From the archive
14 June 1961
THE IDEA of green and amber list countries could scarcely have been imagined when AP was producing its 1961 ‘Holiday Number’ though readers woulda sprit-sail barge sailing solely by wind power from Ipswich. ‘The voyage was to convey 126 tons of flour to a store in Strood, on the Medway, and from there to sail light to the Victoria Dock on the Thames to pick up a load of wheat for Ipswich.’ A fine set of photographs was accompanied by a fascinating travelogue. ‘During conversation with the skipper,’ he told us, ‘I learned it was not necessary for a master of a barge to have a certificate permitting him to take the vessel to sea, as any person thought fit to do so by the owners could be put in charge.’ The vast majority of features focused on the British seaside, with Zoltan Glass among those offering tips on capturing engaging images. Just one single page was dedicated to ‘Travelling Abroad’ and even then the pictures were of Paris. As to what camera to take with you, a text-heavy guide covered every available option, though browsers of the ads may have been tempted by auto-exposure technology of the Rollei Magic (£76 14s 6d, or £1,785 in today’s money) or the girl-impressing powers of the Contaflex (£105 15s 9d, or £2,460 today).
