He was at the centre of Great Yarmouth's second 'golden age' of tourism in the years following the Second World War.
John McNamara, who ran several hotels in the town during its heyday from the 1950s through to the turn of the century, has died at the age of 96-years-old.
For half a century, he was one of the resort's leading hoteliers, running seafront businesses and promoting the town to generations of holidaymakers.
Together with his wider family of aunts, uncles, cousins and in-laws, the hotel dynasty ran a wide array of Yarmouth hotels including the Hadleigh, The Marine Court, The Palm Court, The Flamboro, The Central, Ocean Edge, St. George, Dolphin Court and The Granby.
At one point they operated more than a dozen hotels and restaurants in the town and organised a cooperative approach to catering for thousands of holidaymakers every year, even when war-time rations still applied, before they were phased out completely in 1954.
Like many of his contemporaries, Mr McNamara first moved to Great Yarmouth after his national service ended in 1948, joining many of his family who had already moved to the town before the war.
He was born in Dartford, Kent, and lived in Lewisham before moving to Norfolk.
He met his wife Anne Ronan, from Doncaster, who was working in Great Yarmouth for the summer season at his cousin Fred Scott’s hotel, the Central, in 1949.
They met at the Winter Gardens and were married in 1951.
Together they helped forge many successful businesses including the Flamboro hotel and restaurant, which served more than 1,200 meals a day despite rationing, when the town’s popularity as a holiday destination soared in the immediate post-war years.
READ MORE: Look back to when holidaymakers flocked to Great Yarmouth and Gorleston-on-Sea in 50s
This period became the town’s second 'golden age' of tourism, as post-war austerity gave way to a generation of people making a bee-line to the East Coast to enjoy the golden sands, fresh air and the plentiful hotels and B&Bs.
Mr McNamara also ran the Hadleigh Hotel, The Central Hotel, the café in the Central Arcade and founded the Marine Court Hotel, adjacent to the Waterways, on retirement obtaining planning permission to convert it from a hotel into a residential home.
He worked tirelessly to help deliver the annual Midnight Matinees for decades. The events featured some of the biggest stars of the summertime shows and raised thousands for charities over the years.
He was treasurer and president of the town’s Holiday Association, and treasurer of the Publicity Association, working closely with partners including the Town Council in promoting Great Yarmouth.
READ MORE: 'Prolific cricketer' who immersed himself in village life dies aged 61
During the quieter winter months, he attended trade shows and exhibitions across the UK promoting summer holidays in Great Yarmouth.
Mr McNamara also had a long association with local darts leagues in and around the town.
He was treasurer of the Yarmouth Darts league for more 40 years and a well-known figure in the game, playing for and captaining Thursday night darts teams at pubs including the Colombia Tavern and the Lord Roberts.
In later years he enjoyed playing bowls at the Marina Centre
He and his wife Anne, who died in 2012, are survived by their three children, Susan, Angela and John, their seven grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
He died on March 3 at the James Paget Hospital. The funeral service will be held at the Gorleston Crematorium on April 2.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here