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Drifters, Loafers and Entertainers

1982 , Great Yarmouth (Norfolk)

Cat no. 5494

Drifters, Loafers and Entertainers

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A look at the changing face of Great Yarmouth.

Great Yarmouth, where old photographs and archival film illustrate the recollection of three residents who each embody a section of the town's history. Modern Yarmouth is presented as having two separate identities, with the former fishing port taking a stake in North Sea oil, a world away from the nearby seaside resort, which grew up in the nineteenth century and expanded in the twentieth. Paul Barnard, a former herring 'drifter' who first went to sea in 1919, recalls life on the harbour and at sea, whilst theatrical historian Ted Goate recalls the history of summer entertainment in Yarmouth, from James Chappell's open-air beach arena to the earliest purpose-built theatres and entertainment on the piers. George Scott, hotelier and former Mayor of Great Yarmouth, recalls his involvement in the town, which began when his parents bought a boarding house in 1931. Also covered is the impact of World War Two, with the area incurring severe losses, and the post-war era which brought about a decline in fishing because of the loss of crews, changes to the summer entertainments and the rise of automobile use resulting in an increase in self-catering holiday flats and caravans. The film concludes with a question about what happens when the North Sea oil runs out, with Scott insisting that the local authorities should nurture the holiday industry in order to 'keep Yarmouth great'.

Featured Buildings

(Former) Theatre Royal, Great Yarmouth; Royal Aquarium Theatre, Great Yarmouth; Britannia Pier, Great Yarmouth; Wellington Pier, Great Yarmouth; Haven Bridge, Great Yarmouth; Garibaldi Hotel, Great Yarmouth; Bromley Guesthouse, Great Yarmouth

Featured Events

Opening of the Haven Bridge by the Prince of Wales

Keywords

Entertainment; Fishing; Holidays; Oil; Seaside; Tourism

Manifestations

Drifters, Loafers and Entertainers

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