Holdsworth Owners Club

Programme for 2012

2012-02-13T11:41:00.000-08:00

April Friday 13th to Monday 16th
A G M Devizes Camping and Caravan Club site Spout Lane Seend Melksham Wilts. SN12 6RN
Tel. 01380 828239. A G M and dinner at The Three Magpies adjacent to site. Bus to Devizes and Bath from site. EVERY ONE WELCOME.

May 11th to 14th .
St Neots Camping and Caravan Club site Hardwick Road Eynesbury, St Neots. PE19 2PR There is plenty to do in the surrounding area including ,Cambridge,Duxford,and Grafham Water.

June Friday 17th to Sunday 24th.
A weeks holiday on the Isle of Wight. Waverley Park site Old Road East Cowes I O W.
Tel. 01983 293452. Can be booked through Red Funnel 5 night offer, or direct with the site.
At time of writing there has been heavy booking, so sites may be limited.

July Friday 13th to Monday 16th
Does anyone have any ideas for this meet? It is so close to the Isle of Wight meet.
We cannot make it any later because of the Olympics and the school holidays.

August Friday 10th to Monday 13th
Matley Wood Caravan and Camping , Beaulieu Road, Lyndurst, Hants S O 43 7FZ
Tel. 02380 293144 or forestholidays.co.uk
This site has NO TOILET OR SHOWER facilities

SeptFrid 14th to Monday 17th
Forest of Dean Forest Holidays Christchurch Camp Site Bracelands Drive, Christchurch, Coleford, Gloucestershire. GL16 7NN. Tel 01594 837258. or forestholidays.co.uk

Any one with helpful suggestions should contact our weekend organisers John and Judith Handbury as printed in club news sheet.

To all owners. Have a good season, drive carefully, enjoy life, and look after your vans.

Weekend Meets for 2011

2011-02-08T02:34:00.000-08:00

April 8/9/10 th A G M at Wolverley C C C site tel 01562 850909 Book in and mention H O C.
Please advise John and Judith Handbury you are booked .
April 10/12th St Neots C C C site Tel 01480 474404
As above advise J AND J

April 13/17th Lode Hall Caravan Park Silt Road Three Holes Wisbech Cambs PE14 9JW
Tel. 01354 638133 Page 374 in the Big Book.
Adise Kerry of booking please. 01983 613657.

May 13/22nd Extended meet in Devon

May 13/17 Centry Park Gillard Rd Berry Head Brixham Devon Tel. 01803 856389
May 18/22nd Exe Valley Caravan Site Bridgetown Dulverton TA22 9JR Tel. 01643 851432.
Contact J and J if booking.

June 5th - 19th French Trip. Convoy meets at Blackhorse C C site 4th/5th for ferry crossing on 5th. 2 nights at Bay of the Somme, Le Crotoy, 2 nights Honfleur, 3 nights at Avranches, then time to explore by yourself.
Contact John and Judith.

Meanwhile June 19th to 19th Extended Meet in East Sussex /Kent. as below.

June 10th The Cock Inn Main St Peasmarsh Rye East Sussex TN31 6YD Tel 01797 230281.
Tis is a small site, if you are interested do book early. Page 436 Big Book.

June 15th -19th Canterbury C C C site, Bekesbourne Lane Canterbury Kent Tel. 01227 463216.
Contact John and Judith until 3/6/11.

July 8th - 17th Extended Meet up Country

July 8 - 12th Carsington Fields Caravan Park, Millfields Lane Nr Carsington Water Ashbourne Derbyshire DE6 3JS Tel.01335 372872. Page 333 in Big Book.

July 13th - 17th The Grouse and Claret Station Road Rowsley Derbyshire. DE4 2EB.
Tel. 01629 733233. Contact Kerry.

August 12th - 14th Matley Wood Forest Holiday Site, Beaulieu Rd Lyndurst, Hants SO43 7FZ.
tEL. 0845 130 8224. THIS CAMPSITE HAS NO TOILETS/SHOWERS AND THEREFORE WILL BE QUIETER IN AUGUST.
Visit Denny Wood Site on the opposite side of the road to book in.
Contact John and Judith.

September 16/17/18th South Lytchett Manor Caravan and Camping Park Dorchester Road
Lytchett Minster, Poole Dorset. BH16 6JB. Tel. 01202 622577.
Contact Kerry.

October 21st - 23rd Chichester C C C Site Main Rd Southbourne Hants PO10 8JH. Tel. 01243 373202. This is the last open week of this popular site so book early.
Saturday is Vintage Sports Cars Rally at Goodwood Motor Racing Track. Free entry. Visit the paddocks and talk to the drivers .
Sunday. Conducted tour of Tangmere Aviation Museum by Iain Mackinnon who is a volunteer there. Sixteen aircraft and simulators to fly, plus Battle of Britain museum and SOE section.
Contact John and Judith. (Away in Sept) or, let Iain know you are joining us.

