Travelling from Peckham across Britain and Europe ……. your holiday in 1951

Now if you had been planning one of those sightseeing holidays in 1951 you may well have opted for Glenton Tours.*

They were at the luxury end of the business and had been whisking the comfortably off across the country since the mid-1920s, and less than a decade later were exploring a great chunk of northern and Alpine Europe.

And this I know because Dad was one of their drivers. 

He had joined the firm soon after the company began touring and pretty soon was one of their European drivers”, and apart from war service he was with them for 50 years retiring in 1982.

All of which meant that he collected a shedload of memorabilia, which I regularly plunder, which always brings back memories of the garage on Brabourn Grove and the offices on Queens Road at New Cross Gate.

And so, to this map, which dates from the same year as one of the many brochures we still have. **

The map came with a calendar and details of the UK holidays on offer, which for 16 Guineas would give 7 days and a choice of Scotland, Scotland (Trossachs), two different West Country routes, as well as the Lake District, Wales, Derbyshire Dales and Yorkshire Moors.

There were also the alternative 12 Days for 30 Guineas, as well as 13 Day, 32 Guineas, “Festival Tour of England & Wales”.

The map was I suspect one of those advertising promotions which were carefully left on the counters of their New Cross Gate and West End Offices, and once hooked the interesting customer might walk away with a brochure, which included detailed itineraries, like the 1951 tour to France, Austria Tyrol, Italian Lakes & Switzerland for 58 Guineas 

Contained also in the “notes and information” is the advice that “Ration Books are not, necessary on any of our tours” and that passengers are advised take "a towel and soap in case some hotels are still unable to supply them.”

The cost ranged from 9 guineas for the “Special 4-Day Easter Tours to 58 guineas for the thirteen day trip to France, Austrian Tyrol, Italian Lakes and Switzerland.”

It is easy to get cynical of a holiday which in just under a fortnight took you through five countries and which you risked missing one if you fell asleep on the journey.

But this was before the internet, and before cheap air travel when even television was in its infancy and so the idea of visiting five countries taking in the views and the history while being catered for in first class style was very attractive.

Added to which as the brochure boasted “You do not have to bother about luggage, frontier, monetary or language difficulties” and “the inclusive charge provided for all food and accommodation, the sea crossing and gratuities to hotel staff."

And that was ….. what our dad did.

Location; 1951

Pictures; Glenton motor coach holiday tours, 1951, and our dad, 1947from the collection of Andrew Simpson

*Glenton Tours; https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Glenton%20Tours

**1951 ....... a Glenton Tour brochure and a window on a world we have lost; https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2019/06/1951-glenton-tour-brochure-and-window.html