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During a touring holiday
in the 1920s Samuel South(2) 'discovered' Southwold, a resort on the
Suffolk coast. It was the start of an association that was to last
for the next 30 years. Annual holidays, with the younger South
children, Jim, Ted and Joyce, were taken during the month of August.
The family boarded at a house, and, providing the money for
provisions and the like, they would be looked after by the landlady.
Samuel would return home to deal with his business. |
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Ted and
Joyce outside North Parade |
At first they
lodged at 'Little Winks', in North Parade, on the sea front but in
later years stayed at a house in Stradbroke Road. A beach hut would
be hired and the days spent on the shore, walking across the common
to the harbour and taking the chain ferry to Walberswick for a
penny. An entertainment was to watch the guests at the Grand
Hotel (long since demolished) promenading in evening dress before dinner. |
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In their later years
Samuel and his wife would visit in the spring, summer and autumn for
two or three weeks at a time as guests of the Crown Hotel in the High
Street. Lasting friendships were made with local residents and on his
death in 1956 a signal honour was paid when the flag was flown at
half-mast on the Sailors' Reading Room, a local landmark. |
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In the family albums of
the time there a number of local views of Southwold which, although
randomly placed in the albums, are likely to have been taken on the
same day and it is possible to trace the probable route of the
photographer. Today little has changed. |
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Southwold |
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1 |
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Circa 1930
Grand Hotel (left) demolished |
2008 Site
of Grand Hotel |
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2 |
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Circa 1830
North Parade (part) |
2008 North
Parade (part) |
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3 |
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Circa 1930 Lighthouse |
2008 Lighthouse |
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4 |
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Circa 1930
Constitution Hill |
2008
Constitution Hill |
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5 |
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Circa 1930
Gun Hill |
2008 Gun Hill |
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6 |
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Circa 1930
Gun Hill |
2008 Gun Hill |
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ERNEST THOMPSON |
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After some
10 years of family research new discoveries continue to be made.
Contact has recently been made with Jeff Thompson and his sister and
Betty whose father, Ernest, was chauffeur to Samuel South(2) between
circa 1923-1934. Ernest Thompson (1896-1989) started work as a van
boy, and later driver, at Barratt's sweet factory in Wood Green. He
volunteered as a driver in WW1 and continued in this employment on
demobilisation before becoming the South chauffeur for some 10 years.
Ernest drove Samuel all over the UK on business trips and the touring
holidays that Samuel(2) enjoyed with his friends (see also Update No 8).
In May 1927
a visit was made to Lands End. |
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Ernest
Thompson & Samuel(2) |
Ernest
Thompson & Samuel(2) |
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He was also responsible
for taking the South family to Southwold and on occasion the Thompson
family stayed at the resort. His daughter, Betty, has recalled: |
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Thompson
family 1934
foreground -
Joyce South (left) & Betty Thompson
Jeff Thompson
(rear centre |
'We went to Southwold
at least four times over the years and Joyce always took me under her
wing - I was 4 or 5 years the younger - when I was about eight years
old (1931) Joyce found some small change on the cliff steps. She
bought lemonade at Herrinton's kiosk and shared it with all of us. On
our last visit (1934) she taught me how to search for amber along the beach' |
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In addition to his
chauffeur duties, Ernest taught Samuel(3) and Charles South to drive
and also installed the bell system and indicator board at River
House, presumably, during the building operations undertaken in 1927
(Update No 34). The system was re-installed in New River House in
1937. Operation of a bell would cause a 'star' to vibrate on the
indicator board displaying its location. |
Type of
indicator board installed at River House |
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Ernest Thompson left the
employ of Samuel(2) after a disagreement and later became a taxi
driver. His position was taken by Charles Tompkins who remained in
South employment until the closure of Samuel South & Sons in 1960.
KLB 8/08 |