Episode 9 Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman

Childhood holidays... Oh, ho! The anticipation seemed endless.

The holiday itself...well, it was over too quickly.

So, in this series, I'm going to be reliving those wonderful times

with some much-loved famous faces.

THEY SCREAM

Every day, I'll be arranging a few surprises

to transport them back in time.

Oh, look! Ha-ha! It's just as I remember! Ha-ha!

We'll relive the fun...

THEY LAUGH

..the games...

-BOTH: Yes!

-We got him!

..and the food of years gone by...

Yum-my!

Welcome to 1959.

-Total happiness.

-Yes. Perfect.

..to find out how those holidays around the UK

helped shape the people we know so well today.

-Bruce Forsyth.

-His mother said, "You're still my favourite."

So, buckle up for Holiday Of My Lifetime.

You know, Len, I'm quite enjoying being on my holidays with you.

Today's holiday has brought me to bonnie Scotland

to meet a lovely wee lassie

who'll be joining me on a journey through time.

My guest today is no stranger to a road trip,

but for this journey,

we're going to do a bit of cruising. Ho-ho!

All aboard!

She was born in Glasgow in 1947.

Here she is as a bonnie baby.

What a priceless portrait that is.

By the time she was in her 30s, she had an eye for beautiful objects.

I'm so glad I smartened myself up today.

Wo-ho! HE MOUTHS: Beautiful.

In 1989, she became Scotland's first female auctioneer

and now, she's a brilliant bargain hunter.

And she's pretty good at flogging it as well.

What she doesn't know about antiques

you could write on the back of a Georgian silver teaspoon.

You got it yet?

Going...

Going... Gone!

It's Anita Manning. Hey-hey!

And we're going to be making waves on this beautiful steamboat.

The very one that Anita and her family used to take

on their holidays way back when

and it's the last remaining vessel of its kind in the world.

Anita was born in 1947, to Annette and Francis Healey

and grew up in Glasgow

along with her younger siblings, Eileen and Francis.

As a child, her working-class father, who was an engineer by trade,

would often take her to the auctions,

where she fell in love with the treasures,

the excitement and its sense of theatre.

All of which would lead to Anita taking up a career

in antiques later on in life.

I can't wait to get this holiday started!

Oh ho!

-Len!

-Lovely to meet you.

-It's lovely to see you.

-And you.

-Where are we going?

-Doon the watter to Rothesay.

-Do you mean, "Down the water?"

-No.

-No.

Doon the watter. Ha!

And we're going to sail down the Clyde to Rothesay on the Waverley.

And what year is it?

Well, we're going back a long, long, long, long time...

-THEY LAUGH

-..to 1959.

-Well, we better get on before it sets sail.

-Yeah, let's go.

-After you.

So, we're off, doon the watter.

Back in the day, during a holiday called The Glasgow Fair,

most local businesses and factory workers and their families

would head off on holiday.

Every year, tens of thousands of people would travel

to seaside locations on the Firth of Clyde

and this practice became known as going 'doon the watter'.

Today, I'm sailing Anita back

to relive those happy, fun-filled holiday trips she took to Rothesay.

-And I've had many an intelligent conversation with a donkey.

-Really?

THEY LAUGH

Remembering her childhood holiday highs...

-Cheers.

-Good health.

-Oh! A pint of milk!

-And we've got a pint of milk.

Of course, we would.

..and skipping the light fantastic, through those memory banks.

"And if they catch us in the glen..."

I'll tickle you with a feather. THEY LAUGH

Before any holiday truly begins,

first you must set out on a journey.

We all remember the eager anticipation of the magical moments

that lie in wait at our dream destination.

For Anita in 1959,

her holiday started in style, aboard the wonderful Waverley steamboat,

sailing up the Clyde towards the Isle of Bute.

How old were you then, in '59?

Well, I was 11 or 12 at that time so, I was just a kid.

Just a wee kid.

So, this would be our fortnight holiday.

So, you must've been so excited. Off you went.

Oh, it was absolutely wonderful.

It was the culmination of about a month of my mum getting ready.

Doing all that washing and ironing and sewing

-and all that sort of stuff and grumbling.

-Yes, of course.

And then a lorry would arrive at the house

and collect our hamper, you know?

All of our clothes were put in a hamper.

-Not a picnic hamper, a big hamper.

-Yeah, yeah.

And sent down to Rothesay, so that we...

Everything was there when we got there.

So, your clothing was sent on.

-Yes, very posh.

-Yeah, so, were you a posh family?

No. My dad was an engineer.

Back in '59, there was a respectability

that everybody tried to maintain.

It didn't matter how poor they were or how rich they were.

-That was the thing, respectability.

-That's absolutely right.

-Yeah.

-The mums and dads wanted the best for their children.

-Yeah, yeah.

And look. Look how we turned out.

SHE LAUGHS

Back in 1959, when Anita was holidaying on Bute,

it was also the year that the Royal Mail introduced the first postcode

on a trial basis in Norwich.

Nowadays, there are nearly 1.8 million postcodes in the UK.

Even Father Christmas has one!

The epic movie Ben Hur starring Charlton Heston

was the highest-grossing movie of the year,

over 15,000 extras were used for the famous chariot scene

and the film would eventually win 11 Oscars,

something only equalled by Titanic and The Lord of the Rings.

1959 was also the year in which Buddy Holly,

Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper were tragically killed

in a plane crash.

An event that would be immortalised by Don McLean

in the 1972 song American Pie.

Anita didn't get into the antiques trade until later in life,

but it's a passion she had from an early age.

Do you think, you know, coming on these old vessels and so on

-gave you a love of antiques and older things?

-Yeah.

I mean, as a wee girl,

I loved my granny's house with the old, red mahogany furniture

and the yellowing ivory piano keys

and the Highland coo looking down at you from...

You know, all these things were fascinating.

So, I suppose, as a wee, wee girl, you know,

I was drawn towards these things.

They seemed to tell me stories.

Like, old things told me stories and I love stories.

So, to come on the Waverley...

And it was like something from the past.

At the heart of the ship

is a magnificent, 2,100 horsepower steam engine

capable of producing a maximum speed of 18 knots.

Anita's dad was an ex-seaman and an engineer,

so he'd love nothing more than taking her to the engine room

to watch this impressive boat in action.

So, I've arranged to take her back there today

to ignite some cherished family memories.

So, did you always come down to the engine room?

Yes. Now, this was the thing about paddle steamers, Len,

these big pistons were always on show

and there was always folk down here looking at them.

-Oh! Smell that?

-Yeah, that burning oil.

That reminds me of my dad.

My dad would spend most of his time in two places,

here or in the bar.

-And the noise, the smell, it's just lovely!

-I know.

And everything's so beautifully maintained, you know?

If you look at these pressure gauges here

and how all the wonderful copper is polished.

Everything is shipshape and everything is beautiful.

It's a privilege to be on this boat with you

sharing your holidays memories and looking at this machinery.

It's just fantastic.

One man who knows plenty about this paddle steamer's past

is historian Alastair Durie.

The Waverley is the last of the line of paddle steamers

of which there used to be dozens in this area.

One of the words in Glaswegian patois

that owes its origin to the steamboats coming to Rothesay

is the word 'steaming'.

And that refers to the practice of Sunday boats

on which drink was sold to people who were genuine travellers

and they drank too much.

And the steamboats become associated

with steaming people arriving on a Sunday.

In the 1900s, a fifth of all ships in the world

were made on the River Clyde.

Famous boats built here include the Cutty Sark, the QE2

and of course, my personal favourite, The Waverley!

She was built in 1946 to replace the former PS Waverley,

which was sunk during the war helping to evacuate troops from Dunkirk.

Originally, the new Waverley was a huge hit,

but when holidaying on the Continent became popular,

passenger numbers fell.

This decline threatened the Waverley,

but thankfully, the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society were presented

with an opportunity that even bargain hunter Anita

would have found hard to resist.

