Looking back at Wakes Week holidays

Did you used to take your annual holidays during the 'Wakes Week'? The vast majority of people from local towns all went by coach or train to the seaside, each town taking a different week.

Ashton, Droylsden, Dukinfield and Hyde took their Wakes holiday during the middle two weeks of August. Mossley and Stalybridge were the middle two weeks of September, but these varied as years went by.

Before the 19th century the ‘Wakes’ was a religious festival that commemorated church dedications when the villagers ‘waked’ or watched in the church overnight on the eve of the festival. The principal event of Wakes was the rush-bearing when the church rushes were ceremonially renewed once a year. This practice ended when churches began to use wooden flooring.

Wakes often continued for several days so amusements came to be an important part of the festival. Reports show that these were very varied such as ‘pulling at the soaped neck of a goose while riding past on horseback’ (Traditions and Customs of Cheshire by C Hole).

In Dukinfield horse races took place on a field between Pickford Lane and Dewsnap Lane. The Astley family entered their best breeds, one favourite was named ‘The Old General’ and a public house was named after the horse.

During the Industrial Revolution the Wakes tradition gradually changed into an annual summer holiday in the mill towns of Lancashire and Yorkshire.

The closing of the mills provided an opportunity for the machinery and equipment to be cleaned and overhauled. Air pollution was drastically reduced and views of the surrounding countryside enhanced.

During this week, fairs, circuses and other entertainments would descend on the town, for those not fortunate enough to go away. Many people began to travel further afield and went to the seaside, with Blackpool being a favourite.

On arriving in the seaside town, people rushed to buy tickets to see all the shows that had been laid on for their entertainment. The end of the pier show was always popular and Blackpool had three of them, plus the Winter Gardens and other theatres plus The Tower, so a show every night was not unusual.

It also gave people a chance to meet in different and more relaxed circumstances, those admiring glances across the factory loom could lead to a rendezvous, with new relationships developing.

The Wakes holidays finally came to an end with the demise of the cotton mills, people preferring to go away at different times and even holiday abroad. 

A break away from the norm is always welcome, wherever it takes you and whatever you do, even in these extraordinary circumstances.