Calico Fancy Dress Ball by Richard Holland

The fancy dress ball mentioned here was held in Rochdale Town Hall to raise money so the poorest children of the borough could go on a day’s trip to the seaside at Lytham.

It was organised by Mr James Simpson, the owner of a local printing company. Independent of any organised society, Mr Simpson and a group of local businessmen made it their aim to raise enough money to take two hundred and fifty children to the seaside.

The promotors of the ball approached the Mayor - Councillor James Cheetham - to see if the Town Hall could be used as the venue. He agreed it could be used free of charge as long as a least fifteen pounds worth of profit was raised in aid of the children.

The Ball was held on the evening of the fifth of June eighteen ninety four and two hundred people - all in fancy dress - attended.

The event exceeded expectations and raised just over thirty pounds.

The day of the trip was set for the seventeenth of July. Two hundred and fifty of the poorest children of the borough assembled on Town Hall Square at seven thirty am. From there they were escorted to the railway station by the town’s Chief Constable, with the local railway company agreeing to a much-reduced rate for the trip.

The children had good weather that day and enjoyed themselves immensely wading in the water, riding donkeys and competing in a number of races arranged by the organisers. The children were also provided with dinner and tea, and sweets and oranges were distributed amongst them both at Lytham and on arrival back in Rochdale.

What a fantastic day they must have had away from the grime and toil of their everyday lives in the workhouses and orphanages of Rochdale. And special mention should go to the organisers of the trip who took it upon themselves to do something for the poorest in the borough.