Agnes Judge was the St Mary of the Angels May Queen for 1925. There was no local coverage in the Batley News of the ceremony on the first Sunday of May, but there was extensive coverage of her participation in the Whitsuntide procession on 2 June.
It was a huge event, with the number of participants – in what was described as a strikingly beautiful spectacle – estimated to be as many as 1,500. The newspaper included the names of upwards of two hundred of them. So if you have ancestors in the parish it is well worth checking to see if they are mentioned.
The route was described, and I have mapped it out below (see also Footnote 1). As you can see it covered quite a significant part of the centre of town, and must have been an impressive sight with the colourful banners and the various pageant queens and their attendants dressed in the most amazing costumes, if the descriptions are anything to go by.
What is even more thought-provoking is the fact this was a time of financial hardship for many families in the parish, and the cost of the opulent costumes for their children must have been a real struggle for many of them.
The full description, with spellings as per the newspaper (some of which are clearly wrong if you know the families), read:
CHARMING PAGEANTS.
Whitsuntide Processions of Local Catholics.
Artistic Gaiety and Symbolism.
Over 600 Children Take Part at Batley.
The Whitsuntide procession on Tuesday of the Roman Catholic community in Batley was a strikingly beautiful spectacle, and in great measure a reverent and devout religious pageant. In the elaborate and comprehensive nature of their annual imposing procession the Catholics of Batley have set themselves a high standard which, if it be equalled, is excelled by none of their friends in the district. Batley Catholics have acquired a well-deserved reputation for the beauty of a pageant, which attracts from a wide area, admiring visitors, not only of their own but other churches. The way in which they maintain year after year the same degree of excellence is wonderful, and Tuesday’s function was quite as brilliant as those which have gone before. The artistic preparation of the various constituent pageants dealing with religious subjects aroused the admiration of the public and the reverent manner in which they were presented was most impressive.
The procession was a feat of organisation which reflects the highest credit on the hard-working committee of organisations, representing every section of St. Mary’s parish, and who had at their head two capable leaders in Rev. Father McBride and Rev. Father O’Meara. The size of the undertaking may be gauged by the fact the procession included over 600 children in addition to adults and a large number of young people in their teens. Altogether from 1,400 to 1,500 people took part. The procession was divided into sections headed by banners and the pageants were beautifully presented, the pretty dresses of the children being greatly admired. For the arrangement of this pageant the promoters were indebted to the sisters at the Batley Convent who also had the kindly supervision and advice of the Reverend Mother. The pageants in which the tiny tots took part were arranged by Rev. Sister Bonaventure and Rev. Sister Gertrude, and all those of the older children by Rev. Sister Alloysius and Rev. Sister Rupert, assisted by the staff of the senior school, Misses L. Scanlon, J. North, Harney, Staunton and Judge. A world of praise is also due to the parents who went to considerable trouble and expense in providing their children with pretty dresses which contributed to the spectacular beauty of the ensemble.
The ex-Fairy Queen in a Pretty Setting.
The procession was headed by the parish banner, that of St. Mary of the Angels, and the subsequent special groups or pageants were interspersed by parties of school children. Infant scholars occupied first place behind the leading banner and the first pageants were entirely composed of little ones. The ex-Fairy Queen and her attendants made a pretty picture. The ex-Queen Miss Mary Roberts, wore a gown and long train of white, both trimmed with pale blue and silver. Her two train bearers were Misses Janie Kelly, Mary Gannon, Nora Halloran, Annie Hemingway, Lizzie Hargreaves, Kitty Gannon, Annie Cunningham, Nellie Mullins, Annie Carter, Margaret Hopkins, Winnie Colleran, Margaret Tarpey, Eileen Grimshaw and Nellie Howley.
The banner of the Guardian Angel, carried by a schoolboy, was appropriately placed in the centre of the youngest children and was followed by a group typically Irish in its representation. Masters John Breslin, John Bottomley, Willie Berry and Thomas Frain, four little boys carrying small tricoloured flags and dressed in suits of white, with green and gold caps, were followed by another party wearing traditional Irish costume of green velvet suits, lined with gold, and white hats trimmed with bands of green silk. These were Masters Joseph Frain, James Delaney, Robert Carter, Thomas Munns, Edie Vesey, Willie Walker, Willie Tinker, James Ramsbottom, Michael Ford, Jack Mulcahy, Thomas Macnamara, Wille Flatley, James Gallagher, John Gerald Lynch and Willie Lynch.
Irish Pipers from Manchester.
Nor was this the only realistic touch from the Emerald Isle. There followed a band of Irish Pipers from St. Joseph’s, Manchester – well known throughout the North of England – and in their wake came a group of little girls in pretty and characteristic colleen dresses of white with cloaks of green and gold. The colleens were Misses Mary Armstead, Nellie Frain, Eileen Hutton, Mary Elizabeth Shaw, Margaret Cairns, Kathleen Lynch, Mary Lynch, Mary Collins, Lena Collins, Nora Marshall, Mary Clarke, Eileen Horan, Maureen Kilbride, Agnes Kilgallan, Annie Foley, Eileen Harrison, Annie Hunt and Nellie Whelan.
