A Bartholonew staff outing to Elie, Fife, in 1899.
Bartholomew's outings were always popular and offered staff a valuable opportunity to have fun and socialise. Working hours were very different then and many staff routinely worked 50-60 hours per week. Since staff had little disposable income, occasions like this were even more important.
Trips like this gave staff the opportunity to dress up, have fun and play all sorts of games. Staff recalled spending weeks training for events in the corridors of Bartholomew's Park Road premises. The firm supplied refreshments and tried to ensure that a good time was had by all.
From 1929 until the 1990s Bartholomew had a popular golf club. Members came from a mixture of departments, allowing people who might not normally meet to get to know each other.
Photos of staff outings featured in the Bartholomew exhibition, which ran at the National Library of Scotland from 7 December 2012 to 7 May 2013.