BUTLINS PWLLHELI 1966 1967

We are delighted to welcome DAVE SANSOME, our latest Redcoat to contribute to this website:

DAVE SANSOME

BUTLINS PWLLHELI 1966 1967 at Redcoats Reunited Dave 1

TWO AMIGOS and an HAWAIIAN
Our Resident photographer never quite got it right when it came to dressing up a woman as a Mexican.

Hello to all Reds from Pwllheli. Here are a few random memories from 1966 and 1967.

After an interview to become a 'Classical Red,' which we all dreaded, I went to some office in Birmingham. I had played in a Brummie Beat Group, and could swim. I was accepted. Oh joy!!

So this became my journey to North Wales - what scenery. We all must have enjoyed that. Oh! And on the way back, in October, I was in a Charabanc!!!! I wonder if all Reds get this privilege. Ho! Ho!

BUTLINS PWLLHELI EMPIRE THEATRE at Redcoats Reunited

No! That's not Peter Crouch with the rest of the England squad.
It's Dave Sansome about to take the kids on a Ramble. (1966)

BUTLINS PWLLHELI 1966 1967 at Redcoats Reunited Dave 3

Kids hey! Aren't they great? One evening in the Empire Theatre they all piled on me. I was covered with children. My redcoat was stripped for souvenirs - pockets and badges ripped off in the crush. I felt like a squashed grape. I think I would have been suffocated if two Redcoat girls hadn't rescued me.

To be part of an elite team was the most exiting. The 'Flower-Power' time affected all of us. I believe we had the BEST of BUTLINS.

I could Jive, I could Ballroom Dance, I could carry Glam Grannies like the best of us; and call Tombola. In fact we had to do most things VERY WELL. I tried to sing 'The Bullfrog Song,' but fared better at 'Edelweiss.'

BUTLINS PWLLHELI 1966 1967 at Redcoats Reunited Dave 7

BUTLINS PWLLHELI 1966 1967 at Redcoats Reunited Dave 8

In the sixties, motor-powered stair-lifts hadn't been invented.
You had to CARRY your granny upstairs.

I wonder how many skates we gave out - 3000 children a week.

BUTLINS PWLLHELI 1966 1967 at Redcoats Reunited Dave 9

Mind you. The kids didn't always show affection.
When I did Captain Blood, I often thought they were going to kill me.

I worked with Tommy Trinder and Arthur Worsley. Just missed Richard Starky and Harry Webb.

The Australians were with us on our chalet line. Wow! they were wild things.

BUTLINS PWLLHELI 1966 1967 at Redcoats Reunited Dave 10

Here's me doing my best 'Tim Nice-but-Dim' face, before Harry Enfield had even been born.

The 1967 season was entered with much wisdom from the other year. (A learning curve, so to speak). More like a culture shock!! All of us were without doubt a special breed. Wow! those Tannoy mic's were big. And bell bottoms!!

BUTLINS PWLLHELI 1966 1967 at Redcoats Reunited Dave 11

BUTLINS PWLLHELI 1966 1967 at Redcoats Reunited Dave 12

I entered the Fancy dress every week, as a Butlins Redcoat, but never won it once!

The special special song we all sang was 'We'll Meet Again,' and the atmosphere on last night was electric - not a dry eye in the house.

We'll Keep a Welcome in the Hillside.

We'll keep a Welcome in the Vales

This land you knew will still be singing

When you come homme agaiiiin tooooo Waaalesss!!

This was true. I live in Wales now! Can't get away. Don't want to.

BUTLINS PWLLHELI Rn Stanway wedding at Redcoats Reunited Dave 13

Here we all are, acting as a Guard-of-Honour at the wedding of
RON STANWAY,
at Llanystumdwy
- 1967

BUTLINS PWLLHELI 1966 1967 at Redcoats Reunited Dave 14

When the Queen came to open the Butlins Pwllheli Camp, she brought
her two grandchildren with her - Prince Harry and Prince William
.
(1966)
(I may possibly have my facts wrong here!)

Here's a few off-beat memories to finish with:-

Who threw me in the boating lake?

Windsor House was the best.

"Singing in the Rain" in The Empire Theatre.

Do you recall the lights going out when we used soda syphons? (Good job Ron Stanway never found out.)

BUTLINS PWLLHELI 1966 1967 at Redcoats Reunited Dave 15

I loved picking up pretty girls, but it's even
more fun when pretty girls pick up YOU!

Can you remember the blue sticky stuff they sold in Filey and Skegness? It was the forerunner of 'Playdoh' - I think. We used to get all tangled up with it.

Do you recall the Reds throwing rice at the Campers in the Gaiety when we did a spooky show, to make them believe spiders were coming down from the roof? This was 1966 Pwllheli - wondered if it was done on the other Camps.

Maybe it's just me!!

I would love hear from any other Redcoats from Pwllheli.

Dave Sansome

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Our grateful thanks go to DAVE SANSOME for sharing the above photos and memories.

SEE ALSO

PWLLHELI 1965-67 Gail Storey

PWLLHELI REDCOAT TEAM 1965

PWLLHELI REDCOAT TEAM 1966

MARRIOT'S MEMOIRS - PWLLHELI 1966

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