Do you know where this is?
Do you know where this is?
Who knew postcards could be so controversial… So saucy, raunchy and naughty! And yes, perhaps, just a little offensive.
The Donald McGill Museum in Ryde, Isle of Wight, is dedicated to the works of cartoonist Donald McGill, who created over 12,000 picture postcards between 1904 and 1962. It’s in the grand tradition of British seaside postcards – bulbous, dominatrix-type women standing over skinny, red-nosed men in bowler hats or striped swimsuits. Prudes and raving liberals need not apply.Almost every inch of the museum display boards, walls and cavernous ceiling is plastered with postcards. Categories include “Knocking the Church”, “Knocking the Scots” and “Mother’s Ruin”, to name a few, but the most interesting section is that dedicated to the 300-plus postcards “disapproved” by the local Censoring Committees. In 1954, McGill was prosecuted under the 1857 Obscene Publications Act, which was meant to preserve the morals of the nation by preventing the publication of material that could possibly corrupt a minor. Ooh err missus!
Nowadays, you’re less likely to be corrupted by the flashes of flesh and enormous bosoms and more shocked by the stereotypical characters and the sexist innuendo. Double entendres never tire though!
While you’re there, have a cuppa in the Orrery Café that fronts the museum. I spent as much time in there gazing up at the mural covered ceiling as I did in the museum. Vividly painted Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass characters represent astrological signs, with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum as Gemini and the feline Cheshire Cat as Leo. A moving model of the universe hangs beneath.
All in all, it’s a disorientating experience slap bang in the middle of Ryde’s high street. Unexpected, and all the more “brillig” for it.
For more ideas on what to see and do while you're on the Isle of Wight, Check out our guide.
Blogger: Emma Field, Editor
Born in Berkshire, bred in the Cotswolds and adopted by North Devon. A self-confessed overland travel geek, I’d rather take the most offbeat form of transport available, from unicycles to steam trains.
Disclosure: Emma visited The Donald McGill Museum as part of a hosted trip by South East Tourism, in December 2011.
Finding hidden waterfalls on a trek to a secluded beach, scoffing gigantic clotted cream-smothered scones while black swans paddle around in envy, waving hello to tiny tims congregating in a model village. Nope this isn’t the daydream of a raving lunatic; these are some of my fondest memories of childhood holidays.
To me, going on a family holiday to the south of Devon with its red-tinged cliffs and glimmering blue waters was like going to a faraway paradise. The long stuffy drive down the A303 from London, past the mystical Stonehenge and patchwork sheep-sprinkled hills of Somerset only added to my dizzy Ribena-fuelled excitement.I just couldn't wait to leap out of the car and straight onto the golden sands of Dawlish beach for a paddle in my neon pink and purple swimming costume. Later drying off on the warm banks of Dawlish Waters while messily scoffing a scone or pasty as a pair of majestic black swans snubbed any crumbs I'd try to feed them.
If we weren’t sunning ourselves in Dawlish, we’d base ourselves in the olde-worlde harbour town of Brixham, bustling with fishing boats honking to celebrate a big catch and the chitter-chatter of the locals going about their daily business in the petite shops and restaurants lining the sloped streets.
From here we’d take day trips to the likes of Dartmouth, Blackpool Sands and the sleepy village of Torcross with its peaceful shingle bay. For something a little closer by we’d pop to Babbacombe with its secluded bay, only accessible by funicular lift or a long walk down the cliff side complete with a mini waterfall. And when it was too nippy for a paddle we’d pay the residents of Babbacombe Model Village a visit.
My fondest memory of all though, has to be a birthday present in the form of a Round Robin with the Dartmouth Steam Railway Company, a day trip which lets you soak up almost every glorious nook and cranny of the south by steam train and ferry. This is where my slightly odd love affair with smoke-puffing locomotives begun - and who can blame me! There is nothing like chugging along the coastline with views of harbour towns, rolling hills and pristine beaches all neatly framed in the age-old windows, whether you’re six or 60.
Pop over to the cottages4you Facebook page to take a look at holiday snapshots of families, friends and couples making magical memories around England and add your own photos for your chance to win a £750 holiday voucher and digital camera!
Blogger: Katie Rowe, Copywriter
London born. Hooked on grand architecture, the Kent coast, music festivals, flea markets, macaroons, roaming the V&A and cats.
Do you know where this is?
23/1/2012
Thanks for your comments.
Crashing into our room with armfuls of stuff freshly bought on a spree in Brighton’s shopping haven, North Laine, we came face-to-face with Elvis.
Straight-shooting at us from the bed in the form of our pillows for the night, we had entered our king-themed throne room for the weekend. And what a room! Vegas-bling, gold sheets and a leopard skin throne, now bedecked with boutique shopping bags and the best of Brighton’s sequined and shimmering vintage (those last few were just our shopping, sorry, we’ll tidy up in a minute!)This was Seaspray, our choice of hotel for a romantic getaway by the sea. Trust me, you’re in for a treat! While the name may summon images of rugged sea captains and the earnest stroking of maritime beards, it’s actually a nigh-on Japanese love hotel of light hearted fun and a great sense of humour, brought to life in its omnifarious glut of themed luxury rooms. Did I mention the leopard throne? It’s worth mentioning twice.
