He was Chief Barker of the Variety Club in 1959, 1966 and 1975. [3] In 1963, he set up the Bill Butlin charitable trust,[w 23] and in 1966 donated 100,000 (2018:1.83million) to set up a trust to help in cases where police officers were incapacitated or fatally injured while on active duty. He settled in England in 1921, working as a travelling showman in fairgrounds. Several politicians and celebrities are attending the event, including Deputy Clarence Dupr, Eric Morecambe, and Ernie Wise. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. I am happy to share these photos of the last resting place of Sir William (Billy) Butlin grave. Despite - or maybe because of - the camps' seedy side, Billy Butlin hit on a money-spinning formula. even has mood lighting above bath, Plenty of storage in the main room (take some extra hangers though)all the beds and duvets were suprisingly very comfy(shock theres not many times you can say that when you go away) The quality and cleaniless is what you hope for. Something went wrong, please try again later. By 1935 most of his existing parks had zoos attached to them, providing another source of revenue. After the trial, Ms Bulstrode said: 'Idon't want to say much on this matter but I will say this .. When the marriage failed, his mother returned to England with Billy and rejoined her family in Bristol. !. Billy Butlin had a pioneering spirit: he bought Dodgems to the UK in the 1920s, by 1938 Butlin's boasted the largest heated open-air pool in the country. Top marks Butlins will be coming back! Other showmen bought dodgems from Butlin. Date: August 2nd 1977. [1] Privately educatedMs Bulstrode works for a fuel company and tops up her income by selling racy content on the website Only Fans. At the time there was only room for 1,000 guests. We had our food in the Coast restaurant excellent choice of food and very clean, even had a soft play area for kids so mums and dads could enjoy dinner while kids played. MUCH of his success sprang from his simple yet innovative concept of "a week's holiday for a week's pay". [w 8], In his autobiography, Butlin refers to Clacton as his second camp;[n 15] In 1937, architect Harold Ridley Hooper, who had drawn the plans for the camp at Skegness, created plans on behalf of Butlin's Ltd., for a second camp at Dovercourt, in Essex. Butlin's pleasure flights was created by peerlessg. Butlin retired in 1969 and the Barry Island camp was the last opening under his management. [j 1] Their marriage was considered not socially acceptable in Leonard Stanley, Gloucestershire, where they lived, and they emigrated to South Africa. "So he made it as easy as possible, making sure there were plenty of single women staying there. In 1933 he opened a zoo nearby, which featured polar bears, kangaroos and monkeys. [w 29] Robert took over from his father, running the company from 1968 to 1984, and died of lung cancer on 31 December 2008. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. [j 19] Butlin features as himself in the book Billy Bunter at Butlins by Frank Richards (first published 1961). We stayed in the Gold Apartments for an 80's Weekender. . [n 23], Butlin's appointment to this role gave cause for concern in some quarters, with questions being asked of the under-secretary, Harold Macmillan, about the nature of his involvement. I am extremely thankful that they allow me to continue to show you the rich history of their company. [w 2] He travelled to Bridgwater, Somerset where his uncle, Marshall Hill, was a showman. Lady Butlin strongly denies the stories about her late husband, who died in 1980. His attestation papers give his date of birth as 1898 (rather than the actual 1899*), allowing him to enlist although only 15 at the time; the papers give his occupation at that time as a suitcase maker. William Heygate Edmund Colborne Butlin was born on 29 September 1899 in the Cape Colony (part of the modern-day Republic of South Africa). But there was a more sinister side to the man who promised innocent amusement to 1930s holidaymakers. The first indication that Billy Butlin was interested in building a holiday camp in Clacton came when it was discovered that he was a member of a business consortium which bought the West Clacton Estate in 1936. more. What distinguished Butlin's was the sense of community created by Bathing Belle pageants, Knobbly Knees contests, and prizes for the Loudest Snorer, Shiniest Bald Head and Bonniest Baby. It is now aimed at young kids and not families anymore. Crown Advocate Julian Gollop told Court that Miss Butlin knew all of the victims. Jean Campbell, Donald's sister and Mrs Butlin are with them. Date of experience . Butlin took out a 99-year lease on the headland at Nell's Point, Barry Island, in 1966. Time to move on. [w 1] His father, William