Static Caravanning in the 1960s and 1970s

Static caravans provided low-cost holidays for ordinary people in favourite locations such as the seaside or countryside. They were popular with those who preferred not to have to tow a caravan to the holiday spot and who were looking for more space and freedom than could be found in guest houses or hotels. In this book, caravan expert Andrew Jenkinson explores the development of static caravans during the economic boom of the 1960s, when cars such as the Mini made people more mobile, and their continuing popularity through the 1970s.

Drawing on his considerable expertise, the author shows how static caravans gradually became larger and more sophisticated, as solid stoves gave way to gas and as plumbing allowed for lavatories as well as working kitchens. The caravan parks themselves also developed to provide better amenities, including shops and secluded areas for greater privacy. The author describes how top static caravan producers such as Pemberton, Bluebird and Wilderby continued to develop their products, making them wider and longer to provide a real home from home. There were options for hire as well as purchase, with families sometimes chipping in to make a good-value purchase. Despite the development of package holidays, the static caravan remained a popular option, providing that perfect week away.

Conjuring up all the nostalgia of the early days of static caravans as well as providing expert insight into their development and including previously unpublished photographs from the author’s own collection, this book is both a trip down memory lane and touching social record of a special kind of British holiday.