And they think the beaches are packed out
- Thread starter Amateur
- Start date
Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:
Yawn!
Blackswanwood
Still Learning
That’s a great picture - not a bikini or pair of board shorts in sight!
The Lancashire towns all went on holiday at once and together to allow the mills to carry out maintenance during Wakes week. I remember my grandmother telling me how Oldham became a ghost town - her father was a fitter in one of the mills so they stayed behind.
The Lancashire towns all went on holiday at once and together to allow the mills to carry out maintenance during Wakes week. I remember my grandmother telling me how Oldham became a ghost town - her father was a fitter in one of the mills so they stayed behind.
Same in the pit towns as well my father told me. Each pit town booked their week in their nearest resort scheduling it along with the other local pits so they didn't clash too much. The pit would close entirely, the horses would go to a local farm and the whole town would be bussed off for their holiday so the kids would all be with their school friends as well. I am told the cost was taken out of the wages each week but I am not sure if that was a universal thing or just happened in that particular pit.
Phil Pascoe
Established Member
I believe the large towns and cities of the North and Midlands closed down for different weeks.
JobandKnock
Amateur curmudgeon
They did indeed, they were called Wakes weeks and they continued until relatively recently but have petered out in the last 20 or so years, mainly because of changing employment patterns. Same in Scotland. I can remember even in the 1960s Blsckpool still had a "Scottish week" ,(well, more like a Scottish fortnight) in July when the place was wall to wall "weegie" accents
PhilipL
Established Member
Are you sure it's Victorian? Looks more like the 1920's to me.
I grew up outside Edinburgh and my mates all went to Blackpool - how I envied them - during 'Trades Fortnight'. We went to Caithness.
I grew up outside Edinburgh and my mates all went to Blackpool - how I envied them - during 'Trades Fortnight'. We went to Caithness.
I was thinking 1930s or 1940s
Jester129
Established Member
Leicester had 'July Fortnight', the first 2 weeks in July. I think Derby might have been the second 2 weeks.
It was always known as 'July Fortnight' as far back as I can remember. We were lucky to get a day trip to Skegness (Skeggy) on a Barton bus from Humberstone Gate, usually on a Saturday and the area was packed with coaches going to different places. Happy days, we didn't know anything better.
Anybody else remember them?
It was always known as 'July Fortnight' as far back as I can remember. We were lucky to get a day trip to Skegness (Skeggy) on a Barton bus from Humberstone Gate, usually on a Saturday and the area was packed with coaches going to different places. Happy days, we didn't know anything better.
Anybody else remember them?
JobandKnock
Amateur curmudgeon
Yes. There's what looks like a rounded ice cream van on the left there, either later - or that's the tardis
Cabinetman
Established Member
Yes it looks 30s or 40s from the fashions, I think what are you thinking is an ice cream van is actually a tea van that is shaped like a teapot. Interesting.Ian
Keith 66
Established Member
You tell this to the young people of today & they wont believe you.
JobandKnock
Amateur curmudgeon
What? That people drink tea?
Probably ask if it was tumeric and hibiscus or something.
Trafford Park manchester not only had the industrial centre based there, it also housed the workers for the many engineering companies on the park.
They in turn had their own lake and boating for the employees to enjoy what off time they had. Some of the old films and photos of the era show a happy community life.
Whats worrying is the time spans between total changes in the way of life we have. Its getting shorter and shorter between major developments.
And the young, God bless em, think that being a computer wizz will last forever as a job. At the moment Manchester is classed as the place to work and rolling contracts for developers etc are available in abundance.
I fear at some point as the millions employed get older and set in their ways there will be another huge swing in technological development.....now we can see this because,....well we are old farts and have been through it.
But no one believes us now as they plough on relentless.
But come the dawning of new technology where internet,mgbts, etc are tucked away in the corner of a museum it would be wise to add more strings to the bow.
And I hold my hand up to the fact the photo is not Victorian.....and the tea pot which actually served pots of tea was still going strong in the 50s.
And tucked in there, which you can just see in the actual photograph is a man with two donkeys completely surrounded trying to sell rides to kids.
And tucked in there, which you can just see in the actual photograph is a man with two donkeys completely surrounded trying to sell rides to kids.
You have a table saw powered by an MG B? Or am I misunderstanding something? I would think a lot of MG Bs are already in museums.
JobandKnock
Amateur curmudgeon
Best place for them. They were awful things - sort of a Spridget on steroids (that or an A60 Cambridge with the top cut and shut) but with very little more performance and far soggier handling. I "graduated" to a BGT from a mk.4 Sprout (so called because it was green...) and was so impressed that I sold it 3 months later and bought a mk.3 Midget. Happy days.
As to working class holiday places, near Rochdale there's a little place which goes by the name of "Rochdale on Sea", even though it's 500ft above sea level and in the middle of the Pennines...
