An interesting insight from Showell's 1880 Dictionary into the development and popularity of excursions from Birmingham in the past. Early trips were no more than outings of a few hours, soon to be joined by Saturday half holidays and more adventurous 5 shilling long weekends. The railways played an important part.
"The annual trip to the seaside, or the continent, or some other attractive spot, which has come to be considered almost an essential necessary for the due preservation of health and the sweetening of temper, was a thing altogether unknown to the old folks of our town, who, if by chance they could get as far as Lichfield, Worcester, or Coventry once in their lives, never ceased to talk about it as something wonderful.
The "outing" of a lot of factory hands was an event to be chronicled in Aris's Gazette, whose scribes duly noted the horses and vehicles (not forgetting the master of the band, without whom the "gipsy party" could not be complete), and the destination was seldom indeed further than the Lickey, or Marston Green, or at rarer intervals, Sutton Coldfield or Hagley.
Well-to-do tradesmen and employers of labour were satisfied with a few hours spent at some of the old-style Tea Gardens, or the Crown and Cushion, at Perry Barr, Aston Cross or Tavern, Kirby's, or the New Inn, at Handsworth, &c.
The Saturday half-holiday movement, which came soon after the introduction of the railways, may be reckoned as starting the excursion era proper, and the first Saturday afternoon trip (in 1854) to the Earl of Bradford's, at Castle Bromwich, was an eventful episode even in the life of George Dawson, who accompanied the trippites.
The railway trips of the late past and present seasons are beyond enumeration, and it needs not to be said that anyone with a little spare cash can now be whisked where'er he wills, from John-o'-Groats to the Land's End, for a less sum than our fathers paid to see the Shrewsbury Show, or Lady Godiva's ride at Coventry. As it was "a new departure," and for future reference, we will note that the first five-shilling Saturday-night-to-Monday-morning trip to Llandudno came off on August 14, 1880.
The railway companies do not fail to give ample notice of all long excursions, and for those who prefer the pleasant places in our own district, there is a most interesting publication to be had for 6d., entitled "The Birmingham Saturday Half-holiday Guide," wherein much valuable information is given respecting the nooks and corners of Warwick and Worcester, and their hills and dales".
"The annual trip to the seaside, or the continent, or some other attractive spot, which has come to be considered almost an essential necessary for the due preservation of health and the sweetening of temper, was a thing altogether unknown to the old folks of our town, who, if by chance they could get as far as Lichfield, Worcester, or Coventry once in their lives, never ceased to talk about it as something wonderful.
The "outing" of a lot of factory hands was an event to be chronicled in Aris's Gazette, whose scribes duly noted the horses and vehicles (not forgetting the master of the band, without whom the "gipsy party" could not be complete), and the destination was seldom indeed further than the Lickey, or Marston Green, or at rarer intervals, Sutton Coldfield or Hagley.
Well-to-do tradesmen and employers of labour were satisfied with a few hours spent at some of the old-style Tea Gardens, or the Crown and Cushion, at Perry Barr, Aston Cross or Tavern, Kirby's, or the New Inn, at Handsworth, &c.
The Saturday half-holiday movement, which came soon after the introduction of the railways, may be reckoned as starting the excursion era proper, and the first Saturday afternoon trip (in 1854) to the Earl of Bradford's, at Castle Bromwich, was an eventful episode even in the life of George Dawson, who accompanied the trippites.
The railway trips of the late past and present seasons are beyond enumeration, and it needs not to be said that anyone with a little spare cash can now be whisked where'er he wills, from John-o'-Groats to the Land's End, for a less sum than our fathers paid to see the Shrewsbury Show, or Lady Godiva's ride at Coventry. As it was "a new departure," and for future reference, we will note that the first five-shilling Saturday-night-to-Monday-morning trip to Llandudno came off on August 14, 1880.
The railway companies do not fail to give ample notice of all long excursions, and for those who prefer the pleasant places in our own district, there is a most interesting publication to be had for 6d., entitled "The Birmingham Saturday Half-holiday Guide," wherein much valuable information is given respecting the nooks and corners of Warwick and Worcester, and their hills and dales".
Last edited:
