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During
my time spent as a Butlins Skegness Redcoat I was known simply as
'Alan' - although guests often referred to me as 'Basil,' owing to my
often having a Basil Brush figure in my top pocket.
However for the last 45 years I've been known, in my capacity of professional comedian, and author, as: 'A.J'
Marriot.
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My time spent as a Butlins Skegness Redcoat totalled only thirty-one weeks of my years on this planet; but was, without question, the most memorable period of my life, and one I wish I could repeat. However, I do realise that things could never be the same. 'Never go back' is advice well worth taking, but I know I will ignore that advice and, in May 2008, will return to Skegness to try to find some of those ghosts. Most likely there will be grief at what is no longer there, but I know that the sounds and sights of those weeks in the early seventies will be revived and will still excite my nostalgic nerve-ends.
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Here's me with
two nice ladies, and a pretty little girl, outside |
In the meantime I hope that, by hosting this website, and corresponding with like-minded people, my pangs of nostalgia will be somewhat whetted. For those of you who have experienced the magic of wearing that 'coat of many colours' (well, three), I hope this site will help you too to remember those Golden Years - 'golden,' as we all well know, being a mix of Red, Yellow, and Blue.
('A.J' Marriot -
January
2007)
o-o-o-0-o-o-o
My time on holiday camps didn't end with Butlins, as I went on to do another ELEVEN seasons with various other companies. But none captured the thrill and atmosphere of that first season at Skeggy.
1973 (full season) BUTLINS, Skegness (Redcoat)
1974 (May-Jul) BUTLINS, Skegness (Redcoat)
1974 (Jul-Nov) BUTLINS, Blackpool (Redcoat Compere)
1976 BEACH HOTEL, Ramsey I.O.M. (Compere Host)
1977 (Split season) PONTINS, Osmington Bay, and Hemsby (Asst. Ents.)
1978 (Split season) PONTINS, South Devon, Broadreeds, and Seacroft (Asst. Ents.)
1978 (Christmas) PONTINS, Wall Park (Ents. Man.)
1979 LADBROKES, Perran Sands (Bar Compere)
1980 LADBROKES, Perran Sands (Bar Compere)
1981 BEACH HOTEL, Ramsey I.O.M. (Compere Host)
1982 HAVEN, Thorness Bay (Compere)
1985 BLUE SKY, Burgh Castle (Norfolk) (Compere Host)
1996 ST AUDRIES BAY, Somerset (Ents. Manager)
plus 4 weeks on a cruise ship on the Vancouver-Alaska run.
When not in a residency, I did the Club, Theatre and Cabaret circuit as a stand-up Comedian,
and worked all over Britain, plus the Isle of Man, Jersey, Spain, Ibiza, Corfu, and Canada.
I'm sure you'll agree that the above is not a bad CV for someone with no talent.
o-o-o-0-o-o-o
