View probably 1906 by card number
The site was originally established by Joseph Cunningham but sold after the 1903 season when Cunningham moved to a larger site. There was obviously a large market for the cheap holidays on offer as by 1914 the original restaurant block had been extended and new blocks added.
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The postcard, dated 28 July 1914, sent by a young man to his father stated |
Possibly the mixed party shown are guests
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The camp would appear to have been unused during WW1 as there is a reference that they applied to use internees held at Douglas to clear gorse - in WW2 it, along with Cunningham's camp were taken over at short notice by the Navy as HMS George a training camp for boy seamen - Howstrake was used as the initiation camp for the first six weeks of training.
The camp continued in operation until 1985 when a fire which gutted the main dining hall and repairs were not thought economic to repair.
Jill Drower Good Clean Fun A Social History of Britain's First Holiday Camp (2nd + considerably extended edition) Scrudge Books Battersea 2018 ISBN 978-0-9927775-1-7
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Any comments, errors or omissions
gratefully received The
Editor |
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