed with sweets and comics that we'd bought on our way back from the beach.....

Into Harwich Whatever we missed because of Dad's disability was amptly compensated for in various ways. He worked in the Milwall dock area for Trinity House. So when we were on holiday he always arranged at least one day's fishing from a light vessel in Harwich Harbour. As we got old enough,he took us girls as well,and I certainly found it all a great thrill. Nothing would have persuaded Mum to go in a rowing boat and up a rope ladder. I was never quite sure about Marjories feelings on fishing. I suspect that she didn't quite approve of the fish being killed when they'd been caught. One of the men on board would do this for us,and re-bait the line.Our catch was usually a few small dabs,and maybe crabs. If Dad went on his own,we would walk around Harwich with Mum,and she would invariably buy sweet prawns,beautifully packed in a box,something like Turkish delight packaging. my last reminiscence was a particular highlight for us-this was definitely a best frock night. On one or two evenings we would go to the Pavillion for a concert,and I sat enraptured as I listened to the music and singers,and watching was strong magic for me. The whole experience gave me a feeling of grandeur,and I realise now that my love of seeing live performances stems from those evenings...a love that has never waned. I am always grateful for those wonderful days spent at Dovercourt.

A Time to Remember... The time and the place where memories can be created.The peace,the refreshing atmosphere,the stimulating location..... Please send your Memories of Harwich & Dovercourt experiences to: Harwich Mem-Web, 7 East Street, Dovercourt, Essex. CO12 3AS. Telephone 01255 508629. See the 'Contact' page if you wish to send an E- Mail. Thank you.