On This Day, 13 June 1916

Birmingham Daily Post

Tuesday 13 June 1916

WHIT-MONDAY IN THE WORKSHOPS.

NO HOLIDAY IN BIRMINGHAM.

The munitions workers of Birmingham, as their trade union leaders had promised they would, responded magnificently to the request to forego the customary Whit-Monday holiday. Uncomplainingly and punctually they arrived at their factories yesterday just as on any other day of the week, and the busy hum at lathe and bench proclaimed the intention and the effort to secure an output which would make Whit-Monday, 1916, a day long to be remembered.
There was, however, an unmistakeable holiday spirit abroad. Crowds of people, nothwithstanding the cold, cheerless weather, promenaded the central city streets – most of them apparently visitors to the district – and at night the theatres, music-halls, and picture theatres were filled. The children of the elementary schools, which are closed for the week, added animation and gaiety to the parks…the police sports were held at Aston and drew a good crowd, and there were a fair number of visitors to the Botanical Gardens, where the Bournville Works Prize Band played in the evening; and to the Edgbaston Reservoir, where the Shenley Fields Cottage Homes Band was in attendance.