Butlins Clacton 1939

A scarce and original Butlins 1939 Clacton Holiday Camp enamel badge with the makers mark, 'Bernard French 26 Station Rd Clacton on Sea' on the rear. The cut-out shape of the badge shows a female camper enjoying the delights of champagne whilst bathing in the pool. The idyllic badge, known as 'Girl with Champagne Glass' is one of the most memorable badges produced by Butlins. In the preceding opening year of the camp, Butlins used a similar themed champagne badge with a swimmer raising her glass and enveloped by the copy line, 'Champagne Air'. Both the 1938 and 1939 pre WW11 Clacton badges have become very collectable due in part to their designs and of course the six year gap before the next badge design appeared in 1946.

 

With the outbreak of WW11 in September 1939, the above badge commemorates the last summer season before the camp was requisitioned by the forces for the war effort. When hostilities ceased in 1945, the camp reopened in 1946 following extensive refurbishment.

 

Butlins Clacton finally closed in 1983 as more and more people elected to take cheaper package holidays abroad. This impacted not only on Butlins Clacton, but on all their locations throughout the United Kingdom.

 

Photography, layout and design: Argy58

 

(This image also exists as a high resolution jpeg and tiff - ideal for a variety of print sizes

e.g. A4, A3, A2 and A1. The current uploaded format is for screen based viewing only: 72pi)

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