The Day That Burton Came to Town

By Phil Bennet

Friday July 24th 1914 -

 Fifteen trains.

Ten thousand people .

A day to remember …

 I do like to be…

One Christmas, friends gave us a 1940s guide to Scarborough and the Yorkshire Coast [1].  In the entry for Scarborough the huge Bass brewery outings to the town got a one-line mention as historical events.  A bit of digging around and we had a history, a facsimile of the excursion guide book, a story, and a song. 

Background

From the mid-1860s the Bass, Ratcliffe and Gretton Brewery in Burton-on-Trent held an annual works outing. Directors, employees and their families would go on a grand day trip to the seaside at the Brewery’s expense.  Every four years from 1890 they came to Scarborough.  The 1914 excursion, just two weeks before the outbreak of World War 1, was the last.  Mr William Walters, the traffic manager, who spent his entire working life organising the excursions, retired a year later – and of course the War changed everything. 

24th July 1914

The first train carrying the blacksmiths, coppersmiths, painters, platelayers, plumbers, tailors, cloggers, fire brigade etc left Burton at 3.40am arriving in Scarborough at 7.30am at the still new Washbeck Excursion station on Londesborough Road.  The last return train arrived back in Burton at 3.05am the following day.  Everyone, irrespective of rank, enjoyed 13 hours in the town. 

Every adult was issued with a 46 page guide book and on production of their excursion ticket gained free access to a number of the town’s attractions at a reduced rate.  Everyone was free to do what they wished, but were to remember that they were representing the company “ I trust that every Employee, and everyone else going with us, will again cheerfully display that spirit of good fellowship which has always characterised Bass’ outing, and that the general behaviour will be of the same high standard as formerly, not only for individual reputation and comfort, but for the credit of Bass, Ratcliff and Gretton, Limited.” 

The guide book is a fascinating read for anyone interested in Scarborough’s history as a seaside town. The multiple attractions included Pierrots at Catlin’s Arcadia, (‘LUXURIOUS SEATING, with tip-up chairs’), donkey rides, brass bands, monkeys and organ-grinders, steamboat trips to Whitby, peepshows and Punch and Judy as well as enjoying the beach. Best of all was the People’s Palace and Aquarium which ran a daily programme of events to entertain and thrill:

 ·       Feeding the Seals

·       Palace concert party

·       Swimming exhibition

·       Alfresco entertainment

·       GRAND VARIETY ENTERTAINMENT

·       Plus ‘Zoo and Monkey House, Ball Room, Distorting Mirrors, Cosmoramic and Stereoscopic Views.’

The Rotunda gets a mention (special admission Three-halfpence, on production of the Railway Ticket’) with visitors exhorted to view ‘the only existing specimen of the long extinct Barrington Island Tortoise, which is extremely valuable… an Old Ducking Chair for scolding women, last used in 1795… a massive Oak Coffin… a good collection of prehistoric Flint Implements… a specimen of the Egg of the Great Auk, which is now extinct, worth £100 or more.’  Of these only the oak coffin lid of ‘Gristhorpe Man’ is still on display.

There is an entire chapter devoted to ‘Tramways, Carriages, Postal, Lavatory and General Arrangements’;  there are recommendations for things to do if it rained, bathing safety and where to get your Bass Beer . Mr Walters thought of everything, it seems. Strict instructions are given regarding the use of the railway ticket, times of the allocated trains, the purchase of an Insurance Ticket. A staggering number of local businesses were persuaded to offer their services at special rates. These included some that still exist – The Crown, The Royal, The Ramshill and the Grand hotels, and Bonnetts tea room, then in St Nicholas St, now in Huntriss Row.

William Walters ends the brochure with a sincere wish that all will ‘return in safety to good old Burton’, but not before giving this heartfelt warning –‘ A welcome “snack” will of course be had en route at York Station; but let me advise all to get SUBSTANTIAL FOOD and so be fitted for the fatigue of such a long day. Avoid MESSES and ODDS and ENDS, but rather partake of MEALS at PROPER HOURS, as you would when at your ordinary employment. A WORD TO THE WISE IS SUFFICIENT.’ [2]

My partner and I are musicians and songwriters. This whole story was too good not to become a song.  So we wrote one [3].  Enjoy. 

About the author

Phil Bennet - worked in the NHS as a consultant psychiatrist, retiring at the end of 2017, when he bought a camera.  Bird watching and photographing birds quickly became an interest and he has received national recognition for some of his pictures.  Phil and his partner Bridget perform as a folk duo, the Blow-ins, playing traditional and modern tunes and songs, and their own compositions, a number of which are about Scarborough.  Oh, and then there's a bit of work with local voluntary organisations...

References

[1] Scarborough and the Yorkshire Coast , Ed. Reginald JW Hammond, Ward, Lock & Co, London. 11th Edition, post WW2, date not given. (‘The publishers are doing their utmost, in these difficult times of shortage of materials, to produce all the Maps and Plans for their Guide Books. They regret, however, that at present the Complete Set is not available for inclusion in this volume’  - Publishers note inserted in this edition)

[2] Bass, Ratcliff and Gretton Limited excursion to Scarborough, Friday July 24th 1914: William Walters, 1914: republished by David Dover, Reprint. www.reprintuk.com

[3] Phil Bennet and Bridget Cousins 2/2/23