As honorary branch president Douglas McGowan, remembers fondly.

And you got the Waverley for £1?

Yes, back in 1974.

I bought the Waverley

on behalf of the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society for £1.

A lot of people said I was robbed.

THEY LAUGH

That's the best bargain I've ever heard of.

Was it in bad condition at that time?

Is that what you got it so cheaply?

Yes, they had taken her out of service, the previous owners,

because she needed a lot of money spent on her.

I mean, we didn't know what to do with her, you know?

We were just a bunch of enthusiasts and we thought,

"What on earth do we do with her?"

So, we launched a public appeal and we raised £100,000.

To get it into this fantastic condition must've cost...

Well, millions.

Well, we've been running the ship for almost 40 years now

and we've probably spent in excess of £30 million keeping her going

because she needs an annual refit, which is very expensive.

So, yes, it was £1, but a lot of money since.

But it gives pleasure to so many people.

We've probably carried over 5 million passengers since 1975.

If you go back even 100 years to, you know, 1914,

there were dozens and dozens of paddle steamers on the Clyde

-and elsewhere in the UK.

-Yeah.

-They were 10 a penny.

And now this is the very last seagoing paddle steamer.

In 1959, there were still quite a few around, yeah.

There were steamers going back and forward, up and down

-and back and forward.

-That's right. That's right.

I remember waving to, you know, the other passengers and so on.

Yes, in fact, in the heyday of the Clyde,

various competing companies would be racing for the pier

and the steamer that got there first with the passengers,

they were...they were really popular.

40 years ago, this is believe it or not, that is me there.

-Never!

-That is me.

-Never.

-I can assure you.

This is my partner in crime, Terry Sylvester

and those are the two chaps who were selling us the Waverley

for £1 in 1974.

-And there's the pound going across.

-That's the pound going across.

Well, now, Douglas, it's obvious...looking at you there

that the expense and the worry's taken its toll.

I'm more than happy to pass you £1 and take over the responsibilities.

Len, I'm...I'm speechless. Thank you very much, indeed.

After the 3.5-hour boat ride, tourists finally arrive

at the pretty seaside town of Rothesay.

Within easy reach of Glasgow,

the Isle of Bute has always been a popular destination

with families and young revellers.

It lies within the Firth of Clyde,

tucked into the spectacular sea lochs of southern Argyll.

Once dubbed 'the Madeira of Scotland',

the unusual, warm microclimate made Bute

the most popular Scottish holiday destination of the '30s

with tens of thousands choosing to holiday here in Rothesay every year.

So, Anita, in 1959, this must have been packed with people.

It was absolutely mobbed

and you were holding on to your mum's coat,

so that you wouldn't get lost.

And we could see the esplanade along there

with people walking back and forward.

They were on their holiday.

They were all dressed up. They were having a great time.

We could see the castle up there. Wonderful! Oh, a castle.

A real castle!

And actually, the first time that I came here,

it was the first time that I'd seen a real castle with a moat!

We could see Zavaroni's ice cream.

The first thing we wanted was a pokey hat.

-Know what a 'pokey hat' is?

-No.

-Oh, it's an ice cream cone, isn't it?

-Oh, the cone, yeah.

-Yeah.

-Pokey hat.

Yeah, that is a pokey hat with raspberry or chocolate

-or a piece of chocolate, a 99 or something on it.

-Yeah.

So, I've come doon the watter and now, I'm craving a pokey hat!

I've learnt all kinds today!

Well, first things first,

I want to find out all about Anita's holiday accommodation in 1959.

And I'm hoping she's got a very special wee word even for that.

Well, Anita, there's some lovely buildings here.

Did you stay here along the front?

No, we would stay in a more modest type of accommodation.

We would stay in what was called a but 'n' ben.

-A but 'n' ben.

-Yes.

I suppose you'd call it a holiday apartment, if you're posh,

but a but 'n' ben was a name for it. It was a two-roomed apartment.