Colborne Butlin, was the son of a clergyman; his mother, Bertha Cassandra Hill, was a member of a family of travelling showmen. eBay and Google advertsThe logos are copyright to the respected companies shown, please click on these words or on the subtitle to see more about the adverts and how they help the site to continue to run. Sir Billy Butlin with some of the 2000 budgerigars which are part of a collection of nearly 3000 birds at his Berkshire home, UK, 19th November 1967. There is no substance. I've had enough of life': Grandmother, 86, is reduced to tears after killjoy Tory RICHARD LITTLEJOHN: As Florida governor and Donald Trump rival Ron DeSantis steps up his bid to win the Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers speaks out on his deep depression after chemotherapy which left him having 'How I snatched JK Rowling's baby out of her abusive husband's arms - and helped her flee with the Harry Top equestrian rider, 39, once known as the 'golden girl' of horse eventing, is facing jail after being A possum feared extinct is discovered by an amateur naturalist in Papa New Guinea being cooked on a Now California reparations panel RAISES amount it wants to give 1.8m black people from $220,000 to $360,000 My weekly horoscope: What will March 4th 2023 bring for MY star sign? We only had 4 of everything ie 4 knives, 4 forks, 4 spoons, 4 plates, 4 mugs etc which meant that you had to wash up everytime or load the dishwasher. Browse 62 billy_butlin stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Lucky we had bought some with us. My criticisms however would be that check in is not very organised, we went to 2 different places before we got to the correct one and then the car park attendent had made us park by the main hotel, our apartment was the other end of the resort by the beach so we had to go and move the car. [w 20], Butlin's inspiration for his holiday empire had come from a holiday to Barry Island in his twenties, when he had been locked out of his B&B all day by his landlady. [citation needed], Butlin's mother and stepfather then asked him to join them in Toronto. Billy Butlin died on June 12, 1980 and is buried on the island of Jersey. On this land, he set up an amusement park with hoopla stalls, a tower slide, a haunted house, and a scenic railway. 1,168 views. Feb 28, 2015 - Billy Butlin's grave at St John, Jersey, Channel Islands. Little did the chalet guests know that Butlin was forced to carry a cut-throat razor because he'd made so many enemies on his way to the top. They thought 'people who go to holiday camps will drop orange peel and play the ukulele all over quiet mountains'. "But in reality it was for being sh****r of the week. [n 19] Butlin had purchased his first hotel in 1939, the Thatched Barn in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. He noticed that in Britain it always rained, and yet families were locked out. Even worse, many such slurs aren't from men but 'I couldn't do it without you': Victoria Beckham poses with her whole family after her PFW show - as she Brooklyn Beckham puts on a loved-up display with wife Nicola Peltz as they head back to hotel after Cruz Beckham supports his mother Victoria as he carrying his very own VB handbag on the way to her show Like father, like daughter! The pioneer was also among the first to realise, even in the 1930s, that sex sells. 'Everyone has a right to leisure', he insisted, not only the idle rich, who anyway could always escape the downpours by travelling abroad. He was married to Lady Sheila Butlin, Norah Faith Cheriton and Dorothy Cheriton. The court was told Butlin was seen with blood on her hands. He later attended Stowe School, Buckingham, where he excelled at a number of sports, representing the school at hockey and rugby. [w 26] In 1960, Butlin was awarded the Carl Alan award for his services to dance. He purchased a hoopla stall from Hill, and ran it successfully. The plan was that there'd be a Butlin's camp within a hundred miles of 'every major urban centre'. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. With public support the fund grew firstly to 250,000 and eventually to over 1million. Quickly taken from a bus. [n 32], Butlin is listed as a member of the eclectic (and fictional) "orchestra" in the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band's recording, "The Intro and the Outro", where he is credited with playing the spoons. The bathroom is small but very well layed oud ou with a full size bath and glass shower screen. its gorgeous sadly too far for me to ever see it for real so glad it is shared has he know put his wifes details on the bed as she recently died too; I know he was not the best pal his life at times was very rough and the antics at the parks was a little ofputting but it was a dream he turned into a reality. Butlin used the war to his advantage, persuading the MoD to complete the Filey Holiday Camp and construct two more camps in Ayr and Pwllheli as training camps which he reclaimed when the war was over. