Longshaw Lodge was used by the Holiday Fellowship from 1929 to 1960.

Holiday Fellowship grew out of an organisation known as the Co-operative Holidays Association founded by the Rev T Arthur Leonard, a Congregational Church minister from Colne in Lancashire. He was disturbed that the young men of his congregation used to spend their entire annual holiday on the beach in Blackpool, feeling that a nice bracing walk in the Lake District would be much better for them.

The first holiday took place in 1892 and in subsequent years the holidays became so popular that it was necessary to purchase guest houses for the participants. The CHA was formed in 1910 to incorporate all the guest houses under one umbrella organisation.

By 1913 Rev Leonard felt that a little too much luxury was creeping into the holidays, with carpets and easy chairs being provided in the guest houses, and formed the Holiday Fellowship (although it must be stressed that HF holidaymakers today do enjoy these any many other luxuries). Twenty years later, the Youth Hostel Association grew from the same roots.

Longshaw Lodge opened as a Holiday Fellowship guest house at Easter 1929. Out of the holiday season it was available as a conference centre for 'societies with a progressive character' and for school journey parties. It boasted tennis, bathing, garaging and electric light in its advertisements.

It was expected that most guests would arrive by train and the holiday programmes contained luggage labels for use on the LMS Railway. Passengers would alight at Grindleford Station and either walk up to the Lodge, or they could send a postcard to Mr E White, bus proprietor of Grindleford, who would meet them at the station and take them up to the lodge for one shilling. Unaccompanied luggage was conveyed for 6d (2½p per item. Those lucky enough to arrive by motor car could keep it in the garage for 7s 6d (37½p) per week if it was a four seater, or 5s (25p) if it was a two seater.

There was also a regular bus service from Manchester to Fox House and in 1930 the fare was 6s 6d (32½p) return.

Excursions took place on most days and divided into 'A' walks, and slightly shorter 'B' walks. They included walks on Burbage Moor, to Froggatt and Eyam and, further afield, by bus to Hope and then walk to Castleton (with a visit to the Blue John Mine), or train to Bamford for a walk in the Derwent Valley. Lunches and most teas were provided by the Fellowship with a clear instruction that 'lunch rucksacks will be carried by the men.'

Notices on the doors of the washrooms as late as the 1950s stated: 'On excursions, where there is no 'Ladies' Cottage', the gentlemen will leave the party for a short time after lunch to allow both sexes to attend to the needs of nature.'

Evening entertainment consisted of dances, 'sing-songs', discussions, lectures, and a home grown concert on the last night. Guests were requested not to wait until Friday before informing the Host or Hostess that they were willing to participate in this concert.

Both CHA and HF organised holidays in which people could happily participate on their own, and were known to some of their guests as 'Caught Husbands Association', and 'Husbands Found' respectively.

Sources:

• Holiday Fellowship brochures
• Article from 'Over the Hills' (HF magazine)