These are the history pieces which appeared in the Batley St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick’s bulletin during June 2025. As the parishes are jointly administered and a single bulletin produced, the history pieces are not solely focused on St Mary of the Angels, although St Patrick’s was not formed as s separate parish until 1905. Prior to that it was part of St Mary’s.
07/08 June 2025
On 11 June 1932 Our Lady of Good Council, Horsforth’s garden fete included a contest for to find the prettiest May Queen tableau in the West Riding. 10 May Queens participated, and the Birstall St Patrick’s May Queen, Miss Kitty Maguire, and her Regal Attendants, won third prize. She wore a white fox fur hemmed gown of ivory embossed chiffon velvet with a centre panel of embroidered pearls, and a coronet of pearls and diamante. Her Maids of Honour were Misses Theresa Wright, Mary Taylor, Mary Peel, Veronica Duffey, Mary Stainthorpe, Marjorie Brennan, Kathleen Madden, Mary Gavaghan, Ellen Duffey, Annie Holmes, Mary Lyons and Norah Duffey. Page boys were Willie Ward, Robert Kirk, and Desmond Farrar. Lily Roberts was the cushion bearer.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
14/15 June 2025
On 15 June 1886 the St Mary of the Angels annual Whit Tuesday procession took place. Under the supervision of the Rev. Charles Gordon, round 200 Birstall Catholic scholars, teachers and friends from assembled at the Catholic School in Kirkgate, and headed by the Birstall Brass Band they marched to Batley to meet up with the Batley Catholics at Cross Bank. The Victoria Temperance Band led the procession through Batley, with the Birstall Band in the middle. Afterwards, nearly 900 children were treated to buns, milk or tea in the school at St Mary’s. Then, until 7pm, games were played on a field near Upper Batley Station, which Walter Critchley had lent for the occasion.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
21/22 June 2025
On Sunday, 24 June 1951 three buses carrying 150 St Mary’s parishioners, accompanied by Father Dennis Tagney, travelled to Leeds to take part in the Catholic celebrations of the Festival of Britain. Members of the Children of Mary and the men of the church carried banners in the procession from Leeds Town Hall to Headingly Football Ground. A pageant of tableaux was performed prior to Pontifical High Mass, which was sung, and an address given by the Bishop of Leeds, Dr. J. C. Heenan.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
28/29 June 2025
Two boys from St Mary’s were amongst the 73 who participated in the third Annual North of England Inter-Schools Boxing Championships for 12-14 year-old-boys at Heaton Hall, Bradford. 23 schools from Liverpool, Sheffield, Bradford, Leeds, Rotherham, Sheffield, Newcastle and Batley took part in the contest, held as part of the garden party for St Bede’s Old Boys’ Association. Despite putting up a fine exhibition against a much taller opponent, and being cleverer at close quarters, 5 stone 7lbs James Lyons (13) was beaten on points by the Lancashire and Cheshire champion, though he did receive a prize for the best loser. Laurence Carney (13) won his first fight, but lost in his second. Sports master Mr. Byrne was full of praise for the boys he trained at St Mary’s, and after the event the school suggested boxing be included in the sports programme for local schools so a full team of six from Batley could take part in future.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
Past To Present Genealogy 