The mum and dad would maybe stay...

Sleep in the bedroom

and very often the kitchen would have an alcove

and there would be a bed in that

and all the weans would sleep in that.

And it was in a...a sandstone tenement building.

That...that narrows it down cos they're virtually all sandstone.

Rothesay's seen some changes since 1959,

but the kind of but 'n' ben Anita would have stayed in back then

would have cost her folks about £5 a week.

Part of the magic of any childhood holiday

is the excitement of staying somewhere different.

The sights, the smells and the thrill of having a new bed to lie in.

Rothesay started out as a destination for the middle and upper classes,

who came and built their own holiday homes here

where they'd spend the summer.

But as time went on, Rothesay became a popular place

for the working classes too, with whole families flocking here

and squeezing themselves into small, two-room apartments.

There's an interesting phrase, 'sleeping the Rothesay way'.

And what happens is, working-class families arrive,

they take a single-room apartment,

they cram 13 people in and how do you do that?

You sleep across the bed instead of up and down it.

As dedicated sun-seekers chose to holiday abroad,

the Isle of Bute may have seen

a decline in visitor numbers in recent years,

but she still attracts over 21,000 tourists each year

and has plenty to offer for the young and old. Here is my Ten From Len.

The Isle Of Bute has been inhabited since prehistoric times

and today is home to around 6,500 people.

The rich history of life on the island can be explored

at The Bute Discovery Centre inside Rothesay's winter gardens.

The visitor centre has interactive displays,

exhibitions as well as a cinema.

It's a one-stop shop for brushing up on local history.

The Isle of Bute is just 15 miles long by 4 miles wide.

Blessed with a milder climate due to the gulf stream,

it boasts beautiful plants and even palm trees!

The open-top bus tour takes in the rich tapestry of flora and fauna

and offers stunning vistas across the island.

On the South Western side of the Island sits Scalpsie Bay.

It served as the perfect testing ground for our brave boys to train

for the D-Day Landings during World War II.

The rocks make the perfect habitat for seals,

who have made a colony here, giving it the name Seal View.

The island is bursting with beautiful scenery

and one of the best views is from 7th hole at Rothesay Golf Club.

Looking out over the Firth of Clyde and the Cowal Peninsula,

this viewpoint is named Canada Hill, as families would climb to the top

to wave off their loved ones as they set off across the Atlantic

for a new life abroad.

Anita told me that as soon as her family arrived

the kids bolted straight to the ice cream shop

and this is the very one she went to way back then.

It's owned by the family of the late Lena Zavaroni.

Anita loved nothing more than a pokey hat,

which is ice cream in a cone to you and me.

But you can also get a McCallum, which is a cone with raspberry sauce.

See? I've learnt a lot of the lingo!

And if Anita thinks she's getting the lion's share of the white stuff,

she's in for a surprise, let me tell you.

-I'm going to have a pokey hat.

-A pokey hat.

-Yeah, and yourself?

I think I'll have a McCallum.

Would you like to do it yourself?

This might be the best offer you have all day!

Oh, this is turning into the holiday of my lifetime. I'm telling you.

Oh, yes, please!

-Take my...my pokey hat.

-Pokey hat.

-In I go.

-A nice big one.

-Wow!

And there you are. That's a three-penny one.

Is that nice?

That is gorgeous.

-Do you want to come in here and have a go?

-Yeah.

Now, you've seen I've got the knack of this. I could work here.

-Well, you're a lot cleverer than me.

-I wish.

-Don't give up the day job, though.

-No, no fear.

-It's harder than you think.

-Oh, yeah.

-Oop.

SHE LAUGHS

You've got to give it a...give it a couple of them. Look at that!

That is at least a nine penny.

-Beautiful.

-Mm.

-That's lovely, isn't it?

-It looks gorgeous. It really does.

Do you know what? Give me that...jollop.

I can't... I can't...

Now, I've got on a roll now.

And I'm not finished yet. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, I'm going to really annoy you now.

Ah!

