Choir Outings

On a very wet day in October, Les Cross, myself, my mum - Betty, and Margaret Elkin took a group of younger boys to Wicksteed Park , near Kettering. One of the new boys - Oliver - had never been on an outing of this type in his life and was so excited - that the one name that Margaret and my mum had to keep saying all day long was ... 'Oliver ..'

During the coming years we would arrange outings whenever possible, and one particular favourite was to Barnack, where boys enjoyed picnics and paddling in the river. The upper two pictures were taken at a steam rally at Stamford, and the lower two at Barnack. All in 1983.

In 1983 the choir had an outing on a Fowler's Coach to London.

I have to confess that I have no memory of this visit - but looking at the photos, we visited the Science Museum, looked around a ship on the River Thames, and visited Westminster Abbey (not to sing ...) I expect entry to the Abbey was free in those days! Photo top left shows helper Colin Booth with my mum.

Canal Boat Trip

One memorable trip was organised by David and Yvonne Mossman. They took a group of boys on their long boat along a length of canal near Fotheringay. The boys enjoyed the day - and the experience of opening and closing lock gates. No-one wore life jackets, and thankfully no-one fell in ...

The warden of Lime Court allowed us to play football and cricket on the grass ...

We had a couple of day trips to Alton towers....

Trip to Butlins

For one of our day trips in August we arranged a day trip to Butlins at Skegness. The day started well, but soon after we arrived, the heavens opened and most of the outdoor rides had to be closed! We spent the rest of the day in the indoor pool ... so quite an expensive day out really just to swim!

Bowling at RAF Wittering

Before AlleyCatz bowling alley existed, the choir went on occasional Wednesday evening trips to RAF Wittering - to use their indoor ten pin bowling facilities. I can't remember how that arrangement came about, but I think one of the parents - Jenny Maxwell made the arrangements.

One Wednesday, whilst bowling, someone attempted to rob my home in Pinchbeck, forcing open the patio doors by lifting one of the doors up off its runner with a spade. They obviously looking through drawers and cupboard, but hankfully only £40 in cash had been taken. The police discovered a footprint ouside the doors, but nothing further action was taken ...

The Wurlitzer Organ at Thursford

In 1997 we planned a trip to The Thursford Collection in Norfolk for Sunday afternoon, 31st August.

Unfortunately - that was the very day that Princess Diana died in the early hours of Sunday morning, and we were all a bit concerned that the normal programme at Thursford would be affected.

Robert Wolfe played 'Nimrod' in tribute to Diana, but the rest of the programme on the mighty Wurlitzer organ was back to normal, and everyone enjoyed his three half-hour shows, as well as looking round the collection.

On one of our picnic trips I remember someone slammed the car door shut on Warren Bishop's fingers. We had to force the door open - and his fingers were very badly bruised, but thankfully not broken.

Rev. Philip Norwood, invited our choir to sing at Blakeney Parish Church, and we made the day more of an outing with a visit to a military museum nearby, and a boat trip from Blakeney to see the seals. Anne and Phillip then laid on refreshments in the vicarage garden for everyone to enjoy.

At the Military museum in Norfolk

... and more photos on the boat trip during our visit to Blakeney ...

Occasional days to Holme-next-sea when the weather was good during the summer were popular with the boys. Holme-next-sea is slightly further round the coast after Hunstanton, and at that time seemed to be an ideal location - with a grassy car park with a small wooden shop in the corner. A short walk across the golf course, through the sand dunes, led onto a vast expanse of sandy beach. With a safe beach, the sea was usually very calm, and due to the relative flatness of the sand it was possible to go swimming without too much of a risk.

One particular memory comes to mind on one of our seaside trips. One of the lady helpers (her first trip with us) had brought along a kind of home-made tent - a kind of Teepee - to put over her head whilst she got changed on the beach. She proceeded to put this garment over her head, and then began to get changed. What she had not bargained for was the wind, which suddenly gusted up the 'tent' and blew it right up above her head. She couldn't see anything at all because of the fabric, but everyone else could see plenty .... Next time she used a towel ...

After a number of trips to this beach we found that the traffic through King's Lynn was becoming something of a nightmare, and we looked for somewhere else to go.

On one occasion - on a very hot day - we were in a traffic jam on the A 17 travelling towards King's Lynn for over an hour - and I remember having to keep switching on my car heater to 'full' in an attempt to cool down my car radiator, which was almost at boiling point.

Sutton-on Sea-was suggested, and we found this to be an ideal place for a day visit - with a life-guard station and nearby toilet facilities, everything that you could need was on hand. The manager of the Bacchus Hotel is very accommodating - allowing our cars to park in the hotel car park.

Towards the end of one our trips we stopped at the Spalding McDonalds for some food. The day had been extremely hot, and the sun roof of my car had been opened by one of the boys - George - to allow more breeze. As we sat in the restaurant, having ordered the food, the heavens opened, and the resulting deluge flooded parts of Spalding. On leaving McDonalds, I found my car filled with about 5" of water - the sun roof was still open.... We had to borrow ice cream containers to try to empty the water out - and then sit on bin liners as the seats were completely full of water. In all it took about two months for the car to completely dry out. I never allowed anyone to open the sunroof again ...

In recent years we decided to plan one day out each week during the summer holidays - regardless of the weather. This enables parents to plan in advance - and we always have two options depending on the weather. If the weather is warm enough - we go to Sutton-on-Sea. If not, we find indoor activities to occupy the day - ten pin bowling; indoor swimming, visits to the Burtey Fen Collection, and then round off the day with some refreshments - chips, burgers etc.

This arrangement for the summer outings still continues to this day. Here are a couple of photos on Sutton-on-sea beach taken in about 2013.

Two trips to London

In August 2008 we ourganised a trip to take the older boys to London to see the stage show 'Joseph' at the Adelphi Theatre. We travelled by train as there was a special offer available - two adults paying full fare could travel with eight children for £1 each. The Parker family paid for us all to go on the London Eye, and we spent the afternoon on the Souith Bank. Actor Lee Mead took the lead role of Joseph.

The following year we organised a similar outing to London to see the show 'Oliver' - this time at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

In April 2017 we held a choir outing to the Embassy Theatre in Skegness to see the stage show Joseph. Although this show was not on the same scale as the show in London, it still gave us all an enjoyable day out.

The following photos were taken during some of the 2019 summer outings ....

The beach at Sutton on Sea

Picnic at Bourne

Pinchbeck Engine

The forge at Spalding

Nearly time for tea at Burtey Fen