AT the end of June we would, half a century ago, have been expecting the town to close down for two weeks.

That is because the last week in the June and the first in July were wakes’ weeks when all business, industry and schools shut up shop for a fortnight.

It was designed, originally, to give the mill owners an opportunity to clean their huge mills and to ensure any repair work was carried out.

There was no need to give individual workers their chosen weeks’ holidays as they all had to holiday at the same time.

But it was not just the mills that enjoyed the traditional break.

Small shops and larger stores would also opt to take the break.

After all many of the workers in these businesses had family members in the mills so it made good sense for everyone to be away from their work at the same time.

There was no such thing as holidays abroad — well certainly not among the mill workers who struggled, often, to keep a roof over their family’s heads let alone head for the sun — so days out would be enjoyed, with a picnic on the grass and if you were really lucky you would head for the seaside for a decent holiday.

The weather would not always be too kind to you but the main thing was you were not in Bolton inhaling the smoke and pollution that accompanied the industrial businesses.

You could be inhaling the sea air at Blackpool, Southport and Morecambe or even the fresh Welsh air by taking a train from either of Bolton’s two main town centre stations — one line headed for Wales the other to Blackpool.

Boarding houses would be packed to the gills with excited families looking forward to sitting on the sand, eating ice creams and, if they were lucky, watching a show on one of the piers.

How times have changed!

We would love to include your memories of wakes’ weeks in the paper.

Get in touch with Gayle McBain on 01204 537269 or email gayle.mcbain@nqnw.co.uk

You can also write to us at Bolton News, The Wellsprings, Civic Centre, Bolton, BL1 1AR and if you have any photographs we would love to see them.