Thank you for reading our list. Please post comments or contact us if you need information
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Holdsworth Owners Club A G M 2010

2010-04-22T06:45:00.000-07:00

Once more our A G M held at Kidderminster was very successful. Over the weekend the weather was more like summer than spring although the evenings were quite cool.
The turn out of vans was again very good (18) and some new faces were welcomed into our fold.
The Friday evening entertainment in the hall was conducted by Steve Boome who held his usual brain teaser quiz , accompanied with drinks as brought by ourselves. Saturday saw much movement on the site with people getting to know each other and inspecting vans, until 14.00 hrs when the Tea , cakes, and biscuits were served at the start of the "Silent Auction" This year the money raised was just over £62 which went to pay for drinks on the tables at our evening meal.
The A G M was carried out with Iain Mackinnon standing in for our Chairman , Kerry Wall who unfortunately could not be with us. The usual business was carried out with no problems and the Chair was taken for the next year by Mr Ron Newton and Mrs June Newton as Joint Chairpersons. The position of club Treasurer has been taken over from Rose Griffiths who has done the job for many years, by Penny Cox. Club Secretary Christine Chamberlain will continue for the next year although the Chamberlains will be giving up camping when they sell their V W in the coming season. John and Judith Handbury will continue to be Weekend Meets Organisers and Steve Boome will be Weekend Meets Co-ordinator.
Our wonderful News Letter Editor, Janice Baldwin will continue to make sure we all get the information and entertainment in our club magazine.
Two of our new members Graham and Pam Stroudley have agreed to be Vice Chairpersons, which is very nice to see. We are badly in need of some new blood as it were, so thanks to them.

The evening meal at The Lock Inn was enjoyed by all and up to their high standards as usual.
The slight uphill journey at the end of the evening was not too much for most, on their way back to wecome beds at the end of a very busy day. Another brilliant A G M at Kidderminster.

John and Judith Handbury have come up with a list of coming dates for meets, which I shall attempt to add to this blog. ( At the present time I am learning bit by bit on how to do all this)
Please leave your comments as I find them helpful and encouraging.
Many thanks Blogmaster

History of Holdsworth Motorhomes

2009-08-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

Richard Holdsworth began his conversion business in 1968. Richard and his wife Heather had been working in Australia for eight years prior to returning to England. He, and his wife Heather, decided that they would like a camper to explore the UK and the continent, but prices of new campers were prohibitive, so they bought a used V W Kombi van and converted it to their ideas while travelling thousands of miles. People were impressed with the conversion and Richard and Heather were frequently asked to build campers for others,so in 1968 eighteen V W campers were converted in a lockup garage at Clapham Common, London. Richard building the furniture and Heather carrying out the upholstery and trimming.

A company offering V W spares asked Richard to build furniture kits it could offer to customers to fit in vans themselves That moment became the start of Richard Holdsworth Conversions. At the same time the V W spares company offered Richard part of its factory at Ashford, Middlesex as the lockup garage by that time had become far too small.

Business over the next year increased so much that it was necessary for them to move once again, this time to Woodley, Berkshire, an ex-aerodrome hanger which became their new factory location in 1972

By this time Richard was offering six of his Holdsworth conversions. They consisted of a V W van conversion with fixed roof, a Commer Standard,Commer Super,Bedford C F, Ford Transit, and another V W , but this time with a rising roof.

The line-up of Richard Holdsworth models remained pretty much the same until 1977 ( with exception to some varied layouts on the V W ) when the Leyland Sherpa was added to his listing

The hierarchy at British Leyland were so impessed with the Sherpa Holdsworth that they gave the full company approval to the conversions.

From very humble beginnings in the 1960's Richard Holdsworth Conversions Ltd went on to produce some very memorable motorcaravans. Many of their panel van conversions based on the Commer, Bedford CF, Transit,and V W are still very popular choices on the used scene today. As time progressed the company released such models as the Holdsworth Vision and Villa based on the type 25 V W T3 and the Holdsworth Ranger, a coachbuild based on the Leyland Sherpa.

The one defining point about Holdsworth models over the years was that they often dared to be different in their use of internal layouts, at a time when many manufacturers used tried and trusted formulas.

The company continued to prosper during the 1980's but sadly ran into financial difficulties in the 1990's with the minibus side of the business ( a deal to supply several thousand minibus conversions collapsed, leaving the company with too much stock) The company eventually became Cockburn Holdsworth for a short time, but in the end ceased trading as a motor caravan converter. It was sad to see such a innovative company leave the ranks of the motorcaravan manufacturers. It had intoduced many great design ideas and acheived some memorable milestones, not least winning V W approval for its conversions

Richard is the Honary President of The Holdsworth Owners Club, and, as well as advising many present day motorhome manufacturers, he has now become a novelist and is at present working on his second book.

2009-04-05T07:11:00.000-07:00

A G M Meet at Kidderminster

The Holdsworth Owners Club welcomes owners of all Holdsworth motor caravans who wish to obtain the maximum enjoyment from their Holdsworth van.

Within the membership is a wealth of knowledge in running a van carrying the Holdworth badge; this includes the provision of Owners Manuals and access to suppliers who might be able to provide parts and information that can keep a Holdsworth van on the road.

An informative and friendly Newsletter is produced at regular intervals and a social calendar extends throughout the year thus enabling members to meet others and maximise the enjoyment from ownership of a Holdsworth van. Cost of membership is minimal.... Full details and a Membership Aplication Form can be obtained by contacting Iain Mackinnon at:

54 Elm Grove,

Barnham,

Bognor Regis,

West Sussex,

PO22 0HJ

Tel. 01243 555622

Email. mackinnonsouth@aol.com

Please leave email address, and your comments. Contact will be made with you a.s.a.p.

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