We open on Wednesday 20th March 2024 & we close on Sunday 3rd November 2024.
We are starting to put together an archive of photographs, cuttings and memories of Laburnum Caravan Park and West Runton. Any contributions are welcome.
1950's
submitted by Malcolm Harris
submitted by Dave Houlden - 1957 Dave with his sister, Caroline, in a pale blue and white caravan hired from a Mr & Mrs Wilkins/Wilkinson from The Boulevard, West Runton.
submitted by Sue Powell - This photograph is of her Nan - Mrs Olive Parsons doing her washing up, with a much plumper Beeston Bump in the back ground.
1950's Montage
This lovely montage of photos from the 1950's was submitted by Caroline Barrell.
The Davey Collection - a variety of family photographs spanning from 1957 to 1961
This collection was submitted by Roger Davey.
1960's
submitted by Sue Powell - A selection of family snaps taken in the late 1960's, (yes; that is the same horse as in the playground!).
1970's
submitted by The Elliott Family
submitted by Sue Powell - Another playground snap, taken in the early 1970's, (Sue with her Nan again).
submitted by Sue Powell - taken in the late 1970's from pitch A14 (now Egret 14) when the grass tennis courts and playground equipment were where Avocet, Brent, Curlew and Dove rows now are.
1980's
submitted by Sue Powell - early 1980's
1980
Mr & Mrs Paige proudly inspecting their Rio Vista, followed by a well deserved cup of tea with the family! - submitted by Kathryn Doyle.
In 1980 Mr & Mrs Paige celebrated their Ruby Wedding at their caravan, along with friends (and fellow owners) Robert and Eileen Green and their son.
1983
Two very familier scenes - submitted by Barbara Cushing.
1985
Early 1985 and Mrs Paige (Wyn) is inspecting the roof of her Rio Vista (why? we can only imagine!) - submitted by Kathryn Doyle.
submitted by Sue Powell - obviously there was a problem with the bins in the early 1980's!
May 1985
Mr & Mrs Paige's new ABI Breakaway (complete with cool box on the 'A' frame) - submitted by their daughter, Kathryn Doyle.
August 1987
Mr Ken Paige enjoying a cuppa outside his ABI Breakaway - also submitted by Kathryn Doyle.
Brochure 1986/1987
1987
Mr Ken Paige walking his dog between the caravans - submitted by Kathryn Doyle.
Summer 1987
Jack Claxton 'playing' with his grandchildren in front of the caravans which used to be sited in front of what is now the touring field.
Barabara Cusing and 'Maid Marion' (aka Joyce, wife of Robin Hood from Nottingham!) and Martin wandering between the caravans with his fishing net in hand ready for the beach.
In the background of this photo you can see the Church BBQ in full flow.
Jack with (and I quote from the back of the photo itself!) 'a small roll on the beach 1987' and yet another wedding anniversary. This time it's Marjorie and Charles Cushing waiting in anticipation for their guests to arrive to help them celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary.
Family fun during the summer of 1987 - submitted by the Cushing/Claxton Families.
mid -late 1980's
The last picture
shows a donkey who is tired of waiting to be fed.........
Submitted by the Panter/Jones families.
Sid Taylor relaxing, with Barabara Cushing in the background, outside their Ace - kindly submitted by Barbara.
1988
How many children can you fit in caravan? - submitted by Caroline Barrell.
1988 - the installation of the high pressure sewage pipe from Sheringham to Cromer, via West Runton.
The photographs show where the excavations run across the main drive (look how small the trees are), up what is now Curlew Row, into Kingswood (which at the time was still Runton Girls School), the big inspection chamber just within the school grounds and, finally, across what is now the football field.
The photographs were taken by Michael Randell on 4/1/1988, who you can see in silhouette in the first picture!
1989
1991
These pictures were taken in February 1991 mid way through the 'Winter Storage' process when the caravans were being put back on their pitches, following their removal for storage during the closed season.
These pictures were also taken in 1991 and show caravans stored in the car-park at the caravan site entrance - submitted by Kathryn Doyle.
