Holidays and Days Out

My parents had very good friends who in earlier years lived at Chapel Hill Farm but subsequently moved to Preston.

We would visit them twice at year: on Easter Monday and then again during the autumn. In the intervening months they would make a reciprocal visit. 

On Easter Monday people would visit Avenham Park in Preston in their thousands. It was a grand day out

and the tradition of rolling chocolate Easter eggs was observed which superseded the rolling of dyed or painted hard boiled eggs. Fairground rides and swing boats were always a big hit with the children.

The Lancashire wakes are best seen as a tradition which became an institution. Each town had its own  tradition, which eventually developed into a week off work - consequently, local towns took their weeks at different times to one another. Rawtenstall traditionally took the  last week of July and first week of August as its two weeks off work. Factories and shops would close, and if supplies of food were needed then you had to travel to the nearest town to collect them.

Many people visited Bispham, Blackpool or Morecambe which were in easy travelling distance by coach if you didn't own a car. Heysham is a quaint old village, one of a string of small communities dotted round the shores of Morecambe Bay, each with a fascinating history of its own and is famous for its non-alcoholic Nettle Beer. I used to find it fascinating that anyone would want to drink nettles, but didn't we all know-it-all at an early age! There used to be a large weighing scale in one of the streets where you had to sit in a bucket like contraption and be counter-balanced. I couldn't understand why people would sit in the chair, in public, to be told of their weight. It was however, an extraordinary piece of machinery - yes - a true tourist gimmick!! 

Looking over the sweep of Morecambe Bay you can see the hills of The Lake District. When we were holidaying there I was trusted to go to the nearest shop to buy a daily paper, this seemed to be a big responsibility and I would stride out along the Prom before breakfast to do this daily task with pride.

The Midland Hotel seemed a quirky building and I couldn't see its place there, now I understand its importance of a renowned Art Deco classic.