This decking out of stations at Christmas allowed
travellers to pass a wealth of colour while on their journeys. In 1884 the
London and South Western Railway’s (LSWR) staff magazine, the South Western Gazette, reported that the
standard of decorations at suburban stations was ‘quite up to the standard of
past years’.[2] The Whitstable
Times and Hearne Bay Herald stated in 1881 that the London, Chatham and
Dover Railway’s (LCDR) station at Canterbury ‘looked exceedingly pretty’ and
that ‘there had been no stint in the quality of decorative material, and it
had been put up in a manner that evinced care and taste on the part of the
decorators.’[3] Furthermore, in 1887 the adornments at the LSWR’s Totton,
Redbridge and Lyndhurst Road Stations were described by the Hampshire Advertiser as being ‘very
effective, reflecting credit on those who carried out the work.’[4]
Decorations were usually a mix of local plants,
particularly evergreens, with other items added. In 1888 the booking office and
waiting room at Purley on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR)
was decorated ‘effectively and prettily’ with holly and ivy.[5] Furthermore,
the copious adornments at the LSWR’s Sunningdale Station in 1886 were described
in full, as follows:
‘The evergreens, relieved by
numerous flags, and mottoes have a very pretty effect. The pillars are entwined
with Turkey red, above which is a diamond shaped wreath, with Chrysanthemums,
yellow, white and pink bronze at each point. The booking office is adorned with
great taste, and a number of pretty festoons of holly leaves are displayed.’[6]
Additionally, the Gazette
recorded that the parcels office staff at Richmond station in 1887 had…:
“…vied with their parcel brethren
at other stations in the way in which they have recognised this season of the
year by wreathing and other decorations on the walls and around the windows of
their office; the result has been very successful…a considerable quantity of
evergreen has been expended in all decorations of this Richmond parcels office.
We hear it is as well as any in the vicinity.’[7]
Staff at Norbiton in 1884 and Camberley
in 1885[8] did things a little differently; lighting their booking
offices and waiting rooms with Chinese lanterns. The Gazette recorded how at Norbiton ‘The effect at night is
exceedingly pretty, and reflects great credit upon the designers.’[9]
It is unknown when stations were decorated by their staff.
However, only one article I have found reports a station's adornments before
25 December, suggesting that most stations were decked out shortly before Christmas Day.[10] As for when they were taken down, this is again
a bit of a mystery. Yet, clearly some stations were a bit lazy in doing so. At Saxmundham Station on the Great Eastern Railway in 1875, decorations were
noted to be still up in the waiting room at a staff supper on the 12 January.[11]
I have always felt that the Victorian railway community’s
decoration of stations is akin to what many of us do at our own places of work;
we decorate to help us remain festive while grafting. Consequently, our festooning of desks and walls follow in a long tradition of work-place
festivities.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY READERS
My other Christmas posts are as follows:
----
[1] Reading Mercury, Saturday 01 January 1887
[2] The South Western Gazette, January 1888, p.8
[3] Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, Saturday 01 January 1881
[4] Hampshire Advertiser, Saturday 31 December 1887
[5] Surrey Mirror, Saturday 22 December 1888
[6] Reading Mercury, Saturday 01 January 1887
[7] The South Western Gazette, January 1888, p.11
[8] Reading Mercury, Saturday 02 January 1886
[9] The South Western Gazette, January 1884, p.2
[10] Surrey Mirror, Saturday 22 December 1888
[11] The Ipswich Journal, Saturday 16 January 1875
