Howstrake camp

Howstrake camp
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.


c. 1914

The postcard, dated 28 July 1914, sent by a young man to his father stated
"Arrived safe, no one sick, grand weather here" - within days WW1 started.


c 1922

Possibly the mixed party shown are guests

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.

References

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
© F.Coakley , 2001