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FIELDSTUDY 14 2 02 DANIEL MEADOWS: BUTLIN’S BY THE SEA, 1972 2 Fieldstudy 14 Inside BTArchives

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FIELDSTUDY 14 2 and out), lake, a boating railway, a miniature attractions included pools (indoors swimming deliver you to your chalet, and a chairlift. Other had a line main railway station, a road train to offered something and unique memorable. for a week’s was slogan. his pay” Each camp holidays-with-pay act of 1938. “A week’s holiday scale to a workforce newly benefiting fromthe the ’sixties, Butlin had ten such camps including as 11,000 visitors a week. At peak, thein mid soon it was, catering eventually for as many dream camp, the “biggest thein world”. And armouries, was goingthis to number his be one the lookedbuildings still like barracks and it into showpiece. his No matter that some of and, in off. Hunmanby Moor survived World War II end of the war. It was a gamble and it paid cost—no matter what its condition—at the buy back the site for of three-fifths its original was then £125 a head). Butlin offered also to (the accommodation” aat cost of £75 a head allowed toconstruction finish of “hutment that, as a condition of the sale, he should be war minister Isaac Hore-Belisha and suggested Filey. Seeingchance, his Butlin approached to build and military bases its spotlight fell on government was looking for coastal locations was interrupted by the outbreak of war. The and eventually biggest—, of 1939 but construction of third— this, his north from Flamborough Head, thein summer mile longsix flank wideof beach running the first 120 acres ofthe acre400 site,with its campers, as Butlin’s Filey. is better known thein memory of its many derelict site. Hunmanby Once Moor, RAF it andthe film the today camp is a andspoiled It is called and Jack (later by Gainsborough Pictures, stars Flora Robson black & white made for the Organisation Rank murderer on the run. The film, a B moviein out, impostor.an Not a war hero but all at a Hardwick (played by Price) Dennis and, it turns when I was on ops.” He is Squadron Leader have you?” “Yes,” he says, “I was stationed here of part the world this in before?” he asks. “No, and neat coat in gloves. “Have you ever been cadgeshair a cigarette from a young brunette, man moustachewith a thin and greased black Bridlington. The year is 1947. On board a suited along the roadcoast between Scarborough and its way to “Farleigh” camp Yorkshire,in bumps At the beginning of this story a crowded bus, on

Butlin provided holidays on industrialan William “Billy” Butlin (1899-1980) purchased crème de la crème

going rate for service housing ofkind this

1945, Butlin wasted no turning time in Holiday Camp Dixon of Dock Green , Butlin’s Bahamas. . Few now remember ) Warner.

DANIEL MEADOWS BUTLIN’S BY THE SEA, 1972

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5 DANIEL MEADOWS: BUTLIN’S BY THE SEA, 1972 6 firstcame here thoughtI Icouldn’t stand it.The can’t get by fighting for it, happiness.When I of people fighting all forthe onethatthing you sights of the twentieth century. A great mass you see?” Esther. says “One of the strangest man asks: you “Do see what I see?” do “What and singing as they march along, the blind on a huge parade of happy campers laughing lighten up. Looking down from the clock tower (played by Esmond Knight) she to began conversation with the blind camp announcer by Flora Robson) spooked too. But, after a (Esther Harman, spinster a middle-aged played (1969). Fact or fiction, Butlin’s had me spooked. Sydney Pollack’s A Lovely War Camp Everything and by the seaside: Arnold Wesker’s that were holidayin based or military camps the many recent class I’dsatires seen or read excitable imagination, my head was of full by uniformed men,security my sank. heart strung with tannoy loudspeakers and patrolled Windsor) and that the streets gridlike were assigned to tribally rooms dining (Kent, York, and, when I arrived to findinmatesthat were forward to a whole summer spent Butlin’sat thein memory, I can’t that I say was looking and North Salford,in was shown on Television’sBBC of livingfamilies ain street of terraced houses Yorkin (November 1972); the new Impressions of Gallery Photography the Sea two projects while we were students: Pentax Spotmatic. Parr and I collaborated on documentary. Theirs was a Leica M1, mine a cameras: theirs for the job, paid ours for the documentation.social We two used different opportunity to make a collaborative work of through the summer but we wanted also an We needed employment paid to see us Services as official“walkie” photographers. twenty years old—joined Butlin’s Photographic term ended, Parr and of I—both Martin us Manchester Polytechnic and, when the summer August 1972.in I was studying photography at Monkhouse perform Filey.at Even cabaret. Ithe saw comedian Bob bingo, dancing, anddiscotheque roller skating. were review and redcoat shows, wrestling, also A Knockout and donkey derby thrown in. There glamorous granny contests, withracing, tub It’s ages, including talent, beauty, bonny baby and child care and organised entertainment for all and longest “the thein world”. bar There was flowerbeds, giant a fountain—evengiant— a a

huge theatre, ballroom, sports fields, vast In In aAs theatre and cinema goer with an With decade a grim school boarding at I went there for the months of July and