'Gardens' & gardening at Laburnum
Those of you who are familiar with Laburnum will know that a great many of our owners tend the area around their caravans forming a variety of garden features from borders to rockeries and beach themed mini-gardens. This has however not always been the case.
During the period when caravans had to be removed from the caravan site during the closed season it would have been almost impossible to have a garden. Wyn Paige got round this problem by having large planters outside her caravan which she took home at the end of each season. Suffice to say when the practice of removing caravans for the winter was stopped Wyn was the first to take advantage of this new 'fully static' era by having the first bona fide caravan garden at Laburnum.
Wyn continued to have one of the best gardens on site right up until she sadly passed away at the ripe old age of 98.
Wyn's 'embryonic garden' - below Laburnum's First Garden - submitted by Kathryn Doyle.
1993
Wyn Paige outside her new caravan - submitted by Kathryn Doyle.
2001
Rosey Rossiter outside her Sunseeker Accolade (1987 model) sited on Heron 14 (which at the time would have been known as D14) - submitted by her husband Gordon.
year unknown....
Mr & Mrs Paige and Mr & Mrs Davis enjoying tea and biscuits - submitted by Kathryn Doyle.
May 1996
One of the early Laburnum BBQ's, which were held in the car park. Sue and Janet, assisted by their husbands Richard and Trevor, look to have everything under control. Fellow owners Larry and Fred seem to be enjoying themselves.
The Bramley family have been kind enough to let us have some of their treasured photographs for the archive. These photographs are mainly of Abi's birthdays, which is conveniently in the summer holidays.
1995 - Party in the (play)Park.
Celebrations in the playground for Abi's 6th birthday - the Bramley children, the Buckley boys and the Massey kids, along with their parents, Gordon and Rosie all enjoying the summer sun.
Another year, another Birthday!
2001 - Another birthday BBQ (please ignore the health & safety 'issues' associated with BBQing in the tractor shed - it was a much simpler time!)
Abi's 10th birthday
2001 - Ladies of Leisure.
Roz, Janet & Sue
Abi's 12th birthday - assembled are friends and family, including Alan, John and Sue.
Ken, Brendan, Kay, Janet, Trevor and Ken again (he gets about a bit!)
Our thanks go to the Bramley Family, (with our apologies to Abi!).
The Cole / Howes Collection
The Cole family have kindly submitted a selection of their many photographs for the archive. These photographs span several decades and document lots happy holidays spent at Laburnum. We are very grateful to them for sharing their memories with us.
1960s, moving into the 1970s
1964 - The Howes family, including little sisters Susan & Jane, seen here with nanny Elizabeth Western, her daughter Aunty Pat and son Uncle Bob.
A familiar view for many of you - the old toilet block on the cliff top.
1960s - Mr Howe with his daughter, Jane.
Late 1960s - The Howes first caravan.
Late 1960s/early 1970s - The Howes second caravan, a brand new Belmont Pasadena (bought from Anglia Caravans, in Sheringham) with Mrs Howes, Jane and Susan all looking suitable impressed!
There's even a copy of the honeymoon booking!
1981 - an 18 month old Lisa enjoying her first ride on the Horse.
1985 - Jason on the spring plane (which was sadly 'retired' in 2021) in it's original location, where the top of Dove Row now is.
Lisa enjoying burying her brother, Jason, in the old sandpit.
We know many of you have been holidaying with us through several generations and have seen the caravan park evolve over the years.
We hope the following photographs will evoke childhood memories of the original slide and trips down to the beach.
1977
and they're off.............
.....this running lark is an exhausting business.
Here are some new additions to the collection.
Family fun, where Dove and Curlew Rows now occupy, looking towards the park entrance and what is now the car park and Park Lodge.
When making a cuppa took a tad more effort! (B5 in the background, translates to today's Fulmar 5).
The Cushing / Claxton Collection
The Cushing and Claxton families have kindly submitted a number of photographs to us for this archive. This is a collection of family photographs taken at various times which they have kindly agreed to share with us and they are in loving memory of the late Jack Claxton.
1915 ~ Ward, Lock & Co's
: Cromer and District
submitted by Brian
Islip
The Bramley Collection 
