1900 to 1909

YARDLEY GOBION

On Saturday last, the annual May Day Festival was held in the village, which not withstanding the somewhat cold weather, was well attended, amongst those present during the day, being His Grace the Duke of Grafton, K.G., Mrs Fitzroy, Miss Armstrong, rev. C. Coad Pryor, and Mrs. Pryor, Mrs Dyson, Mrs. Atkinson (Cosgrove Priory), Mrs. Henson, Mr. Frank Grant-Thorold, Miss Bayard and Miss Wace (Stony Stratford), Miss Newton (Pury Lodge), Mr. H. Weston, Miss Weston (Prospect House), Misses Weston (the Elms), Mr. And Mrs. Hardwick, Mr. Albert Masom, Mrs. Masom, Mrs. Arthur Smith, Mrs. Brafield, Misses Cooke, etc. The proceedings commenc3ed at 2 p.m. with a procession round the village, headed by the Yardley Gobion Brass Band and consisting of the May queen (Lois Wilson, seated in a daily-decorated carriage), children representing various flowers, the seasons, shepherds, clowns, trumpeters etc., and the Yardley Gobion Morris dancers. The subsequent proceedings, which consisted of the Coronation of the May queen, Maypole songs and dances, and sports, took place in a field lent by Mr. Albert Masom. The Coronation of the May queen, the maypole dances and a ribbon dance were very pretty sights, and were well performed, the principal parts being represented as follows :- May Queen, Lois Wilson; Violet, Katie Lambert; Buttercup, Ethel Atkins; Bo-Peep, Hilda Lambert; Forget-me-not, Alice Gear; Rose, Emily Glenn; Narcissus, Hilda Smith; Wild Rose, Sissy Johnson; Poppy, Jane Wade; Fairy, Lizzy Warren; Red Riding Hood, Clarice Hyde; Prince, J. Gray; Herald, Alfred Swain; Trumpeters, Edward Warren and Walter Johnson; Page Boy, Harry Brassett; Clowns, Charlie Allen and Ernest Lambert; Attendants, W. Key, W. Owen, H. Yates. Mrs. Arthur Smith conducted, Miss Cooke, and Miss Weston assisted with the children. Mr. T. Cadd and his Morris dancers gave some amusing performances, after which tea was held under the management of Mrs. Masom. After tea, sports were held and the following are the results :-

120 yds, Handicap (open) 1 H. Simpson, 2 G. Lightfoot, 3 J. Elliott.

½ mile Handicap residents 1 D. Drinkwater, 2 W. Atkins, 3 F. Kightley.

250yds handicap for youths (residents) under 16. 1 F. Lambert, 2 J. Horton, 3 W. Lambert.

¼ mile handicap (open) 1 A Roberts, 2 T. Pratt, 3 D. Green.

1 Mile handicap (open) 1 F. Key, 2 John Key, 3 T. Nicholls.

100 yds, Flat Race for village children under 12. Boys – 1 Jno. Saunders, 2 J. Gray, 3 Harry Brassett. Girls – 1 Katie Lambert, 2 Lois Wilson, 3 Annie Adkins.

Mr W. Weston acted as judge, Mr.Jno. Gray as starter, and Messrs. T. Kightley and J. Drinkwater as handicappers. All the arrangements were well carried out, Mr. S. Hardwick ably acting as Hon. Secretary.

BP2005

May Festival 1900