Don’t be alarmed however – if Elvis and 50s kitsch aren’t your thing, you’ve all kinds of rooms to choose from instead; everything from the swarthy and red-hued Moroccan, to the refined Renaissance suite with a balcony boasting sea views.
For a weekend away, it was just the thing – luxurious, indulgent not to mention enormous – but with a great twist of humour and excitement to boot that made returning to the room each night a real highlight of our Brighton adventure. Even better, that sense of fun and enthusiasm extended to its team of charming and helpful staff, who added to the delight of being there amongst it all.
All kinds of spa treatments and concierge services are on offer, so we could saunter out of our geisha-style boudoir – if we had so chosen – after enjoying a relaxing head massage, or await breakfast in bed with a sea view.
Perhaps best of all, Seaspray’s remit is luxury rooms at affordable prices so that sense of fun and enjoyment wasn’t brought to heel with an unreasonable price-tag at the weekend’s end. All in all, an excellent hotel in which to spend Valentine’s with your true love, or to languish in happy style as you go about finding one in aseaside city that oozes English cool.
To book a Valentine’s break complete with a pampering session or breakfast in bed with a sea view, check out seaspraybrighton.co.uk and choose from 16 themed rooms. And for more ideas on what to see and do in the area take a look at our guide to Brighton.
Blogger: Martin Dean, Copywriter
Cambridge English graduate raised in Sussex. Inspired by English countryside, literature, historical buildings, and experimental music.
1. South Lodge, East Yorkshire
Resting in the grounds of Kilham Hall and surrounded by pristine green lawns is the 19th century South Lodge. Perfect for a country escape with the family, kids will love splashing about in pool or bumbling about on the tennis court while you’ll find it hard to leave the comfy four-poster bed or whirlpool bath.
What’s nearby?The patchwork hills and poppy fields of the Yorkshire Wolds are on your doorstep and the historic houses of Burton Agnes and Sledmere are also very close by. Cravings for fish 'n' chips and bracing sea air can be fulfilled by popping to Bridlington or with a day trip to Scarborough with its award-winning beach.
2. Fishermans Cottage, South Devon
This 18th century nautical treasure couldn’t complement the harbour town it peers over any more if it tried. With blue-striped furnishings, cotton boats sailing across cushions and blinds and a kitchen decorated with pastel-blue bunting, you can almost smell the salty sea air from inside. The rooms boast harbour scenes neatly framed by the large windows while the views from the roof-top garden stretch out to sea.
What’s nearby?
On Brixham Habour sits the Golden Hind, a replica of the famous Tudor ship used by Sir Francis Drake with five fascinating decks to explore. And while we're on the subject of sea vessels, how about hopping on a ferry from Dartmouth to Greenway, the former holiday home of Agatha Christie.
Perched on a wooded-slope, Craigside has a cosy alpine-lodge feel to it both inside and out. The ensuite bedrooms are decorated with folksy wallpaper bearing trees and there’s handsome oak furniture dotted throughout. Step outside and you’ll be greeted by a sweeping stretch of grass offering views of glistening Windermere peeping through the trees that surround the cottage.
What’s nearby?
Windermere is a few minutes away so hire a motor boat and explore England’s longest lake. And if you fancy a bite to eat or a little shopping trip then the bustling town of Bowness with its romantic restaurants and boutiques is less than two miles away.
What was once a defense tower is now a luxurious hideaway on the banks of The River Ouse. Over 700 years old, its restored chambers are packed with original features like low timber-framed ceilings, handsome wood panelling and an arched cove where a flat-screen TV now sits. Climb up to the roof garden and feel like royalty as you look across to York Minster and then onto the rest of the historic city – queue the urge to wave like the queen.
What’s nearby?
The gothic York Minster and The Shambles – voted Britain's prettiest street – are less than 10 minutes away. For all things Viking, check out the JORVIK Viking Centre where you can dig for relics and experience life as a Nordic warrior.
5. Cutcliffe Chambers, Webbery Manor Estate, North Devon
Anyone for a spot of tennis? Stay at Webbery Manor Estate and you can impersonate John McEnroe all day long at the on-site court, mind your language though! Tucked away in the hills above the Taw and Torridge estuaries, the roof garden boasts views that stretch across to Lundy Island. And there’s plenty to gaze at inside too. The rooms have an Edwardian feel about them, decorated with duck egg-coloured armchairs, ornate chandeliers and antique vases. Squint and you could be in Downton Abbey.
What's nearby?
The charming riverside town of Bideford is a short drive away and joins the 30 mile-long Tarka Trail Cycleway as it journeys along from Bideford to Torrington. Travel a little further north towards the coast and you’ll across Westward Ho!, the only place name to use an exclamation mark and a very pretty seaside town indeed!
