In a normal year, it’s about now that everyone is thinking of dusting off their gold lamé jacket and hunting for those novelty earrings: yes, it’s Christmas Party season!
The CIC Magazines from 1959 and 1966 show that this is a tradition that has been going on for many years and back then they really knew how to celebrate on a grand scale. Each department had its own annual dinner, a chance for colleagues, friends and their families to get together and celebrate the achievements of the year. Formal dinners seem to be the order of the day, and here we have a selection of the parties from those years.
Most lavish seems to be the Blast Furnace party in 1966 but the one I quite fancy going to is the Brick Works party, where (very elaborate!) novelty hats added to the overall festivities of the occasion. More down to earth was the Spiracon department, who settled for a darts competition and a round of dominoes.
What are your memories of the Steelworks XMAS parties?
History of Consett Steelworks 