Fairy Queen and Butterfly Queen.
The Fairy Queen’s pageant was the next pretty sight. This year’s Queen, Miss Mildred Newsome, wore a dainty white gown trimmed with pink and silver tissue. Her crown was of brilliants and she carried a wand and wore, attached to her gown, representations of gossamer wings. Her train bearer, appropriately attired in white, was Master James Hughes, and her attendants, also dressed in white trimmed with silver, were Misses Nellie Macnamara, Mary Gallagher, Josephine Higgins, Kitty Stention, Nellie Smith, Renie Sheridan, Mary Lee, Olive Foster, Kathleen Pickles, Winnie Hodgins, Winnie Sunman and Winnie Cairns.
Schoolboys were grouped between the banners of St. Joseph and St. George, and behind the latter was a charming innovation representing the Butterfly Queen and her train of followers. The privilege of being the Queen of the Butterflies – that mythical fairy-story character beloved of children – fell to Miss Eileen Deasy, who was prettily dressed in white satin trimmed with silver sequins and wore little embellishments symbolic of a butterfly. Her attendants, who wore similarly adorned dresses, were Misses Winnie Durkin, Annie Scally, Nora Gavaghan, Agnes Brewer, Mary Holmes, Bridget O’Donnell, Mary Elsworth, Nellie Walsh, Annie Charlesworth, Mary Mulcahy and Mary Kelly.
From the fairy-like a change was made to the romantic and the next group of girls represented gipsies. This was another new feature and the vari-coloured dresses of the girls lent a bright touch that was delightful. The gipsies were Misses Mary Connell, Margaret Dewhirst, Mary Agnes Gallagher, Mary Cairns, Mary Tarpey, Nora Ramsbottom, Mary Macnamara, Nellie Maloney, Monica Daley, Kathleen Murray and Kathleen Mullins.
The Mysteries of the Rosary.
This completed the extremely youthful and lighter section, and the procession and succeeding pageants were mainly of a religious character. The banner of Our Lady of Good Counsel was followed by beautifully arranged groups representing the Mysteries of the Rosary. The first showed Miss Ellen Ball as the Queen of Joyful Mysteries. She wore a gown of white, with a crown of white flowers and a long white train. Her maids of honour, in dresses of white with white sashes, were Misses Catherine Cairns, Nora Riding, Nellie Carney, Lizzie Weaver and Nellie Walsh. Her train bearers were Misses Agnes Travers and Ellen Lynch, who also wore white with wreaths of white flowers, and carried white flowers.
The Queen of Sorrowful Mysteries was Miss Jane Brazil, who wore a gown trimmed with red and a train lined with red, whilst on her head was a crown of red roses. Her train bearers, Miss Winnie Cox and Annie Cahill, had their dresses trimmed with red and augmented by red sashes,whilst the attendants, similarly dressed were Misses Mary Sunman, Mary Brazil, Mary Brennan, Monica Ellis and Nellie Connell.
To represent the Queen of the Glorious Mysteries, Miss Kitty Bottomley wore a white gown and train trimmed with gold and her crown was of yellow blooms. Her train bearers, Misses Hilda Ball and Kathleen Munns, wore white dresses with trimmings and sashes of gold, as also did her attendants, Miss Margaret Hunt, Mary Black, Mary Frain, Hilda Farrar and Winnie Stacey.
The Popular Maid of Erin.
The banner of St. Patrick appropriately preceded the pageant of the Maid of Erin, always a popular feature. As Erin, Miss Jane Judge made a striking picture. Her pretty gown of white was trimmed with green and she wore a golden crown set with brilliants. She carried the traditional harp, and a sceptre adorned with ivy. Her two little boy attendants, whose white dresses were trimmed with green, were Misses Alice Colleran, Sarah Munns, Kathleen Kilroy, Kathleen Judge, Teresa Farrar, Kitty May, Bridget Judge, Margaret Kilroy, Annie Kelly and Teresa Griffin.
May Queen’s Pageant.
Equally tasteful in presentation were the May Queen pageants which followed, and between which was Batley Old Band and the imposing Banner, Faith of Our Father[s]. The ex-Queen of May, Miss Agnes Kelley, wore a white satin gown and train of brocaded satin, each trimmed with silver and a little colouring effect. Her maids of honour, who wore white dresses with pink sashes, were Misses Mary Scally, Mary Cox, Winnie Power, Mildred Ellis, Maria Judge, Mary Teresa Gavaghan, Ellen Rhodes and Emma Holmes.
The May Queen pageant was an especially pretty affair, with Miss Agnes Judge in the main role. She was attended by a train bearer and wore a pretty gown of white satin with a long white train trimmed with pearl and silver. Her crown was studded with brilliants and encircled with a chain of pearls and she carried a wand adorned with flