In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the prestigious John Hinde Studio, based in Dublin, produced a series of elaborately staged photographs that were made into postcards. The most popular of these were the amazing colourful John Hinde Butlin’s photographs. In those days more than a million Britons had a holiday at one of Butlin’s holiday camps every year. Three photographers, two German (Elmar Ludwig and Edmund Nägele) and one British (David Noble) took photographs to Hinde’s detailed and meticulous instructions.
Each photograph utilised a large cast of real holidaymakers acting out roles in huge, beautifully lit ‘narrative tableaux’ of Beachcomber bars, gardens, outdoor swimming pools, ballrooms and snooker halls. The Somerset born Hinde sold his company in 1972 to pursue his love of painting.
The Regency Ballroom, Bognor Regis, David Noble
Butlin’s Ayr – Garden and the Camp Signpost.
Barry Island, the Main Arcade, Edmund Nagele
Butlin’s Bognor Regis – The Boating Lake
The French Bar at Filey’s Butlins
Butlin’s Bognor Regis – The Regis Ballroom
Butlin’s Bognor Regis Beachcomber Bar by Night
Butlin’s Clacton-on-Sea The outdoor swimming pool
Butlin’s Filey A Billiard Room.
Butlin’s Filey Beachcomber Bar
Butlin’s Minehead – the Beachcomber Bar
Butlin’s Minehead – The Old Tyme Ballroom
Butlin’s Minehead A Corner of the Beachcomber Bar
Butlin’s Minehead Beachcomber Bar
John Hinde Butlin’s
utlin’s-Minehead-Monorail-over-Swimming-Pool
Butlins-Mosney-Skating-Rink-and-Chalets
Butlin’s Pwllheli – Train and Panorama
Butlin’s Skegness – The Beachcomber Bar
Butlin’s Skegness – the Playroom, Infants Centre.
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