Over 100 years of Holidays on the Essex Coast
From Cups of Tea
Summer 1921
Returning from the first World War, brothers Harold and Edward Hutley set about farming at Cockett Wick in St. Osyth. The growing popularity of the motor car lead to more leisure visitors to the coast. Ever the entrepreneur, Harold took a tea urn down to the beach and started selling cups of tea
Tents and Old Ambulances
The Mid 1920’s and pre-WW11 years
The daytrippers and casual visitors increased and started to want to stay ‘for the weekend’. Harold saw the trend, purchased a few tents and spotting the trend Harold was to purchase army surplus tents and the ‘New’ Caravans, many converted from old ambulances.
Huts, a second generation and the great flood
1940s and 50s
By now caravans were being made in decent numbers albeit compared to today they were very small, typically 2, sometimes 4 berth units with no services attached, the site was developed, toilet blocks built and in response to a national coastal trend huts were constructed on the beach and became the holiday home of choice for local business owners and their families.
1946, fresh from his service in the RAF, Harold’s son Basil joined the business, initially working as the ‘latrine’ specialist for the beach huts, Basil gradually became more involved in the business supporting Harold and Uncle Edward.
In 1953 the well publicised Great Flood sweep down the east coast, devastating Hutleys and all the low lying land around. The huts on the beach never returned, but within a few months the park was back up and running and continued to grow.
Expansion, connections and a 3rd generation
1960s, 70s and 80s
The early 1960’s saw things improve gradually from the austerity of the post war years, the swinging sixties saw a boom in UK coastal holidays and from dockers from the east end to workers from the huge Ford factory at Dagenham they came in their droves. Static caravans improved as did the facilities at Hutleys, the Sailor Boy complex opened in 1975 and by the early 1980’s all vans were connected to an electrical supply and most importantly fresh and foul water. By the mid 80’s Basil’s son and daughter Alan and Gill joined the business to help and following Basil’s retirement still both personally run the business today.
100 years and counting…
2021 and beyond
Covid came and thankfully is now in the past it appears. A difficult few years to celebrate our 100th year, so it makes sense to celebrate when the first caravans came on site and have a proper celebration then…that’s in 2026
