These are the history pieces which appeared in the Batley St. Mary of the Angels and Birstall St. Patrick’s bulletin during May 2026. 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 a separate parish until 1905. Prior to that it was part of St. Mary’s.
As part of the St. Mary of the Angels One-Place Study I have written in more detail about some of these events, and where this is the case the link to the fuller piece is included.
02/03 May 2026
12-year-old Kathleen Gooder (left), daughter of Redmond Joseph and Mary Elizabeth Gooder, was the St. Mary’s May Queen for 1939. The procession and crowning ceremony took place on Sunday, 7 May, with the church full to overflowing long before the service commenced. She wore a satin gown cut in Elizabethan style. Her long, richly embroidered train of white satin was lined with blue. On her long lace veil were worked the words “Ave Maria.” She was followed by her cushion bearer, Kathleen Lyons, and attendants Kenneth Marshall and Terence Neville, after whom came the maids-of-honour, Misses S. Carr, M. Healey, E. Walker, M. Collinson, D. Cassidy, E. Gallagher, M. Kerfoot, G. Armstead, C. Sharpe, K. Ryan, M. Kilroy and C. Collins. Train bearers were Masters C. Varley, J. Galloway, T. Finn and B. Cooney.
For more details about this event click here.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
09/10 May 2026
On 01 and 06 May 1951, St. Mary’s Boys’ School put on their most ambitious show to date, the opera “Maritana”. Lack of girls proved no handicap, and it was a triumph due to the boys’ enthusiasm combined with the production skills of visiting music master Elijah Beaumont, who afterwards was presented with a music case. The boys involved included John Breslin, Peter Jones, Alexander Roper, John Lyons, Terence Mann and Brian Pickering. They were ably backed by a large supporting cast. The assistant producer was Miss L. Scanlon, with make-up by Mrs. Brennan. It proved so successful a third performance was held on 09 May.
For more details about this production click here.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
16/17 May 2026
On 16 May 1932 members and officials of Birstall Irish Democratic League Club entertained about 240 school children to tea in the school, and gave each child threepence. Organisers were the President Thomas Costello and Secretary Tom Prendergast, along with Messrs. John Scalley, Walter Duffey, John Casey, Michael O’Donnell, Martin Cunnane, Herbert Whitley, John Doyle, Tom Higgins and John Melvin. Tea was served by Mother Mary, Sister Clarice and Miss M. O’Hanlon, Miss K. O’Connell and Miss M. O’Carroll (teachers), former teacher Mrs. William Halloran, along with Mesdames E. Doyle, M. Prendergast, Misses Moynihan, M. Snee, M. E. Sheridan, N. Freeman, M. Costello and M. Render. Winners in the sports held after tea included amongst the boys Terrence Hopkins, J. Nuttall, V. Adams, J. Conway and P. Muldoon. Girls who won their sports included N. Robinson, K. Frain, K. Maguire, N. Chappell and S. Render.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
23/24 May 2026
The Birstall St. Patrick’s May Queen procession of Sunday 25 May 1941 was a much smaller event than usual due to the war. May Queen Christine Purcell wore an ivory moiré Ottoman silk dress cut on medieval lines, with its satin-lined train embroidered with gold thread. Her cushion bearer Maureen McVeigh wore a picture dress of silk taffeta, with an overdress of taffeta trimmed with net and broad sash. Maids-of-honour were Mary Gallagher, Kathleeen Taylor, Hilda Harland, Rosemary Hird, Mary Chapleo, Margaret Clarke, and Maureen Marlow. These were essentially the same girls who took part in the 1940 event, which was curtailed amidst confusion after only 15 minutes.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
30/31 May 2026
On 05 June 1929 the Mayor of Batley, Councillor C.R. Spedding, took a group of Batley schoolboys on a visit to Goole docks. The two St. Mary’s representatives were Michael Munns and Martin Gallagher. They travelled to Goole in one of the luxurious new “Lion” type “Yorkshire” buses. One highlight was travelling through the docks on the “Ouse Tender” and watching the steamship “Nidd” being loaded with several tons of rags from James Spedding and Son, the firm of Batley rag merchants headed by the mayor. They watched coal being loaded, visited the docks’ engineering works and a power station. Tea was provided at the Lowther Hotel, before the return trip to Batley.
Jane Roberts – Parish Historian, Website: https://pasttopresentgenealogy.co.uk
Past To Present Genealogy 