Billy on holiday - Off to London for the day

During the 1890s few manual labourers took annual holidays. They worked a long work week taking Sunday and perhaps Saturday afternoon off. Worship tended to occupy much of Sunday leaving little time for getting out and about. This meant that that they looked forward to the occasional Bank Holiday and tended to try to pack a lot into them. Billy was no exception. His fullest diary accounts were of his Bank Holiday outings. Usually he would try to get up to London on an early train, visit his friends the Pearce family at Lords Cricket Ground, take in some sort of show, stroll about town seeing the sights, treat himself to a meal, and then head back to Victoria Station to take a late train home.

Monday 1st January 1894
Started the New Year with a holiday. Father and I went to London by an excursion train this morning. Started at 9.30, arrived at Victoria at about 11.0, took underground train to Addison Road for Constantinople at Olympia.
 
Olympia and Addison Rd. Station, reproduced from Billy’s copy of The Queen’s London, 1896, p.310
 

Had a walk around the place which is got up in a grand style and a ride in a boat on the waterways. Then saw the performance called “Revels in the East” which is simply wonderful. There were several hundred dancers on the stage at once beside horses, mules, camels etc. After this was over we left Olympia and had tea at “Lockarts” just outside then took train again to Victoria. Had a walk up Piccadilly, Regent Street and Bond Street and another feed in Swallow Street then went to St. James Hall for Moore and Burgess Minstrels[1]. Saw good entertainment there – first part singing, second varieties. Came out about 11 p.m. and walked to Victoria. Left there at midnight and arrived home at 1.20 after spending a very enjoyable holiday.
 
Monday 12th February 1894
Quite a red letter day among holidays. Sam, Nel, Bern, brother[2] and I met at 9 and caught the 9.25 Excursion. That being so crowded we were all in separate carriages. Fairly quick journey to Victoria where we all met again. Took Underground to Park Lane, had a good dinner in Aldgate, then booked for Tilbury Docks at Fenchurch Street. In the train we fell in with a party of Card Sharpers. I was nearly done out of 2/6 on the 3 card trick but still got out of it alright and arrived at the docks about 2 p.m. First we went over the enormous sheds in which the cargo is stored, then went over the “Orient” through cabins, salons, decks, holds and galleys. Was very much surprised by everything, most parts being got up more like a palace than a ship.
 
The S.S. Orient in the Suez Canal, on the way to Australia, c. 1885, photographed by Lindt, J.W., National Library of Australia, Photo credit.
 
 
After seeing the “Chimbarays” and “Garrone[3]” from the outside, took train back to Fenchurch Street and had tea at the same place as the dinner, then made our way to Addison Road for “Constantinople”. Went out on the Underground and arrived at “Constant.” About 6 p.m., had a walk around, saw the performance (which is greatly improved since I saw it before) and then left for Victoria, had supper at “Lockharts”, started home at 11.55 and arrived at Horsham at 1.15. Went around to Bern’s diggings for a finisher of about the best Holiday I ever spent.
 
Sunday 6th May 1894
Turned out about 8 a.m., called for Bern and caught the 9.10 train for Holmwood with the camera with the intention of having a good day’s enjoyment. Arriving there we went to Uncle’s[4] and arranged to go there for tea, then walked across the field to Coldharbour having a splendid view all round. Called on Mrs Groombridge and started with Jim G. for Tillingbourne Falls. Had a nice walk across the common. On the way we came across the ruins of a place called Broadmoor Tower, took a view[5] of that then on to the Falls. Took a view of that and then on to the Falls.

An advertisement for ‘Shew’s Eclipse Apparatus’.
 

Arriving there I found it to be a grand affair, far beyond what I had expected. Took another view then across the common home for dinner which Mrs Groombridge provided on a grand scale. In the afternoon we made for Leith Hill, took two views of the hill and tower then mounted the latter. It being a clear day we had a splendid view. At about 4 we started back to Coldharbour for Holmwood and had tea (very poor affair) at Aunt’s. Had a stroll on the Common with Cousin Will (who looks very different since I saw him last – quite a smart chap now)[6] and then to the station and home arriving just in time for choir practice.
 
Bank Holiday Monday 14th May 1894
Bern and I, having arranged to go to London for the day, he called before I was up, waited for me, and caught the 9.35 train excursion to Victoria. Frank Ireland and Annie Chris went up with us. Arrived about 11.30, had a slight snack and then made for “Lords”, getting there just before dinner.
 
Lords Cricket Ground, Middlesex vs. Surrey, 1895, reproduced from Billy Hoad’s copy of the Queens’s London, 1896, p. 69.
 

Took Mrs P[7] by surprise but were made very welcome. Directly after dinner saw match [between] Middlesex and Somerset (Sherwin’s Benefit)[8]. Wonderful sight. About 1500 people passed the gates. Saw some very good cricket but that was nowhere with the other sights. At tea time Mrs P was kind enough to hint at us staying the night so we unfortunately missed the train which left at 6.05 and went with Miss Annie P (Bern’s cousin etc.[9]) to the Vaudeville, saw Weedon Grossmith[10] in the “Gentleman Whip” and the “New Boy” the latter being exceptionally good comedy. Fairly enjoyed ourselves, had a pleasant journey home, arriving about 12.00. Found Mrs P up and a good supper awaiting us. Went to bed rather tired and got up next morning at about 7.30, had breakfast and a walk round the ground before we left. Took Bus for Victoria and got home in time to start work after dinner after spending a most enjoyable holiday thanks to the kindness of Mrs. P.

• [1] The Moore and Burgess Minstrels, originally known as the Christy Minstrels were a long running company of ‘blackface’ minstrels who performed continuously at the St. James Hall from 1862 to 1904.
• [2] Billy’s friends Sam Chriss, Nelson and Bernard Baker and his younger brother Harry.
• [3] Unable to confirm these ship names. The SS Chimborazo and the SS Garonne were both on the London to Australia run in the 1870s.
• [4] Billy’s uncle John William Hoad ran a carting business from Holmwood.
• [5] Bernard and Billy had recently shared the purchase of a second hand camera, a ‘Shew’s Eclipse Apparatus’.
• [6] Cousin Will had joined the Surrey Police Force just the year before which may have smartened him up a bit.
• [7] Mrs Pearce, Bernard Baker’s aunt, who made Billy welcome on his various trips to London.
• [8] This was the first day of a three day county championship match that Middlesex was to win by 10 wickets.
• [9] The “etc.” may refer to Bernard’s affection for his cousin which eventually led to their marriage. See the previous posting ‘Best Man at a Wedding’..
• [10] Weedon Grossmith, 1854-1919, was an English writer, painter, actor and playwright. He portrayed Archibald Bennick in Arthur Law's The New Boy (1894).

• Part 2 - Billy on holiday - Fire Brigade picnic and a trip to the docks
  
  
  

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