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www.skewjack.co.uk
WELCOME TO Skewjack .co.uk. This site uses the header of the original English surf camp. It's aim is to keep the name alive. |
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BRITISH SURF HISTORY If there was ever the true, original, definitive surf camp then this was it. Started before 1973, it came to fame during the summers of 75/76 and on. Created, managed & run by an amazing and esoteric bunch. The two Chris's: Tyler and South, Bryan, Gill McNeil who brought Patchouli Oil to Cornwall, Terri in the shop.. The original Bistro Girls,Sarah, Jan & Isobel. Phil 'Piglet' Rowley, the original Dr Fun, Barry the original lifeguard. Michelle & Duncan. Fran (14 and never at skool) Sylvia in reception. Barman Godfrey. It would be safe to say that Skewjack led and every other followed........... |
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Off the wall visitors like the London boys, the Welsh Biker Crew, (remember the hearse?) The Custom Car Magazine runs. Local surfers, Harvey, 'Wog', JMO,The Cattrans, JA, Cosmic. Resident Aussies: Curly, Worther, Jeff. Locals like the The Bryants, The Tin Miners, Joe Crowe, Nicky, Jeremy Gilbert, DJ Martin, Rob Smith, Barry, photographer Charlie Roff, ex Lands End owner Charles Neave-Hill, Sara, now at Boardwise and many many more. |
WHO AM I TO TALK ? OK a quick bit about me. My name is Graham Shephard, ex Skewjack Surf Instructor & Lifeguard. Now a lecturer in Travel and Tourism at the University of Brighton. I started surfing in 1966, when to meet other surfers was unique. I was the surf instructor and lifeguard at Skewjack Surf Village from 1975-1980. Lived in Cornwall for many years and currently live in Eastbourne. If you should want to know more, click on the 'About Me' link below IT'S HERE
THE HOLIDAY 76 MOVIE Finally took the plunge and uploaded it to Vimeo and you can take a look at: THE SKEWJACK BROCHURE
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SKEWJACK TODAY Hopefully in the due process of time it will be possible to build a history of Skewjack from the early "anything goes" days, to the last dying moments as the camp closed for the last time and the new owners dumped thirty tons of rock and mud in the gateway to deter unauthorised entry. The photo below is the current site today. It is, I believe, a "Switching Station" for the Transatlantic cables that come in at Porthcurno and is one of four terminals serving a £1 billion "figure of eight" fibre optic link between two terminals in the USA and another in France. On completion, it doubled the total transatlantic telecommunications capacity. Skewjack today, courtesy of Google Maps. If it centres on Porthcurno, click the left arrow (West) a couple of times and the up arrow (North) a couple of times and the new building should appear at the top of the map. Centre it and zoom in. The old house and barn are still there! View Larger Map
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VIEW THE ORIGINAL BROCHURE Jeremy Braithwaite has sent a copy of the earliest brochure and original map Click on the button below to view. Check out the price for a week! Many thanks to Jeremy for this one |
TIMES ARTICLE FROM AUGUST 4th 1971. Even 'back then' surfing made the headlines. Again many thanks to Jeremy, he says "I
did a lot of the early marketing & PR for Ron. This included escorting
a Times reporter to Skewjack - which resulted in the attached story
which I think was on the back page of the Times. |
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SO WHAT IS THIS SITE ALL ABOUT ? Skewjack Surf Centre was a brilliantly simple idea. It could be argued that it was far ahead of its time, both in concept and outlook. Loved by some, loathed by others. It evolved over the years and developed its own following of devotees. Several of the people involved in its conception, management and use still live within thirty miles of the old site whilst others are as far away as Australia. Many many of the 'Punters' or guests still have fond, if hazy memories of the site, its bar and no doubt its infamous chalets. Young surfers will have heard of it but will have no idea of what it really was about. In it's time, it was a focal point and cultural centre for nearly all the far South West's surfers. This site hopefully will allow the presentation of photo's, recollections, anecdotes etc. from all who were involved in the place and thus build up a true history and establish Skewjack's rightful place in the evolution of British Surfing. I know already of one Skewjack discussion board and I know of other allied interests and obtuse links to the site... So if you read this and have anything to add about Skewjack and your experiences, good or bad, E Mail them to me. Please attach photos by all means but format them as JPEG or Gifs and keep them fairly small.Thanks |
