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PICTURES FROM THE YATES COLLECTION

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Judith Yates (née Barclay) contacted me in February 2009. As usual, most of what follows is in her own words, except my small additions [in square brackets].


I was born in Whitehaven and lived in Hensingham; my father worked for the Whitehaven News as a reporter. I was delighted to read about Braystones beach because I enjoyed many summer holidays in the forties there and used to spend my pennies at the "hut". We rented Latona several times and then we stayed in Belmont bungalow and Beechwood. We received our milk from Palling's farm and Joe Graham and Saisie Graham were residents at Copeland bungalow. We stayed with them too. We left for the Manchester area in round about 1942/3 but holidays at Braystones continued. If you visited Braystones beach in the forties and early fifties, I may have played cricket with you. They were great holidays and I remember them well.

Garden of Latona beach bungalow, Braystones, c1946

Latona garden [c1946], with a Manchester family, the Entwisles. My sister on the right, my mother [second deckchair], I am below her.

I remember the 'larder' with the mesh sides. Sometimes the odd blue bottle found its way in but I am here to tell the tale.

Garden of Latona beach bungalow, Braystones, c1943

Latona garden [c1943]. Mainly the Barclay family with my aunt and my grandmother.

[At Latona] with the Camerons, taken maybe 1943/4. I am on the bottom step left, above me Enid Barclay, my sister and above my sister my grandmother. On the right were the Camerons, Ewen next to me, Ailsa above him and at the top on the right Mrs. Cameron. I do not know the person in the middle. It could have been Gladys Tyson.Cameron and Barclay families at Latona, Braystones, c1944
The Barclays and friends, possibly at Isle View, c1948 The Barclays with two Manchester families. [Late 1940s; Judith is not sure which bungalow this is- I think most likely Isle View, some way north of Latona].

Judith and cousin with Braystones station-master, c1948

Mr. Williams was the station master and my cousin, Richard Berry, and I were sitting on the platform with him, probably about 1948.

I would walk to the station many times because there was a flush toilet there. I was not too keen on using the Elsan toilets!! I remember, when I was quite young, going to the spring near the shop to clean my teeth and then visit the loo at the station before going to bed.

Children meeting at the front of Sunnyside, c1950

Probably 1950 ish. Outside Sunnyside, when we were there, was a general meeting place for some of the children staying on the north side of Braystones; decisions were made on what we should do for the rest of the day. I am in about the middle of the picture.
[As it is not easy to contact the other children and ask their permission, they have not been identified here, but if anybody in this photo wishes to be named on the caption, and perhaps share some memories, do please contact the webmaster, David Bradbury.]

The pirate flag was brought by someone who was staying at Miss Davidson's at the time so it may have been kept at Plas Isa for children to play with. [See also the picture of Tom Dalzell's boat in the early 1940s.]

Copeland and its neighbours, looking north, early 1950s

Copeland bungalow. We stayed there several times with Mr. & Mrs. Graham in, I think, the early 50s. Mrs. Graham and I used to collect a special variety of seaweed from the rocks and put it into sacks. I believe it was sent to Wales to be eaten as laver bread (I have been to Wales in recent years and tried the laver bread and found it dreadful!). Mrs. Graham used to make rum butter for us- now that was good.
[For a labelled close-up of the bungalows in the background at left, click here and for a close-up of Copeland itself, click here.]

Copeland and its neighbours, looking south, early 1950s

Looking south from Copeland bungalow [same date as picture above].

Fellow-Latonite Tom Dalzell was one of the first people to see this page when it went online, and he kindly shared some of the memories it evoked:
"I see that Judith remembered the Elsan Toilet. I was with my father when he collected it from Barlow's shop in Whitehaven and we carried it on the train to Braystones.
Mr Williams, the stationmaster, was lame from a World War One wound. His garden was always wonderful!.
I think the Ailsa and Ewan Cameron on one of the photos lived in Hensingham at the Hollins Lodge next to Chapel House. Ewan and I were about the same age and part of the same gang.
I also gathered much seaweed (mainly with Eckford Davidson from 'Plas Isa' for whom it seemed to be almost a full time occupation). The seaweed went to Alginate Industries Ltd for the manufacture of alginate (a food additive) and agar-agar for laboratory culture of bacteria in Petri dishes."