Several of you contacted me with details of the work done there, handling laundry for the hotel as well as for the Dukes of Lancaster, Rothesay and Argyll ships that went out of Heysham.

Joan Roberts wrote in the Morecambe local collection at the library that a cottage next to the laundry was occupied by a Mr Bown, the engineer who liaised between the laundry and the hotel.

About six men worked in the wash house, supervised by a
foreman. Two porters brought the baskets of linen from the train to the sorting room.

Female staff worked on the calenders of clothing and in the packing room. There was an ironing room with one large press and two people ironing by hand. There was also a sewing machinist.

Hand washing and ironing was done for guests at the Midland, who often included famous artists appearing at the Winter Gardens.

Mrs Watson of Galgate sent me the photo above of the laundry staff. Her mum Mrs Lucy Rogerson (the blonde lady at the back) didn't work there but was a guest of the lady next to her, Mrs Mable Pearson.

Some of the others she can name on the photo are Joan Pearson, Maureen Anderson, Neil Corris, Morris Williams, Florrie Leach and Sylvia Wilson.