-Cheers.

-Good health.

THEY LAUGH

Now, I've got Anita's Scottish lingo nailed,

I think it's time I really made myself at home here in Rothesay.

Anita.

Oh, Len, you're lovely.

You've taught me so many Scottish words.

I sort of feel Scottish all of a sudden now.

-So, I thought I'd get this.

-Do know what it is?

-What is it?

It's a bunnet.

-A bonnet.

-No, not a bonnet.

-A bunnet.

-A bunnet!

-That's it!

-A bunnet. Oh.

Len, you're a wee sartorial delight.

Thank you, Anita.

THEY LAUGH

The Isle of Bute is often called 'a jewel in the crown of Scotland'

and it's easy to see why.

This area is beautifully kept. It's manicured. It's beautiful.

-And pitch and putt.

-Putt.

-I want to play. Do you play golf?

-Yes, I do.

-Oh, no! Oh, no!

-I've played golf for 50 years.

I haven't played pitch and putt for 50 years.

All right, you'll probably beat me then.

THEY LAUGH

The first purpose-built pitch and putt course for public use, possibly

in the world, was opened on the seafront at Southsea

in Portsmouth in 1914.

During the inter-war years,

pitch and putt courses sprang up at seaside resorts all over

Britain, for the entertainment of non-golfing holidaymakers.

Anita has fond memories of playing here back in 1959.

And a game would have cost them a mere sixpence.

Bet it costs more now.

-Here we go. Hello. Are you treating me today?

-I'm treating you.

Two putters, two balls, please.

-Do we qualify for concessions?

-Yes.

-Do we?

See? There's advantages to getting on a bit.

-Do you fancy a polka dot?

-A polka dot would be fine.

-Thank you.

-I'm going to go for white for purity. Here we go.

It's a long time since I've played this.

Well, now, turn it round first, and use it as a walking stick.

It's always good at our age.

-Number 12.

-OK. A good whack.

Oh, gee!

What's happened there?

-That's a little off target.

-I think I was heading for 12.

Well, let's go for 12 cos you're near that now.

Instead of ten, we'll go for 12.

You're 12 years old, you're nearly a teenager, did you get a bit

embarrassed playing pitch and putt with your mum and dad?

-Were you looking at boys at that...?

-Yeah!

There used to be a fairground down there.

And there were some really dangerous looking lads who spun the waltzers.

I mean, I was too young to sort of smile at anything,

but you'd think, "Oh, they're interesting looking boys."

So there was a wee kind of bit about that, you know.

-Right.

-Roll it up.

Very, very acceptable.

My go.

-Ooh!

-Wow!

-All right.

-All right, now go on.

In she goes.

-Ooooh!

-Well done.

Champion the Wonder Horse!

I'm interested really to know

how you first got the antique bug.

My dad, who was a fascinating character,

used to take me to the auctions.

And it was a fascinating place. It was like a theatre.

Because you had this chap up in the rostrum, the auctioneer,

and you had all the bidders, and they were all part of the theatre.

Yeah.

And nobody knew who was going to win the bids, so there was a tension.

-Yeah.

-And it was backdropped by all these weird and wonderful things.

-So I'm sure that I felt that fascination as a wee girl.

-Yeah.

'Anita may have not played for over 50 years,

'but she's still got that magic touch,

'I'd better watch this one.'

-LEN:

-The island's eclectic architecture is impressive,

but Mount Stuart House, in the west of the island, is a sight to behold.

Built for the third Marquis of Bute,

this neo-gothic mansion took 35 years to build.

Its lavish interior draws on architectural

inspiration from all over the world.

It was the first home in Scotland to have electricity

and the first in the world to have its own heated indoor swimming pool.

Scotland has more than 30,000 lochs,

three of which can be found on the Isle of Bute.

The tranquil Loch Fad lies directly to the southwest of the island.

It's home to brown trout, rainbow trout and northern pike -

perfect for anglers and those seeking quiet contemplation.

B&B stands for big business on Bute with 24 of them to choose from.

