Hi A.J
My name
is Rebecca Hambly. These are photos and memories of my late-mother's
happy
times as a Butlins Redcoat. I'm still trying to piece things together,
but know
she was a Redcoat in various camps from 1969 to 1972.
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Ann O'Neill with Graham Hambly
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My
dad, Graham
Hambly, was a lifeguard at Butlins, and also appeared on stage on a
number of
occasions. “The Gargles Three” has been mentioned in the past - maybe
this was
an entertainment group he was in?
My mum and dad met
in 1972 and married a few weeks later, in Merseyside, Mum had to work
at
Brighton Butlins the very next day and wouldn't see Graham again until
2 weeks
later when he arrived.
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Graham first caught Ann's attention
when she saw compering some of the Butlins'
competitions.
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I'm not sure how long my mum was at Barry Island for, but
she sang at the Gaeity Theatre and Pig & Whistle Bar, under the
stage name
Samantha Jones - I think. (One of her many stage names!!).
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When
you can enjoy singing together ... and have a social drink together ...
That's a good receipe for a long
marriage.
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On Sept 3rd 1969
she won first prize in The People National Talent Contest at Pwllheli
but in
October 1969 she was disqualified from taking part in the semi-finals
at
Butlins due to her being a Redcoat earlier in the season, but she had
apparently given up her job on the staff to enter the competition. In
1970, she
entered the competition again and won her heat.
On
the 1st October
1971, under the stage name Samantha McCoy, she signed a contract to
appear
in the touring show “Here Come the Redcoats” from October to December
1971, with Mike Onions, Terry Dale, Frankie Day, Sham Cody, Cathy
Power and the organist Sid Longden. They toured Working Men's Clubs,
and also
did several RAF bases.
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If
anyone can help me piece these fragments together, I’d
be grateful.
You can write to A.J Marriot via the link below, with any
information.
Thank you, on behalf of my
mother and father –
ANN O’NEILL
and GRAHAM HAMBLY.
Kind
regards,
Rebecca Hambly
