In the early 1950s an annual holiday was organised for club members.  These holidays were carefully organised by a holiday sub committee and provided value which is just incredible looking back from 2020.  For example the 1955 holiday was advertised in the club newsletter as a two week holiday on the Rhine and in Austria at an expected cost of £25 and the organisers hoped to be able to make it even cheaper.

When preparing the club history in the 1990s I received photographs of these holidays from the late Ossie Barrett, the late Mary O'Connell and Bernie Webster who is still happily with us.  The photographs are reproduced below with captions under each photograph when available.

In 2020 we acquired new software which enabled us to enhance and colourise the original black and white photographs. Foor tthe time being I am leaving both versions on thw website so that you can see the improvement made possible by the latest software.

Above is a black and white photograph taken at a traditional ramblers rest stop in the Black Forest in September 1955. Below is the same photograph colourised in November 2020

Above is a black and white photograph of the impressively large group who attended the 1955 holiday, taken at the hotel in Schonach. Below is the same photograph colourised in November 2020

 Above is a black and white photograph of the same group from a slightly different angle and below a colour version of same

Ossie's note on the back of the above photograph described it as "a well earned break"!! Below is the 2020 colour version/

"Tom Buggy on right" I believe and below the colour version.

"On the Banks of the Rhine" in 1955 and below a colour version.

Above is a wayside shrine of a type with which we all became familiar in the 1950s and below the same but in colour.

Another shot taken near Schonach in September 1955 and below the same but in colour.

Our ramblers met this gentleman who boasted having relatives in Enfield!! Below is a colour version

Another well earned refreshment break and below the same but in colour.

Another shot of most of the rambling group

Moving on now to the 1956 holiday in Austria the above photograph already has the caption within the photograph itself. Below is the same photograph in colour.

Ossie in a typical pose at Neustift In Stubaital and below a colour version of the same photograph 

Below are several photographs taken on holidays in the 1950s for which I do not have captions but which I think give a good impression of the times and the club members in those years.

 I'm not aware where or when the above photograph was taken but it was the first one of the 1950s selection on which I tried out the new software by which I produced the colourised version below.

 Again, I'm not aware where or when the above photograph was taken but I think it is considerably enhanced in the colourised version below.

The above black and white photograph was taken in the 1950s, probably on one of the Austrian holidays. The one below is the same photograph enhanced and colourised with the aid of up to date software in 2020

  Above and below are examples of black and white photograph taken in the 1950s, which has been enhanced and colourised with the aid of up to date software in 2020.

 Above and below are examples of black and white photograph taken in the 1950s, which has been enhanced and colourised with the aid of up to date software in 2020.

 The above black and white photograph is another taken in the 1950s, probably on one of the Austrian holidays. The one below is the same photograph enhanced and colourised with the aid of up to date software in 2020

 The above black and white photograph is another example of one taken in the 1950s, and of the ones that have been enhanced and colourised with the aid of up to date software in 2020 I think this is the one that is most improved by the technology.

 The above is another black and white photograph taken in the 1950s, The one below is the same photograph enhanced and colourised with the aid of up to date software in 2020. The sky is the most striking improvement but the imsge of the ramblers is also rather cleareer I think

The above is yet another black and white photograph was taken in the 1950s whilst the one below is the same photograph enhanced and colourised with the aid of up to date software in 2020. It would be nice if we could identify the lady and hopefully one our longstanding members will be able to do so.

The above is yet another example of a black and white photograph taken in the 1950s and I think one of the best shots we have on the whole website. The one below is the same photograph enhanced and colourised with the aid of up to date software in 2020

A bit nearer to home was a break in the Cotswolds for Easter, I think about 1958 and the photographs below were kindly provided by Bernie Webster

Above is another impressively large group at Avebury Manor in the Cotswolds in 1964 and below a colour copy.

I have no caption for the above photograph but the ramblers were obviously enjoying themselves "somewhere in the Cotswolds". A colour copy is below.

 I do not know the names of these happy ramblers on the Cotswold Holiday in 1958 but if anybody recognises them I would like to know. A colour copy of this photograph is below.

Above is the only original colour photograph I got of this period and this one, once again kindly provided by Bernie Webster was actually taken at Whipsnade as late as 1964.

Above is a colourised photograph of a large group of ramblers taken (originally in black and white), on an Easter Weekend break in Lewes in the late 1950s.  I received a full list of the ramblers' names from the late Pat Shanahan which appears on the page devoted to that Easter weekend towards the bottom of the Members Photos page. This can be accessed from the main menu across the top or down the right hand side of your screen.