The Littlehampton Outing
One great day of fun
Children's outing to Littlehampton, 1950s
Sutton Local Studies and Archives
Recipe for a day of delight; take 1.400 children, distribute over 35 full-size charabancs, add 5,000 buns, 3,000 bananas, 4,200 brand new pennies, 350 lbs. of sweets, 6,000 paper hats, balloons and novelties; transport to the seaside and allow to disperse.*
You got butterflies in your stomach - it might only be a week away but it seemed like a life time 'cause you just wanted to go, you know. (Barry Hackett)
In 1935, Morden Labour Party organised the first day excursion to Littlehampton for the children of St. Helier - a tradition that went on for many years. Many people remember it as the highlight of the year in their childhood. Does anyone know when the last one was and whether it was always run by the same group?
The 1936 newspaper reports show that all the work involved was voluntary and funds were raised by donation. In later years, there are memories of a weekly or monthly collection being taken from parents to pay for their children. The age group of children invited was between 8 and 14 years.
Setting off in 1936
A large crowd of parents and neighbours saw the thirty-five festooned coaches loaded with cheering youngsters pull out of St. Helier Avenue as clocks all over the estate were striking eight. With shouts and songs amplified through paper megaphones, balloons and paper hats lending colour to the coaches and Morden Labour Party's red and green flags streaming gaily from each, the fleet of R.A.C.S. charabancs attracted irresistiby amused stares and wondering waves the whole length of the route.*
Health and safety!
Today, the logistics of coping with so many over-excited children away from home would be almost unimaginable, but at the time the adults who accompanied the children seem to have been able to steer them through the day with few problems. On the 1936 outing the newspaper reported there were 100 helpers to accompany the 1,400 children and that they compromised "between keeping the children to a schedule and allowing them the freedom of the sea".
There were 25 cases of cuts, bruises and abrasions handled by the first aid workers and at a stop on the way home, one child disturbed a wasps' nest which resulted in ten children being stung. The adults didn't escape unscathed - the Honorary Secretary, Mr. Trustam, suffered a coach wheel running over his foot on the way home too.
Linda Hackett remembers her own little accident on a post-war outing
I can remember going on the big dipper and bashing my head. 'Cause I was absolutely terrified and that bar that comes across - I must have ducked down because I didn't like it and I had a great lump on my head. We were talking about it the other day and, you think, all those parents letting their children just go off for the day - the thought of sort of letting the child go off on a coach and I mean there must have been people there dishing stuff out but, I mean, it would be very few.
Arriving back in 1936
Excitement increased perceptibly as the fleet neared Morden. At Central Road Mr. C. Conroy, the general storekeeper, had specially decorated his premises with illuminations and signalised the kiddies' return by sending rocket after rocket into the air.
A crowd of quite 5,000 awaited the coaches at their starting point and their cheers mingled with those of the children in soul-stirring volume. Formed up for the last time, the kiddies joined in community singing. "Auld Lang Syne" then home to bed feeling "God's in his Heaven, all's right with the world."*