a as vile staya base cadet on RAF an fresh (23 1973).May (1966), Richard Attenborough’s Holiday Camp was exhibited as the opening show at (1962), Joe Orton’s (1969) and “Yowsa! Yowsa! Yowsa!” They Shoot Horses Don’t They? it had Harman Miss June Street The Erpingham , a study Chips with Butlin’s by Oh! What Look

of photography. So, when I put that first precious quipping that black & white difficult.Serious documentaristsavoided colour, sensitive to light) which made freezing action is, compared with monochrome, it was less difficult to handleand the film was “slow” (that that time was expensive, the materials were it happened colour.in Colour photography at the talent shows and She the Miss contest. And happened on the edge. It happened spitein of teenage fashion parade. It was something that informal but never-the-less deadly serious, and popcorn, was the constantly unrolling, during that glam rock summer of teeny boppers notice and one of the the I things noticed, graphers, though, only picture what they can eager for and peace yet frightened to alone.”be fears, each one of them tired and dispirited, different set of problems and worries, hopes and separate individuals, each one of them with a Then Iit saw wasn’t really a crowd all,at just noise, the crowd, the frantic search for pleasure. round his neck) are in the back row, totheright. inthebackrow, hisneck)are round Daniel Meadows (handonhip)andMartin Parr(Rolleiflex Butlin’s PhotographicServices,Filey,1972:theteam. We whatto we see. see expect Photo- was the colour

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10 it was my inexperience. Perhaps it was the can’t do set. with this Not altogether. Perhaps the events photographed. But it’s something I images you choose match your recollection of edit a picture story is to make sure that the now digitally repaired and restored. pictures would have stayed. But here they are, PARCthis research project, that’s where those bottom of a cardboard box. If it hadn’t been for forgotten and, time,in invaded by the at fungus stored them safely but the transparencies were was broken up, I salvaged my colour prints and them on panels groupsin of four. After the show a handful of them printed small and I mounted pictures. For the Impressions exhibition I had just had embraced. few like Charlie Meecham and Peter Mitchell, which, with the exception of serious pioneers that teenage was doing parade—I something rocket men, metal and rockin’ gurus robins of Bolan playing their in starmen, heads—the Cooper, Bowie, Slade, Glitter Gary and Marc and reached out to those kids all with Alice roll of colour transparency into my Pentax

And, 1972,in I too thought little of my colour One that’s thing important to do when you of

my generation of British documentarists owners (oh irony!) other of that 1972, Butlin’s was sold Organisation, to Rank the of year and,package that tour in companies hit from take did abad business holiday camp picture? Where indeed? it happened, mister photographer, where’s the were furious. Why was I wasting their time? If somethis kind of a practical joke? The medics But when we got there the lad was gone. Was minutes,in we were screaming to the scene. aid post, alerted the ambulance crew and, comb sticking out of I him. legged it to the feet lay a collapsed youth, a sharpened steel been quite a battle. In the flowerat bed aftermathimmediate of what must have and stepping out of the theatre straight into aleaving performancematinée early one day would I have skirmish. a vivid memory of last two weeks of July), rival of youthstribes wakes holidays and during Glasgow (the were Fileyat unchaperoned and, on onaway package holidays, many teenagers about it but I can’t. With their mums and dads photographed it. Maybe I should just forget current of casual violence and I never I recall from that summer was underlyingan playing myin imagination but one of the things “Yowsa! Yowsa!” of those stageall fictions still [1977]. erything”. In Wesker, (1962)“ChipswithEv Arnold London: Boxtree (1992) Osborne Rees, Dafydd,BarryLazellandRoger [1988]. London:MethuenDrama. Camp”. In Orton, Joe(1966)“TheErpingham London: Jarrolds. North, Rex(1962) Serpent’s Tail. Horses Don’t They? McCoy, Horace(1935) Abbeville Press. The NewColorPhotography Sally(1981) Eauclaire, Yorkshire Council:ArtsDevelopment. and HolidayMakers Staff theMemoriesofFormer Through : RelivingEightDecadesofHistory Daniels, Sarah(2006) [1972]. Butlin’s Bibliography shines and Butlin’s, so smile, smile, smile!” remember the redcoat motto: sun always “The seems, thrive. So, campers, never die andsay restyledand —are as “resorts” and, it Regis,remaining Minehead camps—Bognor celebrating its 75 by ) continues. In 2011 it is cheery andnostalgic BBC’s Maplin’s, one, ahit sit-com for small the the aBmovie for in Camp big the screen, but as reinventedas time fiction,Farleigh as notthis 1983, in season Butlin’s been had once again eventually close, end the at of its thirty-eighth storythe lived on. For, even when Filey did movie. was shakenthe but business The What there the no is doubtWhat that about is The Butlin’s brand (owned since 2000

Harmondsworth: PenguinBooks. Harmondsworth: [Filey] Orton, TheCompletePlays New EnglishDramatists7 Entertainment Programme 40 Years ofNMECharts The ButlinStory. [2010].London: . EastRidingof Remember Filey th They Shoot anniversary. The three . NewYork:

Hi-De-Hi! -

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Holiday Camp, 3.4.2011). co.uk/Hi-De-Hi/>, (Accessed Croft You havebeenwatchingDavid cessed 3.4.2011). ukpga/Geo6/1-2/70/contents>, (Ac http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ PayAct1938 Holidays With htm>, (Accessed3.4.2011). butlinsmemories.com/filey/index. Butlin’s Memories (Accessed 3.4.2011). about-butlins/history-of-butlins/>, Butlin’s sources Internet Palomar Pictures. bySydneyPollack.USA: Directed They ShootHorsesDon’tThey? UK: Paramount. Attenborough. byRichard Directed Oh! WhatALovelyWar Pictures. Ken Annakin.UK:Gainsborough Holiday Camp Filmography

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13 DANIEL MEADOWS: BUTLIN’S BY THE SEA, 1972 14 statioanary 30/6/049:00amSeite1 and Marchant,Alison Wiebke Leister include Romaparticipants Tearne, byedits photographers. Previous of Fieldstudypersonal of the fifth is issue experiences.about This his the camp,stay at his and to write made aprojectas personal during from the colour work which he Meadows to select photographs CentreResearch has invited Photography and the Archive of 1972. season the summer The forButlin’s ‘walkies’ became Parr Camp, 1972.Filey in Butlin’sMeadows at Daniel Holiday series of colour photographs made by of edition Fieldstudy This explores the Daniel Meadows and Martin Meadows and Martin Daniel

Marjolaine Ryley.Marjolaine Research Council. Research and Humanities byfunded the Arts New Photography, British 1968-1981, bypreceded a research project, The the University London, of the Arts photography of 1970s and 1980s at product of PARC’s research into British the is publication, accompanying the new photography. British of the history wellas examining as context, and asocial cultural within 2011. textThe places Meadows’ work by Photoworks on 30 September by published be Val will Williams, Photographs from the 70s and 80s, of England. 1980s’ study of suburbia the south in Manchester’sin Side Moss and his StreetGreame free studio portrait June Street projects from the 70s include and 80s documentary photographs. His and freemaking studios portrait up setting Photographic Omnibus, journey Englandacross the Free in networks.powerful created of photography,possibilities and to explore opportunities funding the photojournalism, newthey used culture. Excluded from mainstream by and workingfascinated class were interested the ‘ordinary’ in photographers the 1970s in who of a grouping of young British This exhibition and exhibition the This Daniel Meadows: Edited 1973,In a Meadows began Daniel Meadows was a Daniel member , with Martin Parr,, Martin with the ffotogaller core group of includingmembers and externally. CentreThe has a conferences, the UAL within both study and days, symposia seminars, culture and organises research into photography and new and innovative commissions CentreThe of Communication. the London at College based and is London 2003 in the Arts bydesignated the University of the Archive CentreResearch was Wendy Short. managed with by Brigitte Lardinois project ledis by Val and Williams ofCollege Communication. Archive Services Wales, 2012 before totravelling Ffotogallery, September, 2011 19 until Museum,Media Bradford from 30 the National at be will Williams, Photographic Works its Facebook group page. ualresearchonline.arts.ac.uk. and on found be also research at: can co.uk www.photographyresearchcentre. visit: ofCollege Communication the London at research seminars projectNAM and the monthly the Photographers Gallery, the ‘Writing Photography’ series at War the Imperial Museum, the Museum and Media National conferencesforthcoming the at about PARC’s work, including its Photoworks. For more information and Creative Berg Arts; Publishing Plymouth; the University of the War Museum; the University of Telecom; British Services; the Imperial and Archive Library Birmingham Museum; Ffotogallery,Media Wales; Photographers’ the National Gallery; Wolverhampton the Gallery; Art Sunderland; Street Level Photoworks; the with Universitypartnership of as counterculture, and photographers ofand style,the the visualization the conflict, photography of fashion the documentation of war and post-war photography, British emphasis on particular with and culture ofhistory photography, Collections in the UK. the online by the Centre and PARC leads also Photography&Culture co-hosted is of students. PhD Journal ofThe a groupand supervise members Centre staff and Davidmann. Sara Pollard, Moore, LoweDavid Paul Sutherland, Wiebke Leister, Jennifer Tom Hunter, ‘O Neill, Patrick Alistair work, Photoworks. and Services Archive and Library Ffotogallery, Wales; Birmingham Museum; Media National the with by apartnership supported and

filmmakers. filmmakers. PARC currentlyis working in PARC’s interests the span UALThe Photography and Meadows research Daniel The A touring ofexhibition Meadows’ funded been has project The . Information about PARC’s. Information Daniel Meadows: Early Birmingham Library and Library Birmingham Directory of y and the London , curated by, curated Val

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t. 00 44 t. (0)20744 00 514 6625 London SE1 6SB Elephant & Castle London ofCollege Communication CentreResearch Photography and the Archive Silva Corinne Ambassador: PhD Vale Sam Seminars: Research Networking and IT: May Belinda [email protected] Assistant:Research Bob Pullen: [email protected] Centre Wendy Administrator: Short: [email protected] Deputy Director: Brigitte Lardinois: [email protected] Director: Professor Val Williams:

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