One of these is more than just the usual bed and breakfast.

From Scottish soda bread and tattie scones to focaccia

and pizza bread,

this school provides an opportunity to learn a new

skill in the fine art of bread making.

No trip away is complete without eating special holiday food.

The memories of those tastes, smells and textures stay with us forever.

When Anita holidayed in Rothesay,

lunch was always a family picnic lovingly made by her mum, Annette.

Now, what would you have had for lunch?

Lunch... Lunch could be pieces, which are sandwiches.

-Pieces?

-Pieces, yeah.

But it could be a piece and cheese, piece and gammon.

And what would you have been drinking?

Well, Irn Bru.

We didn't call it Irn Bru, we called it ginger.

-Oh, right.

-We called it ginger. Again, I don't know why.

So that would all be bought before.

A pint of milk there, pieces, and she used to wrap them up in the...

-You know the sort of waxy cloth or waxy...?

-White, waxy paper.

-Paper!

That's right. The paper that the bread had come in.

Yeah. What would it be in?

I suppose there weren't carrier bags. I don't remember carrier bags.

I don't remember carrier bags either,

but what my mum used was her message bag.

-And your message bag is your shopping bag.

-Right.

So she would have her message bag.

And it was a sort of brown thing with a zip - I think there was

a zip on it - and two handles, not a shoulder bag.

I suppose, really...

..it would have been something like that.

SHE LAUGHS

I don't believe it!

-I don't believe it!

-And we have a...

-A pint of milk!

-A pint of milk!

-Of course we would!

The ginger.

And we'd have our pieces wrapped up

-in the loaf pack.

-Oooh!

Oh, an outsider!

An outsider?

The outsider is the one at the end.

Oh, my mum used to call that the topper.

Oh, no, we were outsiders.

Would you care for an outsider?

Aw.

Welcome to 1959.

-Total happiness.

-Yes! Perfect.

Wee cheesies!

-SCOTTISH ACCENT:

-A wee cheesy outsider!

THEY LAUGH

-I love your accent.

-Oh, yeah!

I'm getting to be really Scottish here, you know.

-There you go, have a swig.

-Thank you, darling.

-A slug.

-Have a slug.

Oh, an outsider.

Ha-ha!

Nectar. Ambrosia.

It's like Chardonnay.

I'm going to have another go at that.

-Oh, yes!

-You couldn't really want for anything more, could you?

Well, it would be nice if the rain stopped.

THEY LAUGH

But apart from that, no.

Apart from that, it's heaven.

You couldn't wish for anything better, could you?

Not only are there plenty of pretty places to picnic, but there's

lots of historic sites to see to keep the old brain fuelled, too.

Standing proud in the heart of the town

is the imposing Rothesay Castle.

It dates back to the 13th century

and was built to defend against Norwegian fleets.

Its circular structure makes it unique to Scotland, and visitors

can step back in time and learn about Rothesay's turbulent past.

Dominating the southwest coast of the island is

Dunagoil's Iron Age fort.

Thought to have been occupied from approximately 200 BC to 100 AD,

excavations revealed many interesting artefacts

including jewellery, tools and pottery.

With caves below and fantastic views on top, this is a real treat.

In its heyday,

Rothesay welcomed 250,000 holidaymakers every year.

Victorian innovator Thomas William Twyford designed a decadent

public convenience for the gentlemen travellers,

and 115 years later the toilets still stand as a testament

to a bygone era.

Apart from the cisterns in the cubicles,

all the original fitments remain as supplied in 1899.

Today, gentlemen travellers and curious women are permitted to take

a sneaky peak at these lavish loos.

Now, when on a seaside holiday,

the place to be is by the sea, of course, and it was the aptly

named Children's Corner in Rothesay Bay,

where the kids would flock.

Back in 1959,

when families were coming across from Glasgow,

this was still a magic place

in terms of what it could offer.

The beach was great for a child who had never seen a beach.

Glasgow has no beaches.

Lots of mud and a river, but no beaches.

