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The Maltonian
The School Magazine
An extract from Number 50: July 1933, descibing a trip to Hull.
The first School Journey of 1933 came as a welcome relief after the anxieties and trials of Malton’s epidemics. There were many who listened carefully to the weather forecasts during the preceding weekend and the weather clerk fulfilled all his promises when we awakened on Tuesday, March 21st, to a bright and frosty morning; and a light-hearted party of 66 gathered in good time at Malton Railway Station.
There had been a considerable amount of preparation for our day's outing; and the Railway Company had made very careful arrangements for our comfort and instruction. Our train came in promptly at 8.35, and we tumbled into our two comfortable corridor coaches. The H.M. saw us safely out of Malton and the day began. The distribution of the party into various compartments had no relation to the rules of mathematics; and there were some who unable to sit down. During the whole of the railway journey it was in some cases easier to find certain members of the party by using ones ears than by looking for them. Our tickets were distributed on the journey to York and some of us lost them.
On arrival at York shortly after 9 o'clock, we were met at the station and shown the Railway Institute, where the Gymnasium aroused our envy.
Then followed a joyous and noisy glance at the large Railway Museum, which was sufficient to make some of us desire to spend a longer time in York when an opportunity came. Meanwhile our coaches shunted on to the Hull train and at 10.5 we resumed our journey. The ride through the Southern parts of the wolds was of interest for those who had eyes to see, and we arrived at Hull just after 11 o'clock.
Mr. Sharp of the L.N.E.R. awaited us at Paragon Station and we were fortunate to have such a jolly compere. Leaving our surplus luggage and lunches in the Station Lecture Hall, which had been kindly placed at our disposal, we looked at the the new Railway Museum at the Station and then walked through the City yia the Guildhall and arriyed at Wilberforce House in High Street. Our experience in York had taught us how to walk safely through busy streets without causing inconvenience to others; and our " March Discipline" in Hull was really satisfactory.
Having learnt more about slavery than we knew before, we left the Wilberforce Museum and soon arrived at Transport House, which made a strong appeal to all those of a mechanical turn of mind. Here again we could have spent twice the time; but we still had much before us and we did not need a clock to remind us that it was lunch time. After walking back to the Station by a different route, we feasted in comfort and took full advantage of the tea which was provided at a reasonable cost.
Shortly after 1 o'clock we packed ourselves into the two special buses which awaited us, and were driven to the King George Dock. Here there was plenty to see, and our guides did their best to explain as much as possible in the time available. It was a surprise to most of us to know that there existed a fishing vessel as large as the " Arctic Queen" (10,000 tons).
By the courtesy of the owners we were allowed to explore the vessel from top to bottom, half of us exploring where we would, and the others being taken on a conducted tour of the vessel. The biggest difficulty was in keeping in touch with a guide who knew his way about the ship, while we didn't. The result was that when the parties had changed over and it was time for us to leave, it was the official party which seemed to have got lost. On the boat we had bumped our heads, greased our clothes, tumbled into black holes, been frozen and roasted in turn, but we were still ready for further adventures.
Our buses, which had with great consideration, bumped their way to the ship's side now bumped us to another part of the dock where we inspected the silo and the wool warehouses. The method of unloading wheat by contrivances, which in spite of their Heath· Robinson contours were wonderfully efficient, appealed strongly to even the least mechanically minded of us.
And now we said goodbye to the dock, and we were conveyed to the Kingston Works of Messrs. Reckitts Brothers. We were welcomed cordially and divided into a number of small parties each under a pleasant guide. In the short space of an hour we seemed to walk through miles of factories, and we learnt something of the means by which we receive our metal polish, blacklead, bathsalts, blue, bootpolish, and other useful articles. We admired the beautiful concert hall, swimming bath, dance floor, and the other features of the Social and We1fare Side of this great works, but tying up of blue bags did not appear an attractive occupation to our girls.
It was now nearly 5 o'clock and we felt ready for a rest. Our buses brought us quickly back to the city where we enjoyed an excellent tea at Messrs. Hammond's Cafe. Our appetites were enormous, but there was enough and to spare. It was pleasant to see some of our Hull O.M.'s at tea. Our time in Hull was now nearly over. In the twenty minutes before train time, some sat and talked, others wandered round the other departments of the store, while others seemed to spend their time in laying in provisions for the return journey.
At 5 minutes to 6 we reported all present at the station, and 10 minutes later our train left for home, to the sound of cheers for Mr. Sharp who had so ably looked after us all the day. The return journey showed that some of our party were still full of energy. Mr. Rolls and" Bing, Bang, Bong" whiled away the time while the Driffeld express puffed its way conceitedly across the Wolds in the darkness. At a wayside station we were delighted to see a face which we had missed for a long while, and at 7.45 we were back in Malton. One member of the party at least was glad to be in bed by 9.15 !
The day left pleasant memories, our boys and girls looking their best. No rain, no accidents, no litter, and smiles all through.