To find more charming and unusual holiday cottages in England visit: cottages4you.co.uk
Blogger: Katie Rowe, Copywriter
London born. Hooked on grand architecture, the Kent coast, music festivals, flea markets, macaroons, roaming the V&A and cats.
Do you know where this is?
16/1/2012
Thanks for your comments.
We can reveal that the photo was the ruins of Wenlock Priory, Much Wenlock, Shropshire.
Visit in July to see the Much Wenlock Olympian Games, or take a day trip here from the historic city of Shrewsbury.
Nothing beats the magical memories created from a family holiday. So grab your sunnies as we roll back the years and take you on a trip down memory lane with a dip in an art deco swimming pool, a Morris Minor road trip, a groovy shindig on the Isle of Wight and much more...
1940s
Lidos flourished in the 1930s and by the 1940s were an integral part of an English holiday, so if you’re a war-time baby, pack your trunks or skirted swimsuit and head for the Jubilee Pool in Penzance. The Grade II Listed art deco lido is the largest open-air sea-water tidal swimming pool still in use in the UK, open from the end of May until September.
1950s
Road trip! Car ownership more than doubled in the 1950s, making the road trip the king of English holidays, long before US college students coined the phrase. Your first family car might have been a Morris Minor, but why not upgrade to an Austin Healy for your trip down memory lane? Classic Car Experience, based in Bath for scenic drives to The Cotswolds and Somerset, has a range of models available to hire for a day, weekend or longer.
1960s
Oh, we did like to be beside the seaside in the 60s – and we still do! After being closed during the war, followed by extensive repair work in the 50s, our piers were finally back to their former glory and people went in their droves to soak up the sun and sea air on England’s beloved sea-hovering structures. Take a stroll along Skegness Pier where you’ll still find the traditional seaside attractions, including hook-a-duck and a children’s carousel.
1970s
After Woodstock in 1969, the 1970s saw the arrival of the music festivals that are such a core part of our summers today. If you were at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival – widely acknowledged as the largest musical event of its time, with even more attendees than Woodstock – then relive your party days at this year’s festival. Bruce Springsteen has been confirmed as part of the star-studded line-up.
1980s
Thanks to John Hughes and the Brat Pack, children of the 1980s were fully sucked into American culture. Have your very own Emilio Estevez or Molly Ringwald moment at The Breakfast Club. All four of the London cafes pay homage to the decade of excess and Babycham with polaroids, troll dolls and neon signs galore, along with memorabilia from Strawberry Shortcake, He-Man and Fraggle Rock.
1990s
Britpop and Cool Britannia, meant that holidays at home were cooler than ever and the city of Manchester was at the heart of the action, spawning music heavyweights such as the Stone Roses, The Happy Mondays and Oasis. The Hacienda might have sadly closed, but you can relive this iconic era with a Manchester Music Tour or by dancing like Bez at FAC51, Peter Hook’s new nightclub project and the next best thing to the Hacienda .
Why not create more magical memories with a family stay in an cute cottage along the coast or nestled in the heart of the English countryside. Check out cottages4you for more details and then hop over to enjoyEngland for hundreds of ideas on things to see and do while you're on holiday.
Do you know where this is?
9/1/2012
Thanks for your comments.
We can reveal that the photo was The Penshaw Monument in Houghton Le Spring, Tyne and Wear.
Why not take a day trip here from Durham, or NewcastleGateshead and admire the view ?
As it's the dreaded first week back at work for many we thought we'd brighten up the day by sharing where we'd rather be in England right now...
Phil Evans, National Strategy Manager
"Dreaming the day away in the thermal pool on top of Thermae Bath Spa, watching the mist clear from the old rooftops and surrounding hills of Bath."
Emma Field, Editor
"Setting out on a walk on the Northumberland Coastal Path with the prospect of kippers in Craster as the reward at the end!"
Jeremy Brinkworth, Head of Business Development
"Taking the ferry from Falmouth to St.Mawes and enjoying a leisurely lunch at The Rising Sun."
Kate Coetzee, Domestic Campaigns Executive
"On the return leg of a run somewhere wild and beautiful – completely spoiled for choice but Burnmoor tarn from Eskdale in Cumbria would do the trick, similarly along Hadrian’s Wall to Housesteads is amazing in any weather."
Louise Stewart, Director of Partnerships
"Having a pint and a pasty in a proper English pub on Dartmoor."
Sarah Neilson, International Web Editor and CRM
"Greenwich – there is so much to do. The National Maritime Museum, The Observatory, lunch and shopping at the market and then relaxing in the park for the rest of the day!"
Ruth Charlton, Marketing and Finance Coordinator
"Collecting samphire on Stiffkey Marshes, North Norfolk – and then cooking it for dinner."
Candida Janson, Exec Asst/Asst Secretary to the Board
"Cycling around the Cotswolds with the boyfriend, a picnic hamper and no map."
Lucy Leith, Business Development Executive