1924

MAY FESTIVAL – YARDLEY GOBION – 1924

 

Although the weather was far from good on Saturday, the postponed May Festival at Yardley Gobion was held. The programme opened with a procession of the May Queen (Edith Odell) and her attendants through the village headed by the Yardley Gobion Brittania Band and upon arrival at the field the Queen was crowned and her attendants entertained her with song and dance.

 

The Queen’s court consisted of :-

Alice Glenn (fairy) Ivy Odell and Joyce Atkins (train bearers), Stanley Church (page), Sydney Dickens (herald) Nancy Atkins, Gladys Smith, Doris Swain and Louisa Swain (maids of honour). Wm. Glenn (captain of the Queen’s guard)

Empire characters were: Elsie Atkins (Brittania), Mary Odell (Irish Colleen), Sydney Ratledge (Red Indian) and Fanny Atkins (Peace).

The Seasons :- Dorothy Smith, Louisa Durrant, May Evans, Hilda Swain, (Spring). Freda Kightley, Doris Dickens, Marjorie Akins, Sylvia Church (Summer).

Hilda Atkins, Alice Tapp, Violet Horton, Mabel Church (Autumn).

Hilda Odell, Annie Morton, Marjorie Morton, Grace Church (Winter).

Edna Durrant and Iris Swain (Gypsies).

The maypole was braided and Morris dancers afterwards contributed to the programme. The latter were under Mr. Thomas Cadd (Robin Hood) who has conducted morris dancing for over 30 years and also at one time went to London to help show Morris Dancing there. The dancers were Messrs. Harold Cadd, Willaim Swain, Reg. Johnson, George Martin, William Morton, Henry Horton, F. Swain, F. Horton, Wm. Odell, (Maid Marion), Wm. Glenn, (Hobby Horse), J. Horton and W. Horton (pipers). The school children were entertained to tea by the Ladies’ Committee and friends in the village and they repeated part of the programme in the evening. The children were under the charge of the school mistress, who with Mrs Lucas and Mrs Dodson, were responsible for their training.

The Queen’s throne was decorated by Mrs. E. Lambert and the decorations of the carriage and village were carried out by the Ladies’ Committee.

In the field were side shows under the charge of Messrs. B. Atkins and W. Glenn (Coconut Shy). Mr. Quick and H. Smith (Skittles). J. Drinkwater, C Horton ,G Church and H. Kightley (top hat), Algy Atkins (Bowls competition), D. Shakeshaft (Football). Children’s races were carried out by Messrs. G Church and J Drinkwater.

 

The Committee responsible for the arrangements of the festival was a large one and very representative of the village under the ssecretaryship of Mr. J.D. Warren.

 

From newspapers on Findmypast (Northampton Mercury) copied by B. Pittam August 2017