Butlin's vacation resorts were an institution in post-war Britain. The self-contained camps -- where guests were housed in wooden chalets, fed and entertained on-site -- provided a new kind of inexpensive luxury for working families.

At a time when few could afford overseas travel, the resorts offered "a week's holiday for a week's pay," as they were first advertised.

Beyond the likelihood of rain, Butlin's summer vacations were a uniquely British proposition.