|
|
FRONT PAGE
ABOUT NRHG TROWSE TRIANGLE NATURAL HERITAGE HISTORY GEOGRAPHY INDUSTRY FOR SCHOOLS NEWS 
|
Whit-Monday on the river … a beautiful bright Whit-Monday in the 1880s, with a nice sailing breeze to be found down the river. Nearly 10am. … The Alexandra is just starting, with a full complement of 350 on board, at 6d return to Bramerton. … Passing slowly down the river, we get a good view of the numerous works extending to the Swing Bridge, and just below it. Now we get along a bit faster, passing the Alder Carr, where the horse chestnut trees are just bursting into bloom, and then we follow the old river under the railway, to see the lawns and flowers at Thorpe Old Hall, the Manor House, and Mr Newbegin's grounds, where he has his observatory. … What a number are on the Whitlingham grounds, which are open for the day. What explorations of the chalk tunnels, limekilns, and the old church will be made by many of those assembled there. Soon we are abreast of Postwick Grove, where numbers are sitting under the shady trees; others are gathering sticks to boil the kettles, and some are putting up swings. … |
And in a short time we are at Bramerton Wood's End, where the Alexandra's freight has quickly spread itself -
on the swings, in the skittle ground, the aviary and monkey house, or walking about the gardens and adjoining hills. …
[evening] At Whitlingham there are fairy lamps and Chinese lanterns with a good band for dancing till closing time at 10pm … by the time we disembark at Pull's Ferry … the Alexandra passes with her last freight, who are giving a final touch to a perfect day with 'Auld Land Syne'. A reminiscence of the 1880s from the Eastern Evening News in the 1920s.
|