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. The Redcoats, among whom were numbered Roy Hudd, Des O'Connor and Dave Allen, though not Frankie Howerd who was advised by Billy to 'find a different job', also shifted pianos and marked out football pitches. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. I have, unfortunately, lost contact with Clare and would love to hear from her again to share the magic of this new website. Butlin opened some permanently sited stalls in 1925, in Barry Island, Wales. A miniature railway was added in 1964, chairlifts in 1965, and a monorail in 1967. [1] They met at a young age when Bertha's parents were working a country fair that William attended. All four of the privately educated friends live on Jersey and the three girls are understood to be friends through their love of horse riding. Butlin also purchased the Princess Hotel in Bermuda and the Fort Montagu beach hotel in Nassau. I was buried in this cemetery three days after the murder, alongside the Joseph family plot. He opened camps at Mosney, in the soon to be Republic of Ireland, in 1948 and on Grand Bahama, in 1949. The article wrongly states that her age at death was 65 instead of 56, Bertha being born in the March quarter on 1878. . It's been described to me by some who worked there as a giant bonking shop.". Butlin then punched mutual friendKayla Bulstrode and left her with a nose bleed, after she tried to stop her from going near the couple. Tell us More Like List Thumbnail Sort by Billy Butlin If this is you, please get in touch. The postwar period was perhaps Butlin's heyday. The man on the gate was wrong and the elephant was not burried there. He died on June 12, 1980 in Jersey, Channel Islands, UK. Despite - or maybe because of - the camps' seedy side, Billy Butlin hit on a money-spinning formula. [n 3] Within a short time, Harry contracted polio and died. Little reference is made to her after this time, and her name is not listed on her father's grave with her still-living siblings. The Queen visited Pwllheli in 1963, and Billy was knighted the following year. This news article tells of the death of Billy Butlin's mother, Bertha Cassandra Butlin (nee Hill), in February, 1934. [j 15] A sign went up: 'Will re-open when finished with Hitler.' Skegness became HMSRoyal Arthur, a training establishment for petty officers; Pwllheli became HMS Glendower, and Ayr became HMS Scotia. Common terms and phrases. The island's Royal Court heard she attacked Mr Durell and his girlfriend Laura de Gruchy, 22, during the attack on March 8 last year. When Ms de Gruchy's boyfriend Thomas Henry Le Vavasseur Dit Durell, stepped in to separate them, Butlin slapped him. Billy was a runner for the Canadian Army in the First World War, and then returned to the UK. In 1972, the Rank Organisation launched a friendly takeover for 43million (2018:557million), which both Butlin and his son agreed to accept. [j 11] By November 1950, the subsidiary company handling the Caribbean resort was ordered to be wound up by a court. by Butlin Fan Sat Sep 27, 2008 7:30 pm. [w 9] In the winter of 1938, the camp at Dovercourt was requisitioned by the government for housing children evacuated from Germany by the Kindertransport programme. [w 2] Later, he transferred to Eaton's advertising department where he drew black and white adverts, whilst studying at night school. I have just come back from skegness and the bloke on the gate said charlie is burried under the roundabout by the main gate. Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our. Sacha's grandfather Billy Butlin sold his holiday empire to an American company in 1972 for 40million. Although holiday camps such as Warner's existed in one form or another before Butlin opened his first in 1936, it was Butlin who turned holiday camps into a multimillion-pound industry and an important aspect . He continued to operate his winter fair at Olympia and soon added the winter fairs at Waverley Hall in Edinburgh and at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow. Meanwhile single women were targeted as prime customers - for the entrepreneur knew a reputation for bed-hopping among the chalets would pull in the punters. The resort opened in 1936, and the season was fully booked just as well, as Billy had purchased 16,000 pairs of roller skates. Sacha Butlin, 23, hit Thomas Henry Le Vavasseur Dit Durell, 25, with a glass after drinking half a bottle of vodka during a night out at a club in St Helier, Jersey. Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page. Butlins is famous for its family games, and the knobbly knees contest was once judged by comedy legends Laurel and Hardy. [n 1][n 2] Although holiday camps such as Warner's existed in one form or another before Butlin opened his first in 1936, it was Butlin who turned holiday camps into a multimillion-pound industry and an important aspect of British culture. Once opened, the camp quickly became popular, accommodating around 5,000 campers and another 5,000 day visitors. [w 18][n 26] Other than Clacton, the Butlins camps were relatively unscathed, and even Clacton, which had been damaged by troop occupation, re-opened in early 1946. Over the next decade several attractions were added to the site. Billy Butlin created a new holiday camp at Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, England, UK, by buying and refurbishing the West Clacton Estate, an amusement park to the west of the town. Merriment was maintained by the famous Redcoats, in their smart jackets and white flannels. Born the child of fairground folk in Cape Town, in 1899, Billy Butlin served as a stretcher-bearer and bugle-boy (hence the reveille) in the first World War. Using the knowledge and experience he had gained in setting up his holiday camps, Butlin was able to devise activities and systems to boost morale, which led to his appointment as Director General of Hostels. When the shares became available, they sold out entirely in five minutes. Writers and speakers discussing that programme, such as Anthony Grenville and Ela Kaczmarska, claim that the camp had been constructed by Butlin and operated as a Butlin's camp for the 19371938 season, Kaczmarska also suggests that it had closed in the summer of 1938, the same time the Clacton camp opened. From then . Sir Billy (pictured at the top of the Post Office tower, London in 1964), born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1899, had a turbulent childhood. The entertainment was great and the pool was awesome with shutes and slides etc. There was even a points system, with 10 points for scoring with the holiday princess, 15 for the glamorous granny and 20 for the manager's wife. At the age of 14 he emigrated to Canada with his mother, and later during the First World War he enlisted as a bugler in the Canadian Army. [j 1] In later interviews, Butlin claimed that he accidentally sawed the corners off his hoopla blocks,[w 2] but some observers such as The Sunday Herald report that he did it intentionally, displaying "logic and business sense". [w 15] Butlin took the decision to form the company as a means to raise finance for his new camps. 29 September 1899 - 12 June 1980. Butlin's first holiday camp opened at Skegness in 1936, followed by Clacton, two years later. [n 36][w 28] By contrast, Butlin makes no mention in his biography of his father after returning from Canada. It was from his mother's side of the family . Butlin did not celebrate for long; he required a further $2.25million (2011:14.5million) to complete the camp, and American tourists unaccustomed to the holiday camp concept had little interest. Butlin's Bognor Regis Resort: Billy Butlin would turn in his grave. In the post-war boom Butlin saw opportunities on foreign shores. Published: 01:48 GMT, 20 April 2021 | Updated: 15:34 GMT, 20 April 2021. Photographer: Reg Cridland. Having made the final of the Glamorous Grandmother competition no fewer than 23 times, 76-year-old Alice Matthews 'became a local celebrity in her home town of Leeds'. His nephew Vernon Jenkins remembered: "Billy was a man who associated with potentially violent people in his early days. He was taken to A&E and received nine stitches to his eyebrow, which have left permanent scars, according to the Bailiwick Express. Hereof, is Billy Butlin still alive? [w 7], In the 1930s Butlin had amusement parks in Mablethorpe (opened 1928), Hayling Island (1931), Felixstowe (1931), Southsea (1931) and on the Isle of Man. Pinterest. Reviewed 22 September 2019 . Their marriage was considered something of a social disgrace in Leonard Stanley, Gloucester, where they lived. Kildare. Billy Butlin became a byword for wholesome family fun when he revitalised the leisure scene with his first holiday camp 70 years ago. The success of Skegness led, in 1938, to a resort at Clacton, which boasted vast heated pools and cascades. As soon as he said this I was sure that charlie was buried in Filey. [w 6][n 12], Butlin opened a similar fairground in 1932, in Bognor Regis, on the corner of the Esplanade, named the Recreation Shelter. His attestation papers give his date of birth as 1898 (rather than the actual 1899), allowing him to enlist at age 15. Billy Butlin was born on September 29, 1899 in Cape Town, South Africa as William Edmund Butlin. Kayla Bulstrode and left her with a nose bleed, after