Victorian illustrations, Weymouth tales

Great Western Trippers flock to Victorian Weymouth 1870

Posted by cannasue on

Weymouth was once one the popular destinations for Victorian Day trippers.

They arrived by railway in their thousands.

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Large factories and workshops would close for a week, workers and their families would decamp en masse to the seaside to enjoy the healthy benefits of the sea and fresh air.

One example is July of 1870, almost the entire factory of the Great Western Railway’s carriage and locomotive works set off on their hols on the same day. Nearly 6,000 of them left Swindon station for their various destinations.

Some headed for the bright lights of London, some for the bustling city of Bristol, a few even ventured to Swansea.

An unlucky few were left behind at the works to keep things ticking over at the factory.

That week nigh on 1,500 men, women and children swarmed into Weymouth on the special trains that were run to carry them.

Can you imagine that nowadays?

Never mind the warnings that were given last year at the Olympics about staying away from Weymouth because of traffic congestion.

(Hasten to add there wasn’t an inkling of congestion anywhere!…in fact it had never been so easy to drive right into town and park)

Those that came to Weymouth were allowed to stay for the week if they so wished (or more likely, if they could afford) the others made the most of the day at the beach, and returned home that night.

Their day would have been spent relaxing on the sandy beach,

19th c Weymouth beach CCO DCM

or taking a trip on the numerous steamers that ran from the harbour.

Maybe a trip to Portland to watch gangs of convicts at work in the vast quarries, or along the coast to view the mysteries of the rock formations near Lulworth Cove.

Shops to browse, pubs to visit, cafes to retire to…time to recharge batteries and soak up some sunshine.

Weymouth harbour

All too soon, those 600 odd weary and, by now, probably broke day trippers that were returning home that night would head for the Weymouth train station, squeezed into the carriages, and dreamt of the days when they could return again to  the little seaside town.

***

If you enjoy my tales from WEYMOUTH AND PORTLAND, why not buy a copy of

 NOTHE FORT & BEYOND.

In it you’ll find stories of love and hate, murder, mayhem and mysteries.

Read what life was really like those who occupied the Nothe fort and Red Barracks, and of the locals who had to learn to live life alongside them in a military town.

You never know, you might even find your own family within its pages.

Available from Nothe Fort bookshops, Weymouth Museum and Weymouth Post Office bookshop, St Thomas street.

 Or on Amazon.

But please try to buy local if you can to support local businesses.

Nothe fort and Beyond book Weymouth

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  1. Pingback: 1857; Victorian Day-trippers excitement… journey to Weymouth | Victorian tales from Weymouth and Portland

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