ANOTHER 'LOCAL' VIEW Surflines: Skewjack Surf Village The legend lives on! That is no twin fin.....! Published in the Cornishman Newspaper. With thanx to Robbie Macintosh. |
Sad News. (Dec 2016) It is with great regret and sadness that I have to tell you that Chris Tyler, who was the founding father and the originator of Skewjack Surf Village, passed away on November 5th 2016. As Alex Wade captured so well in his obituary for Chris in the Times of 21st December 2016 "Chris is assured of a lasting place in British surfing history. Skewjack has become a byword for a free-spirited, counter-cultural sense of surfing in which logos and competitiveness are nowehere to be seen." I can add that he was: 'A thoroughly good bloke and it was a privilege to have known him.' RIP: Chris Tyler; 1938-2016. ---------------------------------------------- Rachel Yates is near to completing her book on Skewjack having interviewed many of the people who both worked and visited the old camp and furthermore, had the blessing of Chris Tyler so it should be a great read when it makes it to the shelves. You can find her Facebook page at SkewjackStories and also more at the new Skewjack Stories web page This is a link to another Skewjack Facebook page that is nothing to do with me but has lots of shots and more memories and tales on there. So big apologies but nothing really major to add for some time except for yet more ex Skewjackers finding the site likeClive Davies, Isabelle le Breton, Jeremy Hale from 76,77& 78. Pete Bucher who was there in 1971 I have added his mail to the memories section. Tim Malby who has now owned up to his age at the time! John Basevi, Rob Salter and some great photos from the then manager, Chris South I'll leave the great eMail from John Edwards which I reproduce below... Sums it all up beautifully.. One of my mates sent me a link to the site. We were trying to remember when we were there - 1974 or 5, 1978 and 1979. It was a fantastic place. The first year, we drove down in his car, almost falling asleep and crashing on the way. We slept in tents that year. The second time, I came down on my Bonneville and just drank Carlsberg 68 for two weeks. The third and last visit, I drove down in my Mustang which was cool and then locked myself out in the car park after I arrived before breaking back into it with a coat hanger. I remember trying to surf and being rescued by the lifeguard at Sennen Cove. We had some terrible weather and tiny waves but above all, it was a laugh. We all wore surf beads and tried to pull, occasionally we got lucky. I've attached some snaps, I've still got the original brochure and a receipt for my deposit. "The epitome of cool"
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Nice piece about Chris Tyler here: Picture Alex Wade Alex Wade, author of Surfnation, who now lives at Porthcurno and who wrote the now extinct, yet excellent Surfnation blog in the Times, caught up with Chris Tyler in Mousehole in July and I reproduce his excellent piece, with his full permission here. Have a read, it is really well done then check out his new blog site here hosted and posted by A1surf.com. |
Posters and T shirts discovered in lofts and guitar cases, what else is out there???? Skewjack TeeShirts Skewjack Poster (Thanks Eddie)
Latest memories from: Mark Nicolls, Nick Paden, Eddie Gozdecki, Tiffany Newell, Maxine Hartshorn,
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Skewjack features in the April
issue of Drift Surf Magazine but you will have to subscribe to
read it at the moment March 2008 issue , but guys it is SKEWJACK and not SKEWJACKS! |
Quick links 2004 Sennen Watermans Dinner. The Times Online in April 07 Andy Magin's Photos Barbara Duckpond's Classic Photos
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Got to say a big thank you to Peter Robinson at the British Surfing Museum for the link to the site. Check this fascinating review of British surfing history at
Congratulations to Gabe Davies on becoming the first Partron of the Surf Museum |
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You may have heard of the huge, March 5th, (2008) storm that we had, coinciding with a big spring tide. Check out the astounding images of Sennen below |
Dave 'Curly' Curl was an original Aussie visitor from about 1974/5 check some of his photos on the link below. |
Older Memories and eMails Have split the memories page so it is now not such a huge read. So there is now a Latest Memories page which will be changed every two months (ish) |
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This site has been designed and
modified using Dreamweaver 8 , Adobe Photoshop CS and an Apple MacBook Pro
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Last modified:11th February 2017.
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