Reminiscing about my childhood visits to dealers
My dad is approaching 80 next year and we started to talk about caravanning. It's quite nice because in recent months I've found that different topics of conversation are hard to come by as he and mum don't go out as much as they used to and so don't have
much "news".
I was a baby when mum and dad first took me in 1972 in their Sprite. We fondly spoke about trips in the 80's to Yorkshire Caravans in Bawtry and with some of the last caravans they bought from Kenmore Caravans at Mirfield, both of whom are still dealers
today.
However there was one more that neither of us could remember the name of, probably because they are no longer in business, so I thoughts that there might just be some older CC Members from Yorkshire who might from my description remember who they were. They
were a CI Caravan dealer selling Sprite and Eccles. It was in the Kirkburton area West Yorkshire. From memory it was quite a big dealer and they were quite unique because not only did they have a big outdoor display, but all they had at least 2 big split
level long sheds that were the showroon. The Sprites were in the lower level showroom and the Eccles in the next one which ran parallel behind but a step up.
If anyone can remember the name, I might be able to locate some old photos on the internet somewhere.
Comments
-
Peter Roberts? Kenmore? Goodalls?
0 -
Not Goodalls, Obviously not Kenmore. The name Peter Roberts doesn't ring a bell but googling suggests they are only 15 years old. I'm now 44, so I suspect I'm looking for a dealer circa 40 years ago - yikes!
0 -
Sorry yes, I realised you had mentioned Kenmore after I posted. Wandahomes?
0 -
No definitely not them, although I do remember visiting them. The one I'm thinking of was definitely just a CI dealer.
0 -
No idea of the dealers you are after but a big thank you for letting me know Yorkshire Caravans are still dealing, I had thought they had closed.
Mind you, I turn off for Misson every week so don't normally go that far up the road.
Trip organised for tomorrow.
0 -
Hi Dave, they went into receivership from memory but I don't think it was for long. In this months Practical Caravan it states they celebrate 85 years this year. I always remember that being a huge dealership, but hey I was small then
0 -
Also looking roughly at the map it would have been kirkheaton, not kirkburton. I may have found it. I've come across an owners guide on google for a 1971 Thomson. It makes reference to a dealer in kirkheaton called Stafford & Co.
0 -
"" can we ave one dad?""
0 -
"" can we ave one dad?""
Oh my goodness yes I remember that advert!!! Wasn't that for Yorkshire Caravans?
0 -
Yorkshire Caravans of Bawtry - or YC Leisure as they are now known are still going strong - we bought our new Bailey from them, last year. Big dealership - and we were pleased with the buying experience and after sales, so far!
0 -
My parents had caravans for many years but we never went to the dealers and in fact I do not know where any of them came from. They would just turn up one day and say we have bought a caravan and it would appear a few days later. Same thing with cars, we
were never consulted even when we were adult.0 -
Papgeno, thank you for confirming what I thought I finally found last night, but one thing is eluding me. Where on earth was it in Kirkheaton. The postcode appears to be for a Farm much further up the hill back to Flockton.
0 -
I've just looked at Google Maps and if my memory serves me right it was somewhere around the bottom of Heaton Moor Road. It was quite a large dealership.
Write your comments here...I think you are right now looking at that area. I think my memory of going back up the hill would have been Cockley Hill Lane.
0 -
Isn't this thread what caravanning is all about; instilling lifelong memories.
My late father had a Sprite 400 that he towed from Lincolnshire to Cornwall, stopping overnight on the County Cricket ground at Taunton to break the journey for our annual summer holiday. We would tour Yorkshire for wekends. Remember being towed out by tractor
at a site in Layburn.Being a late life father am giving my daughter lifelong memories, first 9 years of her life in a MH, now with a caravan.
Priceless
0 -
I can remember being taken to look at caravans aged about 5. The choice was between a 'Robin' and a 'Panther'. I wanted the Robin because it had green curtains. I can see it now, and smell it, and feel the feel of the rough cushions on the backs of my legs
- a full sensory memory! But we bought the Panther as it was slightly bigger and more 'modern looking'.0 -
Isn't this thread what caravanning is all about; instilling lifelong memories.
My late father had a Sprite 400 that he towed from Lincolnshire to Cornwall, stopping overnight on the County Cricket ground at Taunton to break the journey for our annual summer holiday. We would tour Yorkshire for wekends. Remember being towed out by tractor
at a site in Layburn.Being a late life father am giving my daughter lifelong memories, first 9 years of her life in a MH, now with a caravan.
Priceless
Write your comments here... Great post Keefy and thank you, yes it's all about memories.
My parents are also what you call late life and I am not only keen to share my current caravaning exploits with them, but as I tried to explain (badly) at the start: to have a conversation point with them about the good old days as they are now getting on
and varied conversation subjects seem to be dwindling, something my husband found in the last years before he lost his own father.It's these "memories" that a) made us take up caravanning b) joining the caravan club rather than any other club. This summer we will be going to Damage Barton (as that's where I spent all my summer holidays), in autumn we head to Moreton in Marsh (Fond
Memories of a toy shop there) and next year when we are more experienced caravanners we will go further afield to Sutton on Sea, Scarborough and Bridlington - which is where we would go for Easter and Half Term holidays.There are trips I don't think I can re-create. Ulrome appears to have finally vanished into the sea. Filey Brigg doesn't appear to have good reviews now and the site in Scarborough on the Burnaston Road, was I think a local council
site.0 -
Catherinef yes it was a little boys voice who used to say "can we ave one dad?" We have just been to cc site at scarborough and it was lovely , sutton on sea was very nice too (went in motorhome) and went to brid when it first opened , dont be put off filey
brigg have been a couple of times , its not as well organised as a cc site but is still a nice place to be , regards mrs bc : yorkshire caravans is still open and they have a very nice cafe if you decide to visit for a reminise and an accessory shop (i store
my van there)0 -
Dont store it in accessory shop , but in storage at back lol
0 -
I hope this isn't off thread but I've been reminded of trips away in our Sprite 400 (we had two in succession) . We were very adventurous in those days taking trips to Denmark, Holland and Sweden (twice). My first experience of driving abroad was with a
caravan. Kirkheaton is known locally as Yetton and they used to have an annual fair ther known as Yetton Rant.0 -
Not off thread at all. See that then brings me to the year that Charles and Di got married, I think 1981. That year was when my parents pretty much decided that caravanning in the UK for the summer holiday didn't cut the mustard any more. We went to
Britany in our Ace Ambassador. It had been fitted with mains electric for that trip.It was a long time after that before they had a summer holiday in the UK and I never quite enjoyed the trips abroad as much as I did in the UK.
0