And they came here, and for the first time,

they could explore,

they could experience the delights of playing with sand,

of riding a donkey, of watching a Punch and Judy show,

of eating ice cream - all the things that go into the seaside experience.

It still had an appeal and a hold then.

For Anita, the beach was where she'd spend most of her holidays.

Well, Anita, you were a girl brought up in the city,

so to come to the beach must have been fantastic.

-It was great! It was marvellous. I got a wee part-time job.

-Oh, really?

-Leading the donkeys up and down.

-No!

-Really?

-Yeah.

-I can picture you now,

leading the donkeys along.

It must have been fantastic.

And I'll tell you what, Anita, I've got a little surprise for you here.

All right.

So don't get overemotional, but if you'll just look over there,

you'll see...the donkeys.

Oh!

This is the quietest I've seen Anita all day, and it's the

first time donkeys have been back on the beach for around 40 years.

Oh!

Oh!

-Aren't they just absolutely beautiful?

-They are.

The tradition of seaside donkey rides started back

in Victorian times.

And in 1959, a ride in Rothesay

would have cost about thrupence.

Believe it or not, in Blackpool these days, you can

pay for your donkey ride by card.

Oh, how times have changed!

-What's this one's name?

-Hello.

-Mickey.

Hello, Mickey.

Oh, they're lovely!

-And what's this one?

-This is Minnie.

-Minnie.

-Ah-ha, yeah.

-Mickey and Minnie.

Why don't you try your old job as a child and try and lead one along?

-I think Minnie...

-Minnie's quieter.

Have a go with Minnie.

-There's a good girl.

-I would imagine when you was

a slip of a girl, that you had

plenty of patter even then to get round the donkey man.

You've got to talk to the donkey man,

but you've also got to talk to the donkeys.

And I've had many an intelligent conversation with a donkey.

You were the first female auctioneer in Scotland.

How did that come about?

I really... I suppose another one of those chance things.

-My daughter suggested that we go into business together.

-Yeah.

So 25 years ago, we started Great Western Auctions.

-Right.

-And it has just grown.

And it is the most wonderful, wonderful thing to do

and the most wonderful job to do.

Imagine this, you're just coming up and you say, "It's lot 162,

"in fine condition. It's Len Goodman."

What would be the starting price, do you think?

What could we start? Say it was a charity. 20,000?

-20...!

-20,000.

£20,000!

A one-off.

Slightly chipped round the base.

But still very serviceable.

THEY LAUGH

-Len, I love this.

-It's great.

Even at my age, I'm getting a little bit of buzz

from leading this donkey up.

Well, you didn't expect today, when you arrived,

that you'd be leading a donkey up the beach.

This has been the best surprise for a long time.

-And I've made a firm friend.

-You have indeed.

Oh, no, here we go. No! Anita!

Anita, why...?

I'm going to pot shot here.

-No, stop it.

-That donkey is leading you a merry dance.

-He certainly is.

Another favourite holiday haunt for Anita

and her family was the Pavilion -

one of Scotland's most significant surviving Art Deco buildings.

The Grade A listed Pavilion was opened in 1938

and was the place to go back in the day.

Anita has clocked up thousands of miles entertaining

viewers on Antiques Roadtrip, but I'd like to know

if the 12-year-old girl was just as confident back then.

This is lovely. What a lovely room.

It's beautiful.

So, your mum and dad were here having a dance,

was you embarrassed or were you proud of them?

I was so proud of them because my father looked like a Spaniard,

he was so handsome with his dark, wavy hair and his brown eyes.

-And my mum was a sort of fluffy blonde.

-Oh, right.

And they were all dressed up and swanked up

and they were good dancers.

So I felt quite proud of them.

There would be activities for the children,

-but we would also have wee shows.

-Oh, really?

Yes, where we would entertain the other children.

-And what about you?

-Well...

I was a wee bit serious at times, so what I did was I recited poetry.

Oh, lovely!

-Oh, I love poetry.

