DURING recent research into the history of the local workhouses, Bill Blinkhorn came up with a strange menu from 1835. And it threw another light across our 'Bally-Ann Days' theme.

The latest in the many theories for the meaning of this term (the hard-up day when folk were short of food) came from a town-centre correspondent.

He said the name was broken down from Banian Days, a derogatory term used by old-time sailors when they had no meat. It was picked up from vegetarian Hindu merchant traders in Victorian times. They belonged to the no-meat Banians sect.

Now, Bill Blinkhorn says of his workhouse menu discovery: " I was struck by the similarity of the word Banian days. Apparently, they had three Banyan Days and three Lobscouse Days every week, plus Sunday lunch of boiled beef."

Thickened

The banyan consisted of mashed potatoes, milk and melted butter (bacon fat) thickened with flour.

Lobscouse was potatoes and pork. No mention of vegetables with either item.

Breakfast and supper was always the same - bread, oatmeal and milk, probably watered down.

Says Bill, from Lickers Lane, Whiston: "Hardly a protein diet, was it?"