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© Broadland Memories 2006-2026

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1950s Photo Gallery

More of the Aylott Family photographs from 1953

A spot of fishing produced some “bootlace” eels on Barton Broad!

Another photograph of the eels caught on Barton Broad.

Droleen and crew pictured at Potter Heigham in 1953. The footbridge at the entrance to Herbert Woods Broads Haven yard can be seen in the background on the left.

The Bridge Stores at Potter Heigham also pictured c1953.

The Bridge Stores at Potter Heigham also pictured c1953.

An unidentified sailing cruiser passes beneath Potter Heigham Bridge in 1953.

A final photograph of Potter Heigham road bridge from 1953.

The last photograph from the lads 1953 holiday was taken on the River Thurne at Potter Heigham.

In 1954 the three friends returned to the Broads, this time hiring the three berth “Sea Eagle” from A.G. Ward’s boatyard at Thorpe St. Andrew. The photograph above shows Harry (right) and his cousin Alan (left) boarding Sea Eagle at the yard with a selection of the Ward’s fleet seen in the background.

The two Alan’s pictured boarding Sea Eagle at Ward’s boatyard at Thorpe St.Andrew in 1954. The 28ft Sea Eagle had two single berths in the saloon with another single in the fore cabin and was powered by a Morris Vedette petrol engine.

This photograph poses a bit of a conundrum as it shows the two Alan’s onboard their hireboat during the 1954 holiday. The registration number of Y44 is listed as being “Sea Heron” on Craig Slawson’s boat database, but the next photograph clearly shows the partial name of “Eagle” on the transom. Craig is currently trying to establish why there is this disparity! Blakes 1952 brochure listed six boats within the Sea Heron class - Heron, Eagle, Kestrel, Hawk, Finch and Tern. By 1956 there were just four listed although the new name of Curlew had appeared alongside Heron, Eagle and Hawk. I wonder if the disposal of some of the class and a shuffling around of names in the mid 1950s might account for the registration numbers getting switched round?

Harry (seen right) and his friends caught a large haul of perch whilst fishing in 1954. As mentioned in the previous photo, the “Eagle” part of the boats name can be seen on the transom.

In 1955, Harry joined the RAF and was sent to Singapore to complete his National Service, returning to the UK c1957. In 1958 he revisited the Broads with his wife to be Joan and four other friends, hiring W209 “Broadland Heron” from Ripplecraft at Somerleyton (as seen above). Heron was one of the 6 berth “Broadland Swan” class which were 32ft 6in in length with a 10ft beam. The boat would have been fairly new when the group hired her as just four of the class were listed in Blakes brochure that year - a further six were built over the next few years. A weeks hire in 1958 would have cost between £34 15s and £62 15s.

The gang onboard Broadland Heron in 1958. From left to right are: Eileen, Teddy, Alan, Pauline, Joan and Harry.

Joan and Harry Aylott beside Broadland Heron, captioned as having been taken at Coltishall.

The scene looking up towards Roys department store, photographed from Wroxham Bridge in 1958.

The gang take lunch onboard Broadland Heron in 1958.

Pauline, Alan and Joan study the map whilst underway - note the portable radio on the right!

Harry Aylott, pictured at Hickling in 1958.

Broadland Heron being towed in 1958 after the group accidentally caught one of their mooring ropes in the prop. Harry remembers the same thing happening during his first visit to the Broads on the motor cruiser Droleen! The cruiser in the background on the right is A362 “Caroleen” from the Sabberton Bros. boatyard at Wroxham (later Sabena Marine).

Sailing at Potter Heigham c1958, just below the road bridge. The petrol pumps in the background were part of Applegates boatyard, a site which is now occupied by the bridge pilots office.

Harry Aylott, pictured at Potter Heigham c1958 - the old rail bridge can be seen in the background. Harry remembers that his cousin Alan took the boat under Potter Heigham road bridge in 1958 but got it all wrong, the sliding canopy got stuck and pulled back as they scraped through the bridge. Apparently the 3 girls were sleeping in the centre cabin and were exposed to the open air for all the onlookers standing on the bridge to see!

Harry and Joan pictured onboard Broadland Heron whilst moored at the Pleasure Boat Inn Dyke at Hickling in 1958. B632 “Ferry Mutineer 2” from the Ferry Boatyard at Horning can be seen in the background.

Joan feeding the ducks from Broadland Heron at Hickling in 1958.