Triumphant Holidaymakers of Denaby almost Scoop the Pool!

July 1964

South Yorkshire Times, July 18.

Triumphant Holidaymakers of Denaby almost Scoop the pool!

Awards list reads like an electoral register.

Julius Caesar said of his legions – “I came, I saw, I conquered.”; The phrase could equally well apply to the triumphant holidaymakers of Denaby Main!

Not only did a Denaby Main woman and her daughter take two of the main weekly awards at a Cleethorpes holiday camp, but Denaby residents of their relatives also won or went close to winning, over a dozen other main prizes!

Principal Prize.

The principal award winner was Mrs Rose Stafford, of 25 Edlington Street, Denaby, who became the “personality Girl of the week” at the Beachholme Holiday Camp, Cleethorpes, when she and her family and many other friends and acquaintances from the South Yorkshire mining village visited the camp during the local “Pit Week” holiday.

In addition Mrs Stafford’s 13 years old daughter, Catherine, a student at Wath Pope Pius X School, became the camps “Senior Princess” chosen from over 40 other entries.

And Denaby’s good fortune didn’t stop there.

More Successes.

Friends of the Stafford family are Mrs Ann Guyler (26) and her husband, Mr Colin Guyler, who live in nearby Strafforth Terrace. Last year, third in the competition Mrs Stafford won this year, Mrs Guyler, mother of two, won the “Mother and Child” competition with four years old daughter, Jean who was also third in the “Junior Princess” Competition.

Meanwhile, Jean’s father, runner-up in the Diving competition was pitting his skill against other competitors in the Snooker Contest, which he eventually won, while grandfather, Mr George Guyler, of Wharf Road Kilnhurst, was triumphing as the “Most typical Grandfather.” Not to be left out, Jean’s young uncle, 11 years old Alan Guyler beat allcomers in the Junior Fancy Dress Competition, in the guise of an invisible man.

Jean herself figured in another award – the Sand Castle Competition – which she won with brother Michael (6) and friend Debra Bottwood (7) of 12, The Cresent, Conanby

Debra was also runner-up in the Fancy Dress competition while a nine month old sister, Valerie was second in the Baby Competition.

Biggest Part of Denaby.

And so it goes on, until the list reached something like an electoral register.

Mrs Stafford (43) told the “South Yorkshire Times” on Tuesday, “The biggest part of Denaby seems to go to the camp during the pit weeks.

“We have been going for years and years, but it wasn’t until last year, that we won anything at all. Then I came second in the “Personality Girl” contest, which I won this year.”

She added, “actually, we didn’t enter with the idea of winning. It was just that a friend Mrs Florence Earp – she lives on Doncaster Road – and I, volunteered to try to get other people to stand up and have a go.

Silver Cup

“We weren’t at all prepared – we were only in our old clothes – and didn’t even expect to reach the final, never mind win it,” said Mrs Stafford, wife of Cadeby miner Mr Sidney Stafford.

Her victory brought Mrs Stafford a certificate and a handsome silver cup, which now stands proudly in the front room of the Stafford’s NCB home. Mrs Stafford plans to have a name and ‘title’ engraved on it.

Mrs Guyler, whose husband Colin also works at Cadeby Main Colliery, was likewise amazed at the achievements.

Lucky Week.

“I have no idea how it came about,” she told our reporter. “We have been going for about six years now and never won anything before. It must be our lucky week, as we also had five bingo wins.”

Like the Stafford family, the Guyler’s will be returning to Cleethorpes for their “race week” holidays in September, no doubt hoping for more successes!