Now! Then! 2,500 employees of Titus Salt’s factory in Saltaire go on a work outing to the Art Treasures’ Exhibition at Manchester

19 September 1857: 2,500 employees of Titus Salt’s factory in Saltaire go on a work outing to the Art Treasures’ Exhibition at Manchester

The interior of the Art Treasures’ Exhibition (Art Treasures Exhibition 1857).

Art Treasures Exhibition. 1857. The Art-treasures Examiner. Manchester: Alexander Ireland and Company. Get it:

Excerpt

These visitors, all attired in their Sunday best, were brought to Manchester in three special trains, the first train consisting of 37 carriages. The fine brass band belonging to the establishment accompanied the first two trains, and the Saltaire drum-and-fife band the last. The workpeople entered the Exhibition in an orderly manner, with the bands playing “The Fine Old English Gentleman.” They were accompanied by their generous employer, Mr Titus Salt, who paid all the expenses connected with the trip, and remained with his interesting charge during the time they were in the palace. The 2,500 partook of dinner in the large refreshment tent adjoining the second-class room. The dinner was served at two instalments, 1,300 sitting down at first, and then giving way to the others. During the repast [the philanthropist] Miss Burdett-Coutts entered the tent, and was conducted through it by Mr Titus Salt. She expressed her great gratification at the novel sight she witnessed, in the many happy faces gathered round the festive board. While the workpeople were partaking of the bounty of their employer, the Saltaire bands entered the tent and played an appropriate selection of music. After dinner, the drum-and-fife band took up a commanding position in the Clock Gallery, and played several of their most popular pieces, to the evident gratification of many of the visitors, though some thought the music hardly of a fit character for the place; but even these cheerfully acquiesced on the principle that some licence should be conceded on such an extraordinary occasion. The drum-and-fife youths were dressed in a neat uniform, and bore upon their caps the word “Saltaire.”

Order the book

Subscribe to the free daily email

To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations

Comment

Via (Leahy 2007).

Something to say? Get in touch

Original

Saturday was a day of peculiar interest at the Exhibition, the most gratifying feature being the visit of upwards of 2,500 workpeople from the monster manufactory of Messrs. Titus Salt and Co., of Saltaire. These visitors, all attired in their Sunday best, were brought to Manchester in three special trains, the first train consisting of 37 carriages. The fine brass band belonging to the establishment accompanied the first two trains, and the Saltaire drum-and-fife band the last. The workpeople entered the Exhibition in an orderly manner, with the bands playing “The Fine Old English Gentleman.” They were accompanied by their generous employer, Mr. Titus Salt, who paid all the expenses connected with the trip, and remained with his interesting charge during the time they were in the palace. The 2,500 partook of dinner in the large refreshment tent adjoining the second-class room. The dinner was served at two instalments, 1,300 sitting down at first, and then giving way to the others. During the repast Miss Burdett Coutts entered the tent, and was conducted through it by Mr. Titus Salt. She expressed her great gratification at the novel sight she witnessed, in the many happy faces gathered round the festive board. While the workpeople were partaking of the bounty of their employer, the Saltaire bands entered the tent and played an appropriate selection of music. After dinner, the drum-and-fife band took up a commanding position in the Clock Gallery, and played several of their most popular pieces, to the evident gratification of many of the visitors, though some thought the music hardly of a fit character for the place; but even these cheerfully acquiesced on the principle that some license should be conceded on such an extraordinary occasion. The drum-and-fife youths were dressed in a neat uniform, and bore upon their caps the word “Saltaire.” Another interesting arrival on Saturday consisted of 400 children from the Prestwich schools, who were treated to the Exhibition by the Countess of Wilton and Thomas Fairbairn, Esq. The juveniles were conveyed to the building, about 100 of them in the carriages of Lord Wilton, and the rest in omnibuses provided for the occasion. They were accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Birch, of Prestwich, who pointed out to many of them some of the gems of the Exhibition, and was remarkably considerate in the attention he paid to them. There were also in the palace 116 scholars from Lymm. Amongst the visitors were Viscountess Northland and party, Earl Fortescue and party, Miss Burdett Coutts and party, Sir William Clay, Bart., the Duke de Montmorency, the Hon. Captain Drummond, R.N., Titus Salt, Esq., J. Cheetham, Esq., M.P., R. Cross, Esq., M.P., Miss M. Smith, and James Thompson, Esq.. author of several works on archæology and history. In addition to the Saltaire and Lymm trains, there were specials from Liverpool and Sheffield, bringing a goodly number of visitors.

479 words.