-Well, I'll give you a wee show.

-Yes, please.

-Right, you can be all the kids.

-I'm the...yeah.

I'll be Anita Healey, right?

"A chieftain to the Highlands bound, cries, 'Boatman, do not tarry,

"'and I will give you a silver pound to row us o'er the ferry.'

"And fast before her father's men, three days we rowed together.

"And if they catch us in the glen..."

"I'll tickle you with a feather."

THEY LAUGH

So, do you think this, you know, um, joy of performing and so on,

do you think that sort of helped you in later life?

Because you are, when you get up on that rostrum, you are a performer.

-It is a performance.

-I suppose it's just a pleasure for me.

It's just like play.

And I think that we should never lose that sense of play

and adventure and fun.

And if we have that all our life, then that's a great boon.

Now, I've been told that this floor is not only

one of the best in Scotland or the UK, but in the whole of Europe.

And it would be a pleasure for me

if we just had a little bit of a shuffle round, what do you think?

-Are you dancing?

-Are you asking?

Maestro, the music, please.

MUSIC STARTS

BOTH: One, two, three, four.

Hey!

Ha-ha-ha!

Ha-ha! Thank you!

-Oh!

-Great!

It's clear that Anita has fond memories of performing

as a child - and it's proved useful in later life as, like me,

she enjoyed her big break in TV in her golden years.

I do enjoy watching Antiques Roadtrip -

the cranky old cars, visiting all different parts of the UK.

Who's your favourite that you've worked with?

I mean, I know this sounds awful cheesy, but I love them all.

And the Antiques Roadtrip gives us

a chance to get to know each other better.

On the other programmes, we're doing our work,

we're coming and going and so on, but in the Antiques Roadtrip,

we're stuck together in those wee cars.

And you really get to know everybody.

So I couldn't say I've got a favourite. I just love them all!

Ho-ho-ho! Are you proud of everything that you've achieved?

I am happy that I do everything with gusto and enthusiasm

and really just trying to enjoy doing the best I can and getting

the most out of all the wonderful things that happen in my life.

Well, I've certainly got to know Anita on our own trip together,

and what a tremendous time we've had...

-Smell that.

-Yeah, the burning oil.

-That reminds me of my dad.

'..remembering the happy holidays she had as a child in Rothesay...'

Even at my age, I'm getting a little bit of buzz

from leading this donkey up.

'..sampling all the delights of her seaside trips...'

Is that nice?

That is gorgeous.

'..and learning a thing or two along the way.'

-We would stand in what was called a but 'n' ben.

-A but 'n' ben?

-Yes.

Well, I've got to tell you, Anita, this has been so much fun.

I really enjoyed... And I hope it's brought back a few happy memories

of your childhood back in '59.

-Many happy memories.

-Well, I've got a little thing here for you.

So this is just a little keepsake for you to

remember our day down by the seaside.

-And who's that lovely looking guy in front?

-With the boyish grin.

A scrapbook of memories from a wonderful day here in Rothesay.

And bearing in mind how much Anita loved the holidays she had here,

I've a little something special for her, too.

This is a guide to Rothesay

and the Isle of Bute, Treasure Island,

from 1959.

Isn't that absolutely wonderful?

And there's a Viking all ready to storm the castle.

And there's the wonderful Isle of Bute.

-It's only six pence.

-Six pence.

-It's worth more than that now.

-I bet it is.

I don't want to see that suddenly turning up at one of your auctions.

No, I promise!

-Thank you so much.

-One more thing.

SHE GASPS

Bottle...

Wait a minute, I'm going to do something now, I'm going

to put my hat on.

-SCOTTISH ACCENT:

-A bottle of ginger.

I feel like a real Scotsman now.

Oh, that's great. What a wonderful day.

You have been fantastic. I take my cap off to you.

Ha-ha-ha!

Here we go, the boat has arrived, off we go.

And so we say goodbye to the seaside town of Rothesay

and the wonderful holiday memories

of the Queen of Antiques, Anita Manning.