Polytechnic Touring Association Ltd ; ticket wallet and items relating to the Darlington Labour Party's conducted tour to Belgium, August 1937 : ticket folder
An embossed card ticket folder, issued by the Polytechnic Touring Association and that carries their seagull logo, and that contains three items from the Darlington Labour Party's conducted tour of Belgium in 1937. It was issued to a Mr Albert Holmes of 1, Whessoe, Darlington, and arrnagements appear to have been made through a district agent, H P Bentley, based in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
The tour, in conjunction with the London & North Eastern Railway, departed Darlington on a special train at 1735 on August 27 1937 and sat in coach B, seat 2, the train made its way to Harwich whilst dinner was served en route. The party boarded the SS Malines, Mr Holmes being in berth 172 on deck C, and embarked for Antwerp at 0035 on the morning of 28 August. They landed, after breakfast, in Antwerp at 1000 and then, via motor coach, had a day of sightseeing in Brussels that included High Tea at Bon Marche. At 2100 it was back ont he coach to return to Antwerp where at 2230 the Malines set sail for the return to Harwich (Parkeston Quay) and the special train that left at 0940 on 29 August. The trip home to Darlington with an arrival at 1700, included both breakfast and dinner.
All this is shown on the programme included in the folder, the steamer berth reservation card, and the ticket booklet that, including details of Mr Holmes, included various tear out pages to act in lieu of a passport for the purpose of the trip. It is numbered and dated, printed and issued by the LNER for the Darlington & District Labour Club party excursion" that seems to have involved members from both Halifax and Sheffield Labour Parties. Such group excursions, organised by such parties and clubs as the Labour Party here, and using the expertise of the railways were relatively common affairs in the pre-WW2 years and I have no doubt for Mr Holmes and his fellow travellers the trip to Brussels would be much discussed upon returning home!
Polytechnic Touring Association Ltd ; ticket wallet and items relating to the Darlington Labour Party's conducted tour to Belgium, August 1937 : ticket folder
An embossed card ticket folder, issued by the Polytechnic Touring Association and that carries their seagull logo, and that contains three items from the Darlington Labour Party's conducted tour of Belgium in 1937. It was issued to a Mr Albert Holmes of 1, Whessoe, Darlington, and arrnagements appear to have been made through a district agent, H P Bentley, based in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
The tour, in conjunction with the London & North Eastern Railway, departed Darlington on a special train at 1735 on August 27 1937 and sat in coach B, seat 2, the train made its way to Harwich whilst dinner was served en route. The party boarded the SS Malines, Mr Holmes being in berth 172 on deck C, and embarked for Antwerp at 0035 on the morning of 28 August. They landed, after breakfast, in Antwerp at 1000 and then, via motor coach, had a day of sightseeing in Brussels that included High Tea at Bon Marche. At 2100 it was back ont he coach to return to Antwerp where at 2230 the Malines set sail for the return to Harwich (Parkeston Quay) and the special train that left at 0940 on 29 August. The trip home to Darlington with an arrival at 1700, included both breakfast and dinner.
All this is shown on the programme included in the folder, the steamer berth reservation card, and the ticket booklet that, including details of Mr Holmes, included various tear out pages to act in lieu of a passport for the purpose of the trip. It is numbered and dated, printed and issued by the LNER for the Darlington & District Labour Club party excursion" that seems to have involved members from both Halifax and Sheffield Labour Parties. Such group excursions, organised by such parties and clubs as the Labour Party here, and using the expertise of the railways were relatively common affairs in the pre-WW2 years and I have no doubt for Mr Holmes and his fellow travellers the trip to Brussels would be much discussed upon returning home!