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© Broadland Memories 2006-2026

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1950s Photo Gallery

The last of the Aylott Family photos from the late 1950s

Pauline and Alan with Broadland Heron, also photographed at Hickling in 1958.

Another photograph of Joan onboard Broadland Heron.

Joan onboard Broadland Heron in 1958.

The wherry “Albion” captioned as having been photographed on the River Ant c1958.

The Berney Arms Mill, also pictured c1958.

In 1959, Harry and Joan hired Broadland Heron once again, this time accompanied by Harry’s parents and three of his sisters, Beryl, Ann and Jean, two of whom who can bee seen above with Florrie Aylott and Joan.

The final 1950s photograph from the Aylott Family collection shows Joan at Potter Heigham sitting on a rather unusual water craft! These look like the sort of craft which would have been more at home on a boating lake rather than on a busy waterway, but Chris Booth contacted me to say that he remembers these being available to hire at Potter Heigham in the late 1950s and identified it as probably being an “Amanda Water Scooter” which were produced by the Vincent Motorcycle Company in Stevenage. These were almost certainly the very first PWC’s (Personal Water Craft) ever produced and early models were powered 75cc and 100cc single cylinder engines of the type more commonly found in lawn mowers. The craft were apparently capable of speeds of between 5-7 mph.

A small collection of photographs from Mick Middleton taken during his first holiday on the Norfolk Broads in 1958. The group of friends hired  “Saratoga” from Collins Pleasure Craft Ltd of Oulton Broad. Mick returned for more holidays with friends and also bought his own small boat in 1961, bringing it by trailer to the Broads for two weeks each year. In 1969, Mick purchased a Freeman 22 on the Broads and has owned boats here ever since.

Two of the crew onboard W552 “Saratoga” from Collins Pleasure Craft of Oulton Broad. Saratoga was 26ft 6in in length, slept three, and was one of the “Elsinore” class of motor cruisers which also included “Gold Crest”. A week’s hire in 1958 cost between £17 10s and £35 15s depending on the time of year.

Cruising onboard “Saratoga” on the Norfolk Broads in 1958.

Another photograph taken on “Saratoga” whilst cruising on the Broads in 1958.

W552 “Saratoga” moored alongside the Ferry Inn at Stokesby in 1958.

Also from 1958, this next collection of photographs was submitted by Pete Brelsford and document a holiday taken on the Collins Pleasure Craft Ltd motor cruiser “Braemar”.

The holiday party pictured at Reedham Railway Station in 1958. Pete tells me that they travelled from Nottingham by train to Reedham from where they would have continued on to Oulton Broad to take over their hire cruiser from Collins Pleasure Craft Ltd.

W363 “Braemar” pictured at St. Olaves in 1958. The 10 berth “Braemar” class were 43ft in length and cost between £38 10s and £73 15s for a week’s hire in this year.

Breydon Rail Viaduct - the bridge was part of the Midland and Great Northern line and had been closed to rail traffic in 1953. It was finally demolished in 1963, although the piles remained in situ until the new Breydon road bridge was constructed in the 1980s.

Two photographs of sailing on the Norfolk Broads in 1958. A sailing dinghy was included with “Braemar” and the photo on the left shows Pete with his wife and friend making good use of it, possibly on Salhouse Broad.

The River Bure and the Swan Inn at Horning.

The entrance to Daisy Broad at Wroxham with the Beehive seen on the left. In the background are the three, villa like holiday homes, built in the 1920s, which comprised Kia Manzi, Southernholme and Broadwaters.

The Bure Court Hotel at Wroxham, pictured by Pete Brelsford in 1958.

Another set of photographs from the Andrew Day Collection, these were taken by an unknown group who holidayed on the motor cruiser Song Of June which was hired from George Smith & Sons of Wroxham.

B85 “Song of June” pictured on the Norfolk Broads in the 1950s. The sister ship to Song of Joy, built by George Smith & Sons of Wroxham, this 35ft motor cruiser slept 6 people and cost between £27 and £53 for a week’s hire in 1956.

Another photograph of “Song of June” with one of the crew aboard.

Sailing the dinghy which would have been included in the hire fee for “Song of June”.

The River Bure at Wroxham with the Bure Court Hotel seen on the right.

The Swan Hotel at Horning. The licensee during most of the 1950s was Ernest Oakes and in 1953 the hotel was advertising motor launches, sailing craft and rowing dinghies for hire. The advert also mentioned the Swan Pavilion where dances were held every Wednesday and films were screened by the G.R. Mobile Cinema on Friday evenings.

The River Bure at Horning with Southgates boatyard seen on the left.

This looks like it was photographed on Wroxham Broad.

An unidentified location - the houseboat on the left looks as though it may have been a converted lifeboat. Note the outboard motors on the dinghies in the foreground.

The sailing cruiser seen here is B493 “Modwena” which would have been hired from Sun Boats at Acle. In 1956, she could be hired for between £17 and £29 per week depending on the time of year.

Another photograph of the sailing cruiser “Modwena” which is still sailing today in private ownership.

Cruising on the Norfolk Broads in the 1950s aboard “Song of June”.

The final image from the set - sailing on the Norfolk Broads.