I really hope that they bring them back

Oh this is lovely would be great to bring boats back. 😀

Brilliant video - thanks very much. My sister and I (both now in our 60s) grew up in Lowestoft and have very happy memories of these wonderful boats and visiting them with our mum, auntie and uncle. It was a real treat! It all seemed much bigger then. You are right about the clock and the brass discs on hooks. Thanks again for a great video - hopefully, the boating lake will continue, in one form or another, for years to come.

Thanks for this, I loved watching and reminiscing.

i remember the boating lake with great affection. Born in Pakefield 1954 have many many happy memories of Kensington Gardens. Would love to see the electric boats back in the "pond" It would be worth the trip over from Michigan just to see them again. There used to be an aviary with lots of birds but guess they are also no longer there

I loved those

Totally agree, all these. Old places should be for local enjoyment. Colchester castle still has a boating pond. Bishops Stortford has a miniature lido for kids to paddle in . Bring back the good times

Great video Ian. I have fond memories of pedlo boats on the other boating lake near the South Pier in the late 80’s/early 90’s while our parents enjoyed a coffee in the thatched cafe. This was sadly demolished and filled in. Such a shame. Great memories though.

Oh happy days my family spent 2 weeks every July in Lowestoft, Grandad always had a chalet near the Claremont Pier.

I remember riding in these boats when I was 8 or 9 years old (1963/4), the first time (and after a lovely day down on the beach) it must have been late in the season and we walked up to a park at dusk. My dad and I went for a ride on the boats just as the islands were all lit-up, as it got dark it was very atmospheric and I am sure I can remember gnomes and fairies on the islands. It was just magical for me at the time.

Thanks for posting this video, brought back so many memories, We first started holidaying in a caravan on Heathlands Caravan Park before switching to the Denes and coming to Lowestoft South Beach for the day was something we done 2 or 3 times in the 2 weeks we were here. Dad used to park his car near the school and we would walk through Kensington Gardens loaded up with all the deckchairs, windbreaks, footballs, tennis rackets, cricket bats , buckets and spades, packed lunch of sandwiches ( which were always sandy by the time came to eat them) and lemonade etc etc to get to the beach. We never went on the boats in the daytime as there was too much to do on the beach, but we would return in the evenings to have a turn on the boats and as you mentioned, it was great in the twilight. i seem to remember they called out your number of your boat when your time was up and as you said you would try and be as far away as possible from where you had to get on and off, to get as long as possible. The flower beds were always emaculate. And then on the way back to the caravan we would stop off at Arthur Gibbs Fish & Chip shop in Carlton Road not too far from Claremont Pier for a fish supper back at the caravan. Great memories

Remember the electric boats very well. When Lowestoft was such a beautiful, thriving town

Great memories of going to Kensington Gardens often and going on these boats, always a great treat. I was born in Lowestoft in 1948, and left in 1959, as my family went to live in New Zealand. We also lived in Carlton Road for about 3 years. My Grandfather was the manager of the Grand cinema, and also owned the putting green, on the sea front. We lived, before moving to Carlton Road, at 161 London Road South, which was directly opposite the Grand cinema, and at the time had the Baby Shop in the commercial part of the residence, which my grandmother ran. My mother used to mend stockings, sitting behind the side window, visible to all as she busily mended stocking on the machine made for that purpose. I still have such fond memories of my childhood in Lowestoft, but from what I read, it has unfortunately gone very downhill since then. Thank you for your video!!

I remember going on these…I also remember falling in and getting a telling off by my mother.

Thanks for the wonderful memories, I was born in Pakefield in 1961 and grew up with these boats, when I used them I remember them all being woodstained and not different colours, I remember the brass tokens the man in waders put on a board, there was always a queue and while someone kept your spot the others went off to see the budgies. Great memories of far better times ❤

@Bobt98

29 күн бұрын

Yep I remember them all being wood stained as well good fun we didn’t need all the modern technology to have fun

I remember those boats very well - like dodgems on water! We also liked to go and see all the birds they had in those aviaries nearby.

I Do remember it very well . Used to be taken there by my Uncle Clarrie , whilst staying at a Guest House in Lowestoft . I think on the London rd? I am 74 years old and was there when I was probably 5 to 15 ? It guest house was owned by my Aunt May & Uncle Alf . Thanks for sharing . Cheers

Greetings from Maine. What a lovely area.

@TheIanBullock

Жыл бұрын

Sending love back to Maine!

Remember going on the boats many times in the 60s when I was little and I remember the contacts sparking away as they sailed around. Great to see these pictures! Also, I was in Kensington gardens recently, 17th June, during the First Light festival and glad to say that the boating lake was full of water again!

Fond memories of these boats and lake as well. The men running it used to stand in wellies in the water and simply pulled the pole away from the chicken wire to stop the boat when you came in to dock. Another Lowestoft attraction at the time was George, a huge goldfish in a pond somewhere on the front. And driving down the Ravine in my Grandad's little car. The ribbed concrete surface made such a strange droning noise. Nostalgia.

@TheIanBullock

4 ай бұрын

I think the large fish might have been in the pond in the gardens of Swallows’ Nest.

@darrenplassard7779

29 күн бұрын

@@TheIanBullock i think you're right aboutt the fish in Swallows Nest, we used to look especially for the big fish. We used to stay on the Denes in a caravan every Year back in the 70s, I also remeber the noise coming down the Ravine as well, And there was a little putting greeen there next to the Cricket Pitch, spent many an hour in there. Like most people have commented on here such great memories of our youth. I wonder how many of todays kids will have such great memories.

That’s an interesting video Ian, I had no idea the boating lake had ever been any different to how it is now. Looks like it was great fun back in the day!

Thank you Ian for pointing me in the direction of you Kensington video it brought many memories of the times as a small child when i lived with my aunt & uncle near to Lowestoft, (4yrs old now 78 ) I am in the leisure industry still, the boats were/ are water dodgems ! & i recall some times one would receive an electric shock from them, this was (i believe was 110volt D C ) not life threatening but similar to an electric fence, the power was from the overhead netting & a contact under the boats making a positive/negative circuit for power, ins far as revitalising the boats, lovely thought but i fear uneconomical in todays environment

Great video, great memories, but sadly, like most of Lowestoft it has gone downhill

Now there took away the boating lake I remember there little boat what a shame its gone this town is getting sad.

Lovely memories. Thank you,

You paint an idyllic picture of the boating lake in the 60's and 70's, Ian. It is certainly the kind of thing I'd have enjoyed as a boy, boating around the islands. An inventive mix of chicken wire, electricity and water!

It would also add a job opportunity, when placing a a safe guard there, if they were to bring it back.

I would imagine H&S would be horrified by the electricity/water proximity

The council took them away when they ripped the heart out of the town ,everything that was good they done away with and called it progress,it’s not the the town we grew up ln