HEYSHAM PEACE

FESTIVITIES
____________

Day of Delight at the

Hall

______________

Pageant and Sports
 

With what thoroughness that usually characterises the organisation of big gatherings, the Heysham Peace Celebrations Committee had arranged a great day.

It was great in more ways than one. In the first place it was great as far as numbers went, for people flocked to the celebrations by the hundred; In the second place it was great because it was impressive. Not one who was there but who realised that it was indeed an event of great joy that was being celebrated, for the whole proceedings were joyful in the extreme.

The adults were as happy as anyone and the children – they must have wished that at least one day of every week should be made and proclaimed a peace day.

It was great too because nothing had been overlooked. In the short time at their disposal the committee had worked hard. They had made the most of the time and with excellent results. It was a happy thought to embody the Council and all the Churches and the organisations and institutions on the committee. The committee thus had the benefit of practically everybody’s views, and out of the multitude of ideas they adopted the best.

The result was that, with the exception of the presentation of commemoration mugs and the entertainment of all the “boys who had fought and won” and brought us peace at last, there was something for everybody. The soldiers will be given a special honouring and welcome home at a later date, and likewise as soon as the mugs arrive there will be a presentation of them to the children.

A GRAND PROCESSION

The day’s proceedings started with a procession from Sandylands to the Hall, which glorious venue had been selected for the day’s delights.

The procession was formed in Sefton road, where Councillors Hustler, Sugden, Holdsworth and Craven and Messrs Bell, Brooke, Bates, Kelly, Mortimer, J Brooksbank, Shackleton and Warrington acted as marshals. The very young Sandylands children, for whom the walk to the Hall would be too much, were sent on by car, whilst the Heysham children on seven lorries, each with its khaki clad driver, came from the village to take part in the procession.

It was an imposing cavalcade. Led by the 1^st Morecambe Boy Scouts with Union Jack and the Sefton road Boys’ Life Brigade, there followed the lorries of children. On three of the lorries the children were formed into tableaux. The first of these was a representation of the Allies with John Bull seated in the centre, and grouped around him America, Italy, Japan, France, Belgium, Rumania, Serbia, each child dressed in the national costume of the country represented.

PEACE WITH VICTORY

The second tableau was a very fine one representing “Peace with Victory”. This comprised two dainty maidens seated side by side, both dressed in white. The one with the dove of peace for a head covering and the other bearing aloft the laurels of victory.

The third tableau needs no description. It depicted Britannia surrounded by her children – English, Scotish (sic), Welsh, Irish and Colonial.

Following these came Heysham Brass Band, conducted by Mr. W. Woodman, the Chairman and members of the Council, the Rector of Heysham (Rev. C.C.T. Royds), Rev D.O.Kennedy, Rev. J.A. Buttriss, etc. More children on foot and residents. The children all waved Union Jacks – Councillor Taylor had presented to them a gross – and most of them were gaily bedecked in tri-colour garlands and cocked hats.

The weather was dull and drops of rain fell as the procession started on its way along Heysham road to the lively music of the band, but crowds of people lined each side of the road, and as the procession progressed, many followed in its wake, and entered the gates of the Hall to participate in the pleasures.

By the time the Hall was reached, the sun had struggled through the clouds, and onwards until the close brilliant sunshine favoured the merrymakers.

 A JOYOUS PROGRAMME

Nothing had been left to chance inside the gardens. The course for the sports had been roped off, and bunting fluttered from the dividing ropes. On the terrace a Maypole was erected, and was plaited by a group of Heysham school children in as smart and dainty a manner as ever a Maypole was plaited.

Here too, a platform had been erected for the bandsmen, who played for dancing, for the Heysham Male Voice Glee Party, who, under the baton of Mr. J. Bell gave some delightful part songs and glees, and for the popular “Fuzees” Concert Party from the Sandylands Pavilion, who gave one of their first class programmes of individual and concerted numbers.

There were also patriotic songs and tableaux by the school children, and a capital children’s entertainment given by Mr. Barber.

And these were but some of the delights that were provided. The sports included events for the children of varying ages between 5 and 15, admirably classified and handicapped according to age. There were flat races, sack races, skipping races, egg and spoon races, three-legged races, needle threading and boot races.

The officials for the sports were:- Judges: Rev. C.C.T.Royds, Councillor Craven and Councillor G. Willacy, Messrs Bent and J. Mortimer.

Starters: Capt. Bates and Councillor Joynes.

Stewards: Rev. D. C. Kennedy, Councillor Sugden and Mr Brooke.

Bellman: Councillor Jarman.

Sports for Adults: Messrs Bent and Hustler and Rev. D.C. Kennedy.

Mr. G. W. Waddington presided at the notice board, and Councillor Sugden was the accompanist.

Councillor M.Taylor J.P. was the Chairman of the Committee, Councillor J.Hustler, the treasurer and Messrs J.M.S. Clough and W. Braithwaite indefatigable secretaries.

The children were not the only ones catered for. There were sports for adults, tugs-of-war, and – what has always been a great and popular feature of Heysham jollifications – wrestling matches. Heysham can boast of some men of prowess in this ancient game, and very keen were the contests.

HEYSHAM’S FUTURE

WORTHIES

One of the most interesting features of all, however, and one which attracted widespread attention, was the wartime baby show: On the wood-circled mound by the top of the main drive to the Hall, Dr. and Mrs Oldham held a Court of chubby-faced curly-headed babies, all born since war was declared, and no easy task was theirs to award the prizes. Yet Dr. Oldham was well qualified for the position of judge and the applause that greeted his various awards testified to the thoroughness with which he fulfilled the duty. They were fine healthy babies, all of them, and every mother was justifiably proud of her offspring whether or not it won a prize.

There were 75 entries, 46 girls, and 29 boys; these being divided into 6 classes, 3 for girls and 3 for boys, namely: Under one year; over one and under three years, over three years.

The winners were- Girls: Class 1 – 1^st Ethel Parr; 2^nd, Lily Edginton; Class 2 – 1^st Margaret Ellis; 2^nd Nancy Beals. Class 3 – 1^st Hilda Adams; 2^nd Rita Howard McMeeking.

Boys: Class 1- 1^st Charlie Edmondson; 2^nd Harry Sandham. Class 2 – 1^st Allen Eastwood; 2^nd Maurice Pickup. Class 3 – 1^st John Clarke; 2^nd Joe Stevenson.

Dr. and Mrs Oldham were kindly helped in taking the entries (no light task) by Miss E. Greg and Mesdames Geo. Dodgson, Wakefield and Miller.

The Doctor, in a jocular reply to the vote of thanks, proposed by Mr Baldwin Bent, said he felt he ought to point out to Heysham that it was not doing its duty to the nation; they were producing far too many girls in proportion to boys, and should alter this in future.

At 3.30 the children were marshalled for tea. Each was presented with a bag of cakes, etc., and grouped into twenty-fives they squatted on the grass and made a hearty and merry meal. At 4.30 in the Hall, the residents of 60 years and over were given a spread, nothing was lacking to make the treat a memorable one. Those who were likely to find the walk from home to the scene of revelry too great a tax upon their powers were not forgotten, Sumptuous motor cars, kindly lent for the purpose by their owners called for them at their homes and gave them the added joy of a glorious spin to the Hall.

HAPPINESS AND GAIETY

The utmost of good humour everywhere prevailed. It was a land of smiles. Peace, perfect peace, was supreme; not a discordant note was sounded, not a hitch was there in any of the arrangements.

From the moment the fete started to the very last minute when the concluding lines of the National anthem were heartily sung, happiness and gaiety were the keynotes of the huge gathering, which, long before the afternoon had half spent itself, included many visitors who came from Sandylands and Morecambe in carriages, char-a-bancs, by motors and trams, and on foot. There was a welcome for everybody and there was joy for everybody. For the nation was celebrating Peace on earth and goodwill, and of both there was an abundance in the hearts of all at Heysham.

