Gorleston

Molly, Thank you so much for sharing you lovely pictures and memories of Great Yarmouth.... I lived in Yarmouth until I was 21 when I left Yarmouth and have been in Nova Scotia Canada since.... In my mind I have lots of pictures and thanks for making them come to life again....
You have made a difference.
Kim Leblanc nee Conway...Haylett

Asalaamu Alaikum ( Peace Be Upon You) For over 10 years me and my family have been visiting Gorleston and other parts of Norfolk to see our other family members almost every holiday. We are very impressed of the way it is going so far. However, we also think there should be more diversity of cultures and a greater understanding of religions. Later, we would also like to see an Islamic centre or Mosque actually in Gorleston to remove all these misconceptions of Islam presently in the world, starting from your lovely area, Insha Allah (God willing).

Just leave sleepy old Gorleston as it is.

Hi having tried to comment, no response I fully agree with Diane.  I love sleepy old Gorleston, keep it as it is.  Happy St George's day.  Kind Regards John Clifford

Many years ago possibly about 1950s H A Holmes builders had their office at top of Ice House Hill.  On that point stood the entrance and on the High Street was a building with a tall tower? I think Holmes took this place over as a firm's social club (not sure on that point). However, there was a painter and decorator who was a fine artist who drew and painted country scene's all around the top - wall to ceiling. I cannot remember his name but does anyone who may have seen this work or is it still there?  If so he may have signed his work would love to know.

I was in the RAF based at Hopton Radar Station and spent 18 months; in the area off duty it was Great Yarmouth and more particular Gorleston where I had a long time relationship with a girl and her family named Starbuck who lived on the Magdelan Estate, they as I did came from Nottinghamshire.  She worked at Erie Resister her Father at Birds Eye they were the Halcyon days in my life.  For recreation we would go every Saturday Night to The Floral Hall and for a short time to Caister Holiday Camp on Wednesday Nights.  We also frequented the Gorleston Holiday Camp and the Winter Roller Skating if in Great Yarmouth.  We always went to the Queens Head for a drink mainly chosen by reason the last bus back to camp.  Eastern Counties service to Lowestoft bus stop was opposite the Hotel and we were given a shout when it was coming.  Over the Years I have made visits to the area and noticed many changes many for the good but one in particular I consider should not have been allowed that is the Floral Hall, probably it has so many memories of the Saturday Dances and Eddie Gates and his Orchestra; his signature "Liza" he stands out in my memory being a lover of Jazz And Swing which preceded the modern music trend.  I would love to be able to have recordings of him.  About two years ago a friend of mine contacted me and we have made contact with others who served at the same time as we did and stiil get the odd email from some of the others from that time with help from The Yarmouth Mercury and Lowestoft Journal.  I imagine there are very few of the guys left or locals being in our eighties now (JUST).  We also discovered some on Demob actually stayed in the area namely Dusty Miller and Gordon Scott.  We actually found four already but they were mainly resident in the area prior to doing their Service.  We obviously like to find more or are there any recordings about of Eddie Gates.  Can anyone HELP ????

For sometime in the 1950s as a young lad I worked for W. Ames builders.  I was employed in the depot of Norfolk plant hire heavy construction machines at the old tramways at the bottom of the Gorleston High Street; which is now I think is the library.  On a recent visit in 2012 I saw many changes to I quote 'sleepy old Gorleston'.  Needless to say many the times the traffic had to be held up in 1950s when our ex army converted low loader lorry with an excavator plus one or two cement mixers pulled out of the tramway building, as the saying goes because of holdup not one bus but two came along.  Yarmouth was in the time of row clearing plus bomb damaged areas, also on South Quay new flats and maisonettes being built.  Unlike today more people were employed in the building trade by private builders and most local firms i.e. H. A. Holmes, W. Ames, & Carters to name a few.  Sadly the rise of self employed tradesmen has seen the end of the great building firms but Yarmouth and Gorleston had the best developments to date again Shrublands, Magdalen Estate, and South Quay etc.  I hope future growth goes on.

I used to work in Gorleston in 1971 at a sewing machine factory called Bejoss that made lingerie.  It was in High Street and had a tower at the side of the building; I heard before it was Bejoss it had been the Birds Eye Club. The last time I was in Gorleston it was a home for sailors (I think).

Kathleen Kennedy, the building you wrote about is it the one at top of Ice House Hill?  It might be as you said at one time for Birdseye club house.  I still would like to find out if anyone saw the artist work around the top of wall to ceiling?  I now think the name of the painter is a Sid Read (or Reed); it was the most wonderful scenes that a painter and decorator who worked for H. A. Holmes could have done. It would be a shame if this work was destroyed. 

Hi Colin yes it was Sid Reed he might have had some help from a friend artist called Roy Hodds If any one was a help Roy  was a great friend of Sids sadly I came along a bit later & also worked for HAHolmes on the boats at Yarecraft I did the signwriting & painting the hulls of the pleasure craft oh what memories the first place that I worked at where the paint shop always sang during the day instigated by a chap called Bullock & Danny Prime theres a book to be written if you have the talent to do so & I am shure a lot of us still alive to tell the tale.

By John Clifford

Hi John, I started at H,A,H, in 1960 signing my apprenticeship papers later that year after 6 months in the mill. My uncle, Albert Leggett worked as a polisher in a small area at the front of the building.  Two years ago i made contact with Fred Harman who taught me for my first 3 or 4 years. Russell Smith, Tony Collier, Lenny Edwards, Little Jumbo, Michael Smith are some names i can remember.  Charlie  Brown Hagen Brothers and Cecil Smith who delivered the brown envelopes on thursdays i think. I left in the late 60S and went to work for Derek Chadd (R D Chadd & sons). The R,S,J where we made the stairs was still there a few years ago, part of a furniture store showroom.  very fond memories,  David Ward

Hi, I am looking to find out properties that Ronnie Toone the architect designed around the 1950 and 1960's I wonder if he was responsible for the design of my present house in Gorleston.

Hi  Mike, yes he probably was. His trademark was the chimney stack going up the outside of the property mostly made of stone  red / brown  in colour.  He was involved with a lot of properties opposite the j p h. I think its called Cliff Park Estate.  regards David Ward