she tried to stop her from going near the couple. The grave of Billy Butlin (Holiday Camps) This is in Jersey in the Parish of St John. [j 9] After an investment of US$5million (2011:28.9million) the camp opened, still only partially complete, in the winter of 1949. Once in England, he was stationed at Sandgate near Folkestone before being deployed to France. While applying, however, Butlin forgot to tell the recruiter of this intention, and was consequently allocated to the Canadian Expeditionary Force which was taking part in the fighting along the Western Front. [n 20], Butlin was recruited by the Ministry of Supply and asked to look at the causes of low morale amongst the workers in Britain's munitions factories. Soon after, Butlin met and fell in love with Norah Faith Cheriton, Dolly's niece. [w 30] Cherie is an actress. Points of Interest & Landmarks Religious Sites, St John's New Cemetery, St. John: Address, St John's New Cemetery Review: 4/5. "Billy did incredible work for charities, but they do not mention how he gave away millions.". Share them Memories and feel free to say stories. The appointment was a voluntary one with no salary or expenses and was made after the consideration of other suitable candidates. [n 11] His activities in Skegness continued to expand, and by 1930 included a zoo featuring lions, zebras and an African village. We had 1 dishwasher tablet when we arrived so had to ask for more, and we also only got given 1 teabag! But then she abandoned him, remarrying and emigrating to Canada in 1911. Billy Butlin Little work was done on the camp in the 1950s and 60s, but as Jersey's holiday industry peaked in the 70s and 80s, Portlet Holiday Camp because extremely popular and steadily grew in size. Behind its jolly Hi-de-Hi! 1980: Sir Billy dies on June 12. The second marriage lasted only a few months, as Butlin had already fallen in love with Sheila Edwina Devine. When he placed his first newspaper ad there were more than 10,000 inquiries. Odling for assistance. Prosecutor Julian Gollop said the attack was unprovoked and Butlin, a high-end estate agent, admitted grave and criminal assault and three counts of common assault. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. [n 4] For two years, Butlin, and his cousin Jimmy Hill boarded with a widow in Bristol. Billy Butlin with Donald Campbell, Campbell is adjusting his flying suit. He proved successful in this endeavour as well, and by 1927, he opened a static fairground in Skegness. This move was financially beneficial since Jersey had a fixed 20% rate of income tax. Sir Billy came up with the idea for the glamorous granny contests when he bumped into actress Marlene Dietrich in America in 1964 and was stunned to find she was a gran. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. While Mr Durell was in a sideroom being treated for three deep wounds above his left eye, Butlin told police, 'I didn't do anything'. As he developed his trade, Mr Butlin eventually opened amusement parks around the UK. Butlin actively engaged in charity work through the Grand Order of Water Rats and through the Variety Club. Prince Andrew has 'offered to manage prestigious Royal estates including Balmoral but King Charles has told PLATELL'S PEOPLE: Yes, Madonna toyboys are fun but not if you value your dignity. Honeymooners were given an alarm clock as a wedding present. Once in England, he was stationed at Sandgate near Folkestone before being deployed to France. Butlin's is now the antidote to airport security checks and frustrations. From that point on, entertainment was the heart of Butlins, and Bradford became the first of Butlin's Redcoats. The first dodgems in Britain were available in his park at Skegness. Each page is designed by Mark Banks and is here as a non-profit website. All memories of Butlins are welcomed in this group, even if another member has already uploaded their item. )[j 16] William Jr died of cancer in 2003. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. On Friday 1st May 1812 he was finally hanged in Bodmin Gaol for his terrible crime. His first stop was at the Royal Ordnance Factory, Chorley, where he found that the camouflaged huts and barbed wire fences used to house workers gave them the feeling of being interned. The camps have always been a magnet for new pop acts, and now they attract chart-toppers such as Will Young, the Sugababes, McFly and Girls Aloud. [j 14] His house there was Dane Court in Hampstead, which he purchased in 1947. [n 37], Butlin had two sons and four daughters from his three marriages. Skegness, Bognor and Minehead had 'a major facelift', and consultations were held with Mumsnet to see what modern families wanted. image, the Butlins empire flourished on a mixture of sex and violence. Having gone on a break to Jersey, he offered to take some time to get me some photos of the resting place of a legend. Billy Butlin : biography. These included: whist drives, amateur dramatics, theatrical productions and cinema. According to Butlin, one of the best aspects of working for the company was that he was able to visit their summer camp which gave him an idea of what was to become a very big part of his life. Butlin agreed, on the condition that he could purchase the sites when the war was over, to use as holiday camps. Improve this listing His parents had emigrated to South Africa some years earlier. The tried-and-tested formula pioneered by Billy Butlin was used in Mosney. