On This Day, 26 May 1917

Birmingham Mail

Saturday 26 May 1917

HOLIDAY SPIRIT

BIG CROWDS IN BIRMINGHAM

RUSH TO THE SEA

The holiday spirit was rampant in Birmingham to-day. The weather was partly responsible for this, for a more glorious beginning to the Whitsuntide week has not been experienced for several years. The barometer was high, but inclined to be a bit shaky, preparing no doubt for the expected showers on Monday, without which this particular holiday of the year would hardly be complete. But the bright sunshine this morning was irresistible, and work, in the few places in which it was supposed to be in full swing, was tackled in a very half-hearted fashion. Almost all the local world and his wife seemed to have invaded New Street by eleven o’clock, and by mid-day it was covered with a perspiring mass of individuals crawling along at a snail’s pace, and successfully impeding the rapid progress of the only people in a hurry—those who were their way to the stations en route for the country and the seaside. For the first time this year the sunny side of New Street was uncomfortably hot; and, for the first time, as consequence, the shady side had its full quota of passengers.

So far as could be judged early in the day, there was as much travelling done as this time last year. The lack of any special facilities, and the increased railway fares, did not prevent workers, who are certainly not short of money, from leaving the city. Most of the local works closed down last night until Wednesday morning next, and early this morning there was a stream of the released toilers both to New Street Station and Snow Hill Station. The trains to the North Wales holiday resorts were crowded, and on the Great Western routes there was a big traffic, in the South Wales direction especially, and duplicate trains had in some cases to be run.