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Littlehampton

Date: 1906
Owner: West Sussex County Council Library Service (click for link)

Littlehampton Butlin's

In 1932, Billy Butlin arrived down the south coast of England at a lovely location known as Littlehampton. As he viewed the area and enjoyed everything that Littlehampton offered, he decided it would be the next place for his new amusement park. As Billy continued to look around, he would find an interesting area that was known as the old east bank fort and windmill. The old east bank fort and windmill was next to Oyster Pond, which had been there since 1798 and converted in 1895 as a boating pond. 

*This postcard is not owned by me and is from the website, West Sussex past. Click on these words to visit their site and view more details about this important photo.

Littlehampton

Date: 1933
Owner: West Sussex County Council Library Service (click for link)

As the building started, Billy would continue to keep a close eye on his other amusement parks and how this one was being constructed.  Walking away from the park, he would turn to see how it was coming along and the location had that Butlin's magic feeling. From a distance, he would be proud and very happy to see that his Wild Mouse ride could be seen and that the magic had started.  

*This postcard is not owned by me and is from the website, West Sussex past. Click on these words to visit their site and view more details about this important photo.

West Sussex County Council Collection

These images are from the West Sussex County Council website, which can be found by clicking on these words. Please visit their site to see the wonderful collection they have showing so much more than shown here. These photos can be removed at any time at the request of the owner, which I will of course do if asked. Please note that I do NOT own these photos and that a direct link to the requested owner is under each photo.  These photos are being used as a means of history education of an important location attached to a company that I love dearly and in respect of man that is highly respected on here, Sir Billy Butlin.
Littlehampton Butlins
Date: 1935

*This postcard is not owned by me and is from the website, West Sussex past. Click on these words to visit their site and view more details about this important photo.

Littlehampton Butlin's
Date: 1950

*This postcard is not owned by me and is from the website, West Sussex past. Click on these words to visit their site and view more details about this important photo.

Littlehampton Butlins
Date: 1955

*This postcard is not owned by me and is from the website, West Sussex past. Click on these words to visit their site and view more details about this important photo.

Mark's Collection

These postcards are from my collection
Littlehampton Butlin's
Date: 1927   Publisher: Photochrome
Reference: 42747
Littlehampton Butlin's
Date: Never Used   Publisher: Unknown
Reference: 66
Littlehampton Butlins
Date: 1957    Publisher: Unknown
Reference: 31
Littlehampton Butlin's
Date: Never Used   Publisher: Unknown
Reference: Not Found
Littlehampton Butlin's
Date: 1957   Publisher: Unknown
Reference: 64
Littlehampton Butlin's
Date: Never Used   Publisher: N.P.O Ltd
Reference:  A1018 - 32974C
Littlehampton Butlin's
Date: Never Used   Publisher: Excel Series
Reference:  16B
Littlehampton

The story of Butlin's Littlehampton amusement park, like the camps, had to pause as the park was used for supporting the war from 1941 to 1945. The location was used for storage and a place where troops could meet before they went overseas. When the war had come to an end, Billy Butlin had taken back the park and it continued to offer its services to all those who wish to create the Butlin's magic. 

Smarts Amusement Park

Logo: This is NOT owned by me and is copyrighted to the respected owners. It can be removed at any time. It is used as a means of historic education about this location and its relation to the Butlin's timeline.

Smarts Amusement Park 

The story of Butlin's Littlehampton amusement park had come to an end in 1977 as the gates would change the name to Smart's Amusement Park. The Rank organisation (the owners of Butlin's during this year) had concluded that this amusement park no longer fit their plans. The new owners had a large investment plan in place as they worked hard to continue to help create memories for so many visitors. This included making the park more family-oriented and having more rides. The magic of the location continued as many would arrive to see the new areas and all that the park offered. 

Harbour Park

Logo: This is NOT owned by me and is copyrighted to the respected owners. It can be removed at any time. It is used as a means of historic education about this location and its relation to the Butlin's timeline.

Harbour Park

The success of the park continued as in 1994, it was given another investment as they removed the rollercoasters and a long-term plan had started. Renamed to the current name, Harbour Park, the long-term investment had been completed in the year 2000, ready for the new millennium and to continue the  Smart Family values, which are family fun that is friendly and entertaining. 

The smart family continued to show a great deal of passion towards the park as, in 2007, another £750000 was invested to keep the park updated. A new log flume as added with a  6.5-meter drop with other areas given an update. 

You can visit their website by clicking on these words. 

PLEASE NOTE: The Smart Family, Butlin's or Harbour park have NOT approached me to do this page. They have not asked me to advertise them nor have they asked me to tell the story of their location.  I have added their story to this former Butlins park page as they continue to keep this location going today and their involvement is an important one. A link has been added to their website with respect to say thank you for the continued story of this location. Their story can be removed from this site at any stage and all logos shown are copyrighted to them. 

Postcard and Google Maps 

On the left-hand side is the West Sussex Past postcard showing the location before it became an amusement park and on the right-hand side is the Google Maps screenshot from 2022

Littlehampton Rollercoaster 1990 video

Uploader: Caspersdaddy

Uploaders Description

Some vintage video footage of the Littlehampton rollercoaster that was part of Smarts Amusements, which has long since gone!

This footage was shot in July 1990.

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Who and What is Butlin's Memorabilia Website
The Butlins Memorabilia website was originally established as a place on the internet where people could view Mark Banks' Butlins collections. As a passionate enthusiast of the brand, Mark took the initiative to explore the extensive history that led to the website's transformation. Now, the Butlins Memorabilia site has matured into a historical education platform, demonstrating to visitors the meaningful ways in which Butlins has fostered joy and created unforgettable memories.

Are you the official Butlins Archive?
There exists only ONE official website that represents Butlins and that is located at www.butlins.com. The Butlins Memorabilia website is NOT the official archive of Butlins, nor does it serve as the authentic historical record of this extraordinary company. Butlins and their respective parent company have no role in the development of this site and have not participated in its creation. The singular official source for all Butlins information is the one indicated above. This site is strictly a fan-created platform, and any material presented here should be viewed as unofficial. Butlins and their esteemed parent company have NOT reached out to me to create this site, nor have they requested me to promote them. I undertake this effort solely to demonstrate my appreciation for their remarkable name and brand.

If you want to know more about this website
If you would like to read more about this website, you are more than welcome to click on these words. This special page will show you more about this site, how my Butlins collections started, how to get in touch with Mark, Social media links, our Facebook experts and the friends of this website. 

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The Untold Stories of Butlin's
An exciting addition to the website is the section titled "Untold Stories of Butlin's," which includes a range of personal stories. These narratives have been contributed by members of the Butlins Memorabilia social media groups, who have shared their individual experiences at Butlin's. It is important to understand that these stories are not sanctioned by the official company but are personal recollections from the individuals, as indicated on the page. The accounts shared reflect the magical atmosphere of Butlin's and the memorable moments it has inspired.

Can I get in touch with you about my situation at Butlins for some help?
For any issues related to bookings, inquiries on how to use the app, or to file a complaint, it is essential to follow the official procedure by contacting Butlins directly. Unfortunately, the Butlins Memorabilia website is not equipped to handle these matters, and no assistance can be provided through this platform. Complaints must be directed to Butlins, as they are the only ones capable of addressing them; this site lacks the direct control or involvement necessary to assist. The sole website that can provide help is the Butlin's official site, www.butlins.com. Everything you need can be found there, including their contact page, which is available on this link, and assistance with the Butlins app can be found on this link.

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