Holidays After the 1914-1918 War

Author?

I was born just before the start of the Great War, 1914 to 1918. This was the first war that involved every family and many nations. We had not had the like of it before - aeroplanes were only just coming into being, the main weapons were the rifle and the cannon. Tanks were in their infancy.

Slowly after the war the soldiers returned home, the country had to start to put it on to peace time work which took a number of years, so money was scarce and holidays were holidays at home.

As things improved the children had their Summer holidays at the end of July and August, their father would have one week's holiday, and without pay, and it was a set date, it was called Shipley Tide week or Bradford Week and another for the Leeds area, so it depended where the father worked. Shipley Tide was the last week in July then came Bradford and Leeds.

Early in the year each household would book into what was called a Boarding House, a house with three or four bedrooms. Sometimes guests would all sit at a large table for their meals, which was breakfast, dinner and tea, sometimes you were lucky and had a small table to each family.

There was no sitting room to sit in on an evening, you stayed out until about ten o'clock, then there was plenty of shows and cinemas to go to, or there was the funfair with all the stalls and roundabouts etc.

As you made your way back to the digs as they were called, you visited a late night cafe for a drink etc, as there were no refreshments when you got back to the house.

The charge for accomodation and the cooking of your meals, no cooking at tea time was around £2. l4s.od (£2.70) for two people and a small child up to four years old.

The guests had to buy what they wanted to eat and give it to the lady of the house if it needed cooking. Meat, fish, cabbage, peas etc. Potatoes were supplied and charged to you, she would also provide a large rice pudding for 6d. Wages at that time were approx. £2.10s.od to £3.10s.0d for a 47 hour week 5 days of 8 3/4 and Saturady morning 3 1/4 hours.

Each bedroom had a big jug full of water and a large basin - also a waste bucket under the stand, this was your washing facilities, the jug was filled each day with fresh water.

Copy Of A Receipt

For 2 persons and a child

Accomodation etc. £2.14s.0d
Potatoes 1s.3d
Milk Puddings (2) 1s.0d
Milk 6d
£2.16s.9d

A Sample Of Household Prices:

Suite £9.10s.6d
Bed £3.0s.0d
Mattress 13s.0d
Large sideboard and mirrors £8.5s.0d
3yds x 3 1/2 yds carpet £1.5s.0d
Table £2.0s.0d