Burnley forward Billy Ingham with 22-month-old Pamela Lord at the General Hospital.

From an article by Steve Entwistle, pictures by Ron Rennell:
It may not have been a white Christmas, but it was certainly a merry one for patients visited by civic dignitaries during the customary mayoral tour of local hospitals on Christmas morning. The civic party, headed by the Mayor and Mayoress of Burnley (Councillor and Mrs Abel Bridge) included Burnley's MP (Mr Dan Jones) and Mrs Jones, the Town Clerk (Mr C. V. Thornley) and Mrs Thornley, Mr E. Hindle (chairman of the hospital management committee), Alderman J. H. Sutcliffe (vice-chairman), Councillor Mrs S. Ennis (chairman of the Bank Hall House committee) and Mr R. Bushby (chairman of Victoria and Marsden House Committee). Among hospital staff accompanying the party were Mr F. C. Parr (chief administration officer), Miss T. Hothersall (chief nursing officer), Mr C. M. Stephenson (secretary for Marsden and Victoria Hospitals), Mr D. Brierley (senior administration assistant) and Mr Jack Banks (public relations officer).

The party assembled at Marsden Hospital on a cold yet chilly Christmas morning, and chatted to some of the children in Deerplay Ward before moving on to Victoria Hospital. At Victoria they visited the women's medical ward and the male medical ward, then went to Bank Hall. When they arrived at Burnley General the party split into groups visiting different wards. The patients at the general felt "like proper VIP's" for, as well as the civic party they also had visitors from the Royal British Legion, Burnley Football Club and members of the Ex-Clarets Association.

For the Mayor, the tour was one of his most pleasing civic functions. He spent Christmas Day in hospital during the First World War. He said: "It is not very nice at the time but I am sure these people are being looked after just as I was looked after. The hospital staff do a wonderful job trying to make people feel at home."