Daughter of Willerby holiday homes founder Jean, 92, sees fruits of her father's labour

SHE ENJOYED VIP TOUR AND A CHANCE TO REMINISCE

- By DEBORAH HALL

HOLIDAY home manufacturer Willerby has taken a trip down memory lane by reuniting with the daughter of the man who founded the business almost 80 years ago.

The Hull-based UK market leader invited Jean Morris, the only child of the company's founder, Walter Allan, to take a tour of a modern Willerby holiday home to see the fruits of her late father's labour. Jean, 92, was joined by her son, Simon, and daughter-in-law, Deborah, for a VIP tour at Hendra Holiday Park, in Cornwall, with the family also being presented with a special Willerby Owners Club welcome pack in recognition of their connection to the business.

The family said Walter would be delighted to see how Willerby has grown over the years and thrilled by how much caravans have evolved over the past eight decades. Jean said: "When my father started the business, the first caravans were two-berth, tiny and really light.

"They were made from metal tubes with a canvas cover and later they were built from painted hardboard. There's just no comparison between the original Willerby caravans and the holiday homes built today.

"I think my father would be absolutely thrilled to see how far they've come. He started the business hand-building caravans from a small shed.

"I don't think he could ever have imagined what it is today. He would be delighted."

Willerby organised the VIP meeting after Jean read an article about the company's achievements and called the head office out of the blue to say her father would be proud to see how far the business he founded had come. During the reunion, Jean was able to shed light on her father's extraordinary life as well as details of Willerby's early days, which have been lost to time.