EXCURSIONS

 

Most of the visits by society members were to textile and non-textile companies in Yorkshire, mainly in the West Riding. However, many visits have been made to Lancashire and some to Cheshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. For most of these, the Society arranged transport by coach.

​

These were not recorded in the Journal until the 1947-8 session and included, to our eyes possibly, some odd venues. That first season saw visits to the Huddersfield Corporation Sewage Department and to the Huddersfield Corporation Electricity Works. The Huddersfield Corporation Gas Works were visited the following year, together with the CID headquarters at Wakefield. It was also noted that, during that year, some members had visited the newly opened Torridon (“Wool Industries Research Station”).

​

​

​

Visits in the 1950s

 

Visits in the 1950s tended to attract 20-40 people; presumably there were restrictions in the numbers that hosts could deal with.

 

The Excursions Secretary bemoaned the fact that, in 1951-2, there were 14% fewer attendees on visits than applications.

​

In 1952-3, the Holme Moss television station was visited, in a year when there were 6 excursions. This was cut to 2 in 1954-5 and 3 in 1958-9: poor support by members for these excursions was stated as the reason for the reduction in number.

 

In this latter year, the Daily Express print works was visited in Manchester (46 attended; the attendance at the Machinery and Accessories Exhibition at Belle Vue, Manchester, was described as being disappointingly low).

​

It was noted that Thomas Ambler (visit in 1955-6) had opened their factory to the public for one day earlier on that year. Expecting 300 visitors, around 2,000 turned up, many of whom were schoolchildren “and possible future workpeople”.​

​

The 1960s and 1970s saw some very adventurous visits:

 

- 1-day visit to Belfast (leaving Yeadon at 7.45 am and returning at 8.00 pm the same day, the cost being £7-10s-0d). Coaches were arranged to take members to the airport: for the Belfast trip, the coach left Huddersfield 1 hour before take-off – straight off the coach and onto the aircraft. These were the days when passengers did not have to arrive at the airport 2 hours before take-off for security checks and the like.

​

- 2-day visit to Belgium (leaving Yeadon at 7.30 am on the Saturday, returning at 6.30 pm the following day, the cost being £15-19)

 

- 3-day visit to Basle (leaving Manchester at 3.00 pm on the Friday, returning at 11.40 pm on the Sunday)

 

- 4-day visit to Prato

​

Visits to ITMA (International Textile Machinery Association) have also been a regular feature, the first one being to Paris in 1971.

​

It is interesting to note that around half of the excursions in the early days took place on a Saturday.

​

 ​