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Ken Bruce finishes his 30-year tenure as host of BBC Radio 2, Ukrainian soldier takes out five tanks with Javelin missiles, Family of a 10-month-old baby filmed vaping open up, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Hershey's Canada releases HER for SHE bars featuring a trans activist, Moment teenager crashes into back of lorry after 100mph police race. The ministry agreed, and Filey (1945), Pwllheli and Ayr (both in 1947), opened after the war. [j 2] William founded a bicycle shop to support the family, and they had two children, Butlin and his brother Harry John (known as Binkie) Butlin. He moved to London and set up a successful stall in Olympia outside the Christmas Circus run by Bertram Mills. The Billy Butlin Story: A Showman to the End Sir Billy Butlin No preview available - 1982. Skegness Tower Gardens (formerly Pleasure Gardens) was part of the new town plans of . In 1927 he leased a piece of land from the Earl of Scarbrough in the seaside town of Skegness. In 1975, with divorce laws having changed, Butlin was able to divorce Norah and marry Sheila with whom he remained until his death. 'Our story is one of hope': Conjoined twins who made history as first EVER pair survive to separation As Charles Bronson faces a parole hearing on Monday Will Britain's most violent prisoner soon be painting Is this Britain's most despicable man? [j 17] Jacquie lives on Jersey, where she runs a clothes shop. [n 21][n 22], In this position, Butlin introduced games and entertainment similar to those used in his holiday camps. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Butlin's grave is in the grounds of Blair Adam house, Jersey. Blackstone declined to comment. [w 24] In return he received many honours, from having a hybrid tea rose name after him,[w 25] to his knighthood in 1964. Advertisements promised 'the diversions of the wealthy man's vacation at a price within reach of the ordinary individual's purse' and Billy aimed his all-inclusive package holidays at clerical workers, shop assistants, factory under-managers and, had he but known it, freelance literary journalists of modest means. 1899. He first joined Butlins as a Redcoat during his school holidays in 1951. Although born in Cape Town, South Africa, Billy spent much of his childhood in Britain, following his grandmother's family fair around the country, where his mother sold gingerbread. [w 19], In the winter of 1961, Butlin began work on his camp in Minehead. In 1963, he set up the Bill Butlin charitable trust, and in 1966 donated 100,000 (2011:) to set up a trust to help in cases where police officers were incapacitated or . [2] Butlin sold Dane Court in 1951, and moved to a property in Grosvenor Square. A number of complaints appeared in the Catholic Standard, warning that holiday camps were an English idea that were undesirable in Catholic Ireland. One aspect of working for the company was that he was able to visit their summer camp, which gave him his first taste of a real holiday. His business was given a huge boost by the Second World War. Sir Billy's original motto was Shakespearean: 'Our true intent is all for your delight.'. Billy Butlin was born on the 29th September 1899 in Cape Town, South Africa. When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. In being knighted, Butlin was following in the footsteps of his great uncle Sir Henry Trentham Butlin, an eminent surgeon. [w 3], Before his deployment to Europe, Butlin transferred to the 216th (Bantams) Battalion, and he was sent to England. He spent the next five years following his grandmother's family fair around the country where his mother sold gingerbread; exposing the young Butlin to the skills of commerce and entertainment. Knowing that the army already had a full quota of despatch riders, Butlin intended to volunteer for service in that category in the knowledge that although his application would be declined he would still receive an "I volunteered" badge for his actions without having to serve. Browse 103 billy butlin stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images.