Wake Weeks
 

I remember when the whole town closed and became a ghost town. Almost no shops open. We could only get the Telegraph from the doorway of the butchers on Willows Lane. Had to buy your food in for at least a week. If you did get to go to the seaside everyone from your town/street was walking around with you!!!! Don't you just miss those days??? :D:D:D

Re: Wake Weeks
 

i do n also miss all the processions that used to take place at various holidays.:)

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It would never happen today....all the shops would be robbed by the time the staff came back.......thats progress for you :(

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all the excitement on the railway station
as the big steam train pulled in with extra carraiges allready
full with holiday makers it was a mass exodus for the seaside
oh happy days :mosher::mosher:

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It must be nice to have such a positive outlook on life :rolleyes:

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The Good old Seaside Specials from Accy Station on the first Saturday, the Buses used to take the seats off the two long seats at the back to carry more cases. We had to go to Accy station to catch the special as you weren't guaranteed a seat if you got on at Church, as you say beechy happy days:D

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only problem wi them was on the way home, those luggage racks above the seats were very uncomfotable, not good hammocks at all.:rofl38:

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We were lucky, Eagle coaches had a pickup in the next street so my Mum could dismantle and take the kitchen sink!!!

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Eagle coaches were based on Dale Street Ossy, did you live near there gdm?

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No Pendle St, it was the next street over nearest Willows Lane and sorry to say can't remember the street name for the life of me!!

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I remember the holiday weeks, Accrington (I think) followed Blackburn. My dad's optician's shop was in Bolton and their holiday week was at the end of June. As the schools broke up to coincide, Bolton kids went back to school in mid August.

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Here's a photo of Wakes Weeks at Nelson Station thanks to LCC Library

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Richmond St.Got picked up from there many times.:theband:

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Can anyone remember the James St. Working Men's Club outings to Southport?
All the kids used to run around wearing a card stating who they belonged to in case parents got tipsy and forgot all about their offapring. At lunch, chip butties used to literally fly through the air
but can't remember what else we ate only that it was the same every year.
Still its a nice memory.

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I always thought Accy had the same weeks as Blackburn West Ender, I know Burnley had the two weeks prior to us and Rossendale the last week of Accy and the first week in August, I seem to remember our weeks because my birthday was always in Accrington's first week 19th July

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it did as far as i'm aware, also our annual were/are always during the "British Open Golf" tournement,:)

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When i first went on the trip it was for parents and kids,and we went by train from Church station.
Later it was for kids only[with commitee men to look after us],and we went by coach.
Crisps and lemonade on the coach,five bob to spend, and tea was at Salts fish and chip cafe.
Great days out!

Re: Wake Weeks
 

if you went from church station more than likely you were on the Tampits club outing to Blackpool [good old days]

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I think Blackburn's 2nd week may have been Accrington's 1st but most of the shops only seemed to take 1 week. I may be wrong, it was over 50 years ago. :D

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When did they stop having Wake Weeks? I remember that they still had them when I was going to Accy Grammar ....

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thought Blackburn started the weekend that Burnley finished and Accington wakes were Burnleys second week and Blackburns first .
but as you say its a long time back :D

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Moby Dick was a tadpole then Eric.:D

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Wake Weeks...were they not the periods when all the Jocks turned up in Blackpool?

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Yea Glasgie fair, broken bottles everywhere, ye ken, Jimmy.

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I don,t think i am senile just yet,Tanpits club [Pioneer Working Mens Club] was in Church i was born & bred in Ossy and went on the James
st club outing.

I did have a good day in Tanpits club on the Queens silver jubilee in 1977, mates from then are no longer with us.

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Many of them turned up on the Isle of Man as well!

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Moby Dick was a ship in Morecambe then, that was until the Jocks set fire to it on one of the "Jock Weeks" that went with our wake weeks!

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Accrington Wakes started as Burnley Wakes finished. I was serving my apprenticeship in Burnley and always worked with the maintenance crew during the Burnley holidays so that I could have Accrinton Wakes.

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All I remember is that they were the last 2 weeks in July, same as Blackburn, and same as the Glasgow lot that came down to Blackpool.

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Good old Glasgow Fair, lots of see you Jimmy's knocking about in those days:D

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Was looking at a book the other day on Wake Weeks when one after the other 3 people ranging from 18 to 47 hadn't heard of wake weeks???? Back when we had them (wake weeks) we thought the Isle Of man was abroad! :hothothot

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Don't tell me it isn't

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Its stamped on my passport Frank:D:D:D

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In WW1 men who were posted to Ireland were not entitled to the Victory Medal or the War Medal, because they had not served over seas.
Yet if they crossed the English Channel, and were there more than 24 hours you qualified.
Neither place was a holiday camp

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Wakes Weeks still exist to some extent. Some small family businesses in Oswaldtwistle still observe them in July and September. My Dad worked in the cotton industry. He always told me Accrington Fortnight started the 3rd Saturday in July and the September Holiday was fixed by the 3rd Monday. I think originally Accrington had a week in July and Blackburn had a week - can't remember which came first. Gradually the two merged and both Accrington & Blackburn got the same fortnight.

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22nd July was always in Accrington Wakes week, I remember it as a 2 week holiday, certainly during the '50s. Burnley had the two previous weeks.

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Rossendall had the Last week in Burnley first week in Accy

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I seem to recall that one year in the early 60s it was brought forward to the end of June, for what reason i just cannot remember. Someone may remember. The following year it went back to the previous years. The reason the jocks caused havoc in Blackpool was because in those days the pubs closed at 9o'clock in Glasgow. In Blackpool it was 10-30, but they still drank their whiskey chasers at the same rate, but with a extra one and a half hours drinking time.

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Wouldn't know about the early '60s as I fled the nest in early '61 - a big wide world and greener pastures to explore:D

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The Unions thought there would be better weather in June . :hothothot

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Who was it that decided when towns had their wake weeks? :confused:

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The Mill owners I should think

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I thought the same as jaysay, that it was an agreement between the mill owners of the area. I did a search and found the following article:

Wakes Weeks: From the Saints to the Sea

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And historians are always moaning about "Hard Times" twas banned in 1571 fer drinking n revelling, don't seem very hard to me.:D

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Thanks for that yerself, very interesting

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Any holiday in England but we only ever went on wake weeks. Do you remember the young lads who charged your Mum and Dad a tanner (minimum) to take your suitcases on a trolley (home made) to the guesthouse/flat/caravan etc. to same them carrying them? There was loads of them waiting for the train or coach every Saturday!