Bell Horse Day

I think the most exciting day of the year, apart from Christmas, was May Day, or as we knew it then, Bell Horse Day. This was when the Gasworks, the Colliery, the Co-op and the rest of the local companies, who all delivered their products by horse and cart, dressed up the horses and carts with coloured ribbons and lots of bells. The cart-men themselves were resplendent with their decorated top hats and coats.

Then started the parade with the Bell Horses. This went down Bradford Road, down Mill Street and into town. Thousands of people would stand on the pavements watching and clapping as the parade went by.

As afternoon became evening, we would look out for the illuminated Bus-Tram. This was of course a bus-tram with hundreds of coloured lights decorating the outside which was driven slowly down Bradford Road and Mill Street.

by Alf Almond