THE JAMES BOYS AT BRAYSTONES
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The James family of Whitehaven did not own a bungalow, but had many holidays at Braystones in the 1940s and 1950s. Except for a few comments on the identity of bungalows in the photos [in square brackets], everything which follows here has been contributed by Allan James.
| From the early 1940s onwards the James family have holidayed at Braystones: the following photos and memories are a record of happy times. From about 1943 we spent two weeks each year, usually in July, at a beach bungalow at Braystones. We would leave home in Partington's butchers van and head for the beach. Dad (Richard James known locally as Reg) managed Partington's butchers shop and would return the van and come back on the train. Our annual holiday was usually accompanied by visits from the rest of the family. Photo: Richard and Allan James at Braystones, about 1946 |  |
 | In the early years we always stayed at Mrs Bewley's bungalow which was the second one down from the station. Photo: The James boys (Richard and Allan) with their cousins. Left to right, Derek Robson, Richard, Janet Robson, & Allan, about 1943. [Curiously, the bungalow shown here looks like The Crest, north of Braystones Station] |
| Janet, Richard, Allan and Derek, about 1946. The bungalow in the background is two down after the shop on the south side; it was later purchased by Teddy Moorhouse the joiner who made extensive alterations [i.e. the bungalow at left, now The Kabin; at right is Vandura. Although Allan first remembered the owner of the bungalow as Mrs Bewley of Whitehaven, he has since suggested that it belonged at the time to Mr Meageen, owner of Vandura] |  |
 | There was a small shop on the beach which opened for the summer season and you could get most food items there, The local farmer also used to come onto the beach with his tractor selling milk, potatoes etc., I think he was called John Pallin. As we grew bigger we used to have our chores which included carrying buckets of water from the pipe near the station. Another memory is of the emptying of the toilet at night into the sea, you quickly learnt to make sure the wave was receding before throwing the contents at it. Uncle John Meldrum, his Mum (our Grandma), Richard & Allan, about 1947 |
| Later we stayed at The Cabin which was a little further along the beach [i.e. not to be confused with The Kabin!] Photo: Richard and Allan at The Cabin with cousin David Meldrum, about 1954 |  |
 | Derek, Richard, Allan and Janet about 1956, at The Cabin |
| Photo right: Richard and Allan (not about to be hung) in front of the swing at The Cabin, about 1959 |  |
| Next to The Cabin was a bungalow called Northolme and it was usually occupied by the Hyde family from Darwen in Lancashire, I was under the impression that the bungalow belonged to them but am not sure. Mr Hyde I remember was a JP and I found him rather a remote character, we never saw a Mrs Hyde, but his two young daughters Ruth and Annette were always there. |
 | Photo: Margaret Daniels*, Richard, Ruth, Frances Ingham (a friend of the Hydes') and Allan, about 1959.
*[This caption was amended in March 2012, based on information supplied by Annette- now Annette Barker- who had originally been identified as the girl on the left. She recalls that the Daniels family were staying in another bungalow nearby.] |
| Photo right: Mam and Dad (Reg & Cis) at The Cabin; Northolme in the background We would spend our two weeks fishing, shooting, walking- along the river and the walk along the beach as far as the estuary at Sellafield was popular. Good times. |  |