“PEACE DAY”

______

School Children

Remembered

______

Others Forgotten

______

“Peace Day” in Morecambe was not lacking in incident, despite the fact that the celebrations were confined to “children only”.

There was apparent on all sides a desire on the part of the public to make it a “Joy Day” as was the case in almost every city, town or village in the country and residents were very busy on Friday afternoon and evening, and early on Saturday morning, putting out their flags and bunting.

The authorities too “got a move on” at the last moment and bedecked the Promenade from end to end with streamers stretching from the electric light standards and across many of the streets flags and decorations hung and fluttered in the breeze.

SUN STREET TO THE FORE

______

“Jazz” Band and Dancing and

Profuse Decorations

Notably amongst these were Sun street and Back Pedder street, where there was a profusion of bunting, and where, suspended by ropes, hung effigies of the Kaiser, booted and spurred, and complete in all his war paint, even to the Iron Cross, and “Little Willie”.

These two streets have been wont to make merry on all public occasions and in this case they fully maintained their reputations. Sun street formed its own “Jazz” band, which paraded the streets, and the children danced and made merry and collected quite an appreciable sum for the Cottage Hospital (the Queen Victoria Hospital).

Sun street had also its “Kaiser” but before his trial and scorching death he was taken around the streets in a barrow accompanied by the “jazz” band – “the Sun street Ragtimers”. At night he was burned like a straw, with rejoicing, as if the Kaiser himself had been the victim.

BACK PEDDER STREET’S

TRIUMPH

______

Mock Trial and Execution of the Kaiser

Back Pedder street inhabitants were equally joyful. Their street decorations surpassed all previous efforts of the kind, whilst the effigies of the Kaiser and “Little Wliie” attracted crowds to the spot and at night still greater crowds when having been found guilty of many crimes against civilisation, he was condemned, and at 11.15 p.m. paid the penalty, not on the scaffold, not facing a firing party, but at the stake, where he was burned amid uproarous (sic) scenes.

Yet in all their fun and frolic there was not a sign of any horse-play on the part of this lively crowd.

And there were other notable happenings in Back Pedder street, Mrs Swithenbank, dressed as the Scarlet Pimpernel, went round with the bag for sweet charity’s sake, and the Cottage Hospital benefited by her labours. Miss Alice Threlfall, Mrs Holmes, whose husband fought at Ypres, and Mrs Bradley, and Mrs Threlfall, as a Red Cross Nurse, all took a part and made the rejoicings go with a jolly swing.

Altogether, with a donation of 17s. from Mr Thos. Holding, the sum raised amounted to £4 6s. 6d. and £1 having been sent to the Cottage Hospital, the balance is to be used to give the children living in the street a treat on Saturday.

On the Promenade all day there were huge crowds of people, and at night thousands congregated with a view to “making things burn.” But there was no civic or other procession much to the disappointment of the majority, and at night, although the bandstands were a blaze of light, there was no band. Alas, the Town Band had gone to Galgate!

THE CHILDREN’S REVELS

______

An Afternoon of Sports and Merry

Games

The “official” programme arranged for the children by Councillor A.W. Gorton and a committee consisted of a brief service and sports and games on a field off West End road.

The service consisted of the National Anthem, speeches by the Mayor and Councillor Siddle, and the hymn, “O God our Help in Ages Past.” At the close cheers were given for His Majesty the King, and the sports commenced.

Each child was given tea on the field, and presented with a bag well filled with cakes etc. and in the blazing sunshine of a brilliant afternoon everyone of them had their fill of enjoyment.

Councillor Gorton and his army of helpers are to be congratulated on what they did for the young inhabitants of the town on this day.

______

At the request of the King the Board of Education have circularised local Education Committees to give a little extra holiday to their scholars in celebration of Peace. The Morecambe Schools will therefore close today, Wednesday, until the 1st September. The Prize Distribution, which was fixed to take place on the 31st July, will be postponed until the schools reassemble.

The Butchers’ Association, to their credit, closed all day on Saturday.