The mill trips were a much anticipated and needed break from the hard work of the textile mill. Traditionally, these trips were to the seaside, Blackpool and Scarborough being the most popular destinations. Here are just a few of the images kindly donated to the Sunny Bank Mills Archive. They really help to bring the stories and the people that worked here to life.
As June a mender and burler who started in 1949 at 15 years of age commented in her oral history recording:
“We used to have day trips, Mr Gaunt used to pay for us to go on a day trip once a year. So, we would all go, and the buses would pull up and they would take us to Blackpool… mostly Blackpool or Scarborough. Blackpool was nearer….. So, it was either… Blackpool or Scarborough or (sometimes) Morecambe where you finished up. And they were very nice, (you) set off early on a morning and usually got to the seaside about lunchtime. And then we would meet up again at about six o’clock and then they would bring us back home. So, there was always lots of fun and merriment going on.”
June and friends on a mill trip 1950
Mill trip 1958-59
If you have images or stories that relate to the mill or the trips we would love to hear from you [email protected]
Find out more about the archive here.
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