Christmas in Cleethorpes in 1900

Christmas Eve opened with a slight frost, but the rays of Old Sol dispelled the thin hoar, and left the pavement with a coating of slush. The day passed over quietly, and there was nothing to indicate the near approach of Christmas, excepting, it might be, an extra amount of stock in some of the shop windows. I had a leisurely stroll round the town, but there was very little attempt at decoration. Commencing at Bullivant’s Cross Keys, I looked at his glistening bottles, with their clustering sprigs of holly, and then crossed over to have a peep at Gough Dobbs’ cigars. “How nice those two things would combine – cigars and whiskey” – I thought, as I glanced in Sheardown’s well-stocked stores. F. Dunn and Son’s occupied my attention a minute while I tried to make a mental calculation as to how much capital would be required to furnish “my little lot” with suitable bootgear. As I did not wish to throw myself into a sweat, I gave the job up when I reached pair No. 2. Glancing at Nuttell’s and Green’s, I came to a full stop at Turner’s to admire the “Cinderella decoration”. Hurriedly glancing at the geese, ducks, and turkeys in the Co-operative Stores, I popped into Beech’s Bazaar, and then had a chat about Mr Houghton’s stock of cards. Passing quickly from Ashley’s to Richardson’s, I turned into Alexandra-road, stayed a moment  with H.V. Harper to look at his fancy stock, and then drew up at Morris Wright’s. “That looks very prettily displayed,” I commented, as I passed on , and gave “just a minute” to Allison and Cash and Co., and then had a look at Colbrook’s fairy lights, jugglers, and photographs. Utley came next, and then Wadland showed me some “perfect dreams” in feminine mysteries, and also some gentlemen’s articles which came within the range of my comprehension.

Passing Knowles’ blue points, and casting a longing eye at Forrester’s “off” window, I bounced into Cook’s and had a sniff at his latest

perfumery importations. Leaving the “locks, bolts, and bars” of Goddard, I stayed a moment or two to examine the photographs, displayed in Collis’s, and then, passing Primrose’s and Cawthorn’s, I glanced up the Arcade to see if Wilson had anything special, and then left Barrow and Page, and found myself in Sea View-road. Here the same old view met my gaze. Cliff Hotel right opposite, with its left-hand companion, the Nottingham Hotel, standing well up to Chapman’s cigar stores and Osborne’s and Waite’s confections. Rowston displays some tempting hams, and Gray some nice eatables. Wright comes next with a nicely set out window. After Babington comes Simpson, with his well-stocked window and good display of watches and jewellery. Then we have a show of Lincolnshire rabbits and poultry, followed in close order by Wadham’s meat and Sellars’ fruit. On the other side is Frankish, Rowston, and Kitchen, and further up you can see Kirkman, Wallace, Fox, Cook, and Barnett. Giving one look at Hall’s, the boot repairer’s. I thought if I didn’t stop I should soon have to pay him a visit, so I hurried round the corner – not the Queen corner – and passed Rowston, the auctioneer, and McCluskey’s, and finished up with a look into Foreman’s. Carol singers ushered in Christmas Day, and the day broke clear. There were not many visitors from the mainland, and everybody agrees that it was one of the quietest Christmasses Cleethorpes has had. There was a good run on the “pubs” at night, but people conducted themselves in an orderly manner. In the morning the Rovers met Hainton Swifts, and succeeded in beating them one to nothing. Amid the general rejoicings one event has cast a shadow, and has caused expressions of deep sympathy to be heard on every hand. Religious bodies were engaged in devotional work on Christmas Day, and the Primitive Methodists held special services. The Rev. John Hall delivered sermons. There were also carols, solos, and recitations by the Mission Band and Christian Endeavour, under the chairmanship of Mr Samuel Robinson. On Boxing Day the town was a shade livelier. The pier was open, and the promenade presented an animated appearance. In the afternoon the Grimsby and District Gun Club held their pigeon shooting match in Hill’s Field, Cleethorpes. There were some good marksmen among them. As a finish up, to-day the news lads attend the Town Hall, where they will be the guests of the Borough and County Police. Speaking about the police, I am told that in Cleethorpes they have had “no trouble at all this Christmas” and that they are under the impression that people are taking a keener pleasure in Christmas home comforts than they did formerly.

By "A Roving Commissioner"

Grimsby Daily Telegraph

27 December 1900

From the British Newspaper Archives on www.findmypast.co.uk