Billy Bunter at Butlins by Frank Richards.

Published in 1961 by Cassell & Co

Illustrated by C. H. Chapman.

          Probably, one of the commonest and most easily obtained of any of the post war Bunter books. The original Chapman cover shows a happy owl in a swimming pool, the sign behind him clearly saying Butlins Skegness Holiday Camp. This version cost 9/6d. There was, however, a cheap five bob edition available to holiday makers at all Butlins camps.

            It is summer holiday time at Greyfriars. Mr Bunter has arranged for his hopeful son to spend the vacation at his Uncle’s boarding house in Folkestone, where he will be expected to make himself useful.

            However, before the dreadful prospect of work materialises, Mr Billy Butlin makes an appearance. As a result of good luck & a series of coincidences, Mr. Butlin finds himself grateful to the fat owl. The result is an invitation to spend the holiday, free, at Butlin’s holiday camp, near Skegness.

Stuck out at the village of Ingoldmells, on the North Sea, this resort was advertised under the slogan “Skegness is so bracing!” I suppose “bracing” is as good a euphemism for “cold” as any. Just the thing for Bob Cherry. “Come on you chaps, let’s go for a bracing trot, along the bracing beach, in this bracing North Sea wind!”

            Coker & Co have also booked a holiday at this Lincolnshire resort.

            Mysteriously, Bunter has discovered in his pocket a wallet, bearing the monogram “BB,” stuffed with bank notes! He attributes this to a generous pater. He assumes his father must have slipped it into his pocket. Slipped into his pocket it certainly was, but not by Mr Bunter.

            Skegness Butlins turns out to be a kind of summer camp version of Greyfriars. An army of redcoats maintain discipline. Normally benign, these red-blazered officials can, as Coker discovers, be robust when necessary. The great Horace is dumped “bag & baggage” outside the gates!

            One thing mars Bunter’s holiday. Why is Mr Jimmy Jecks pursuing him? This is the rat like man in the check suit who had previously attacked Mr Butlin, & stolen his wallet? And how come Mr. Bunter denies having presented his son with a wallet monogrammed “BB” & stuffed with cash?

            Charles Hamilton, as we know, enjoyed the English seaside, but it is not quite clear why he agreed to write this blatant advertising puff for Butlins. A free holiday, perhaps?