The Sunday School day out - a Sunderland treat remembered

It brings back memories of Ten Green Bottles, scones and sausage roll.

To tell us more, Philip Curtis from Sunderland Antiquarian Society, takes up the story.

Sunday school treats were always looked forward to with eagerness by the children who dreamed about being whisked off to faraway places.

It was not unusual for the numbers attending to exceed 100 children.

No more than 20 miles from Wearside

To get them there, a fleet of double-decker buses or sometimes a local train would be laid on.

Although the journey may have seemed endless and exciting, in fact, the destination was usually no more than 20 miles away from their Wearside homes.

The favourite places for a visit were destinations such as Lumley Castle and Cox Green.

But to the children that visited them, it seemed that they were on the way to the continent.

Ten Green Bottles sung by dozens of kids

Once everyone was safely on the buses and settled into their seats, the community singing would get under way.

And it would usually start with Oh the Driver’s Got a Lovely Pair or Legs’ or Ten Green Bottles’ .

The songs would be sung with gusto and it rarely came to an end before the journey finished. It usually carried on right through to the destination.

As soon as the destination was reached and everyone was settled down in the picnic area, organised races were held.

The mothers’ race was always fun

They usually included the sack race, egg and spoon and sprint.

And they invariably finished with a mothers’ race in which the children’s mums were encouraged (or shamed if they refused) to take part.

These races were usually well-contested as mothers and children’s pride, as well as bragging rights for the children, were at stake.

Once everyone had settled down after all of this fun activity, all the children were given a paper bag which contained their tea.

Snowball, sausage roll and a scone

This usually consisted of food whose names all began with the letter s’ such as a sandwich (usually filled with meat paste), a snowball, a sausage roll and a scone.

In addition there was often an iced bun. These were usually washed down with pop.

Meanwhile, the parents would be having their cups of tea, which would often be poured out from what appeared to be the largest teapots ever made.

A scramble for sweets

And, as I remember it, they were always brown.

A sweet scramble’ usually ended the afternoon with one of the Sunday School teachers opening a tin and throwing sweets in all directions imaginable.

Chaos usually followed as all the children scrambled for them.

To ensure there were no tears of disappointment, a few sweets were always kept back for any child who was unsuccessful.

At the end of the afternoon, following a litter-pick, everyone made their way back to the buses or to the train ready for the trek home.

Trudging home, tired but happy

Of course, once on board the singing would start again, usually commencing with Show Me The Way To Go Home’ or The Quartermaster’s Store’.

Once they arrived back at church, everyone would trudge home tired but happy.

And of course, they would all be looking forward to the following year’s Sunday School Treat.

Much more to see at the Heritage Centre

Thanks yet again to Philip for a look back at wonderful Wearside memories.

You can find out more about the Antiquarian Society by getting along to its Heritage Centre which is open in Douro Terrace on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9.30am to 12pm.

You can also visit the Antiquarian Society’s Facebook page or its website which is at http://www.sunderland-antiquarians.org

And to become a member, email [email protected]