The ghost train and Saturday pictures

Polly and Topsy

I have had so much fun reading everyone’s memories, so I thought I would share some of my own. My grandad, Charles Spicer, had the donkeys on the seafront; sadly he died when I was five so I do not remember him that much. Apparently he used to stable the donkeys near what’s now John Street police station. I’ve still got some of the horse brasses given to him by the RSPCA. One of the donkeys was called Polly and another Topsy; of course donkeys were eventually banned because of suggested animal cruelty. Did you ever go on a seafront donkey?

What are your childhood memories? Please share with us by posting a comment below.

The Palace Pier ghost train

I remember that The Pit and the Pendulum at Louis Tussauds used to frighten me to death, as did the ghost train on the Palace Pier. Does anyone remember the white ghost with the beckoning hand, and the devil up above the ride? The stuff of childhood nightmares! Of course there was Uncle Jack, with the huge moustache, at Peter Pan’s playground running the talent contests. I used to love going to Saturday morning pictures at the Princes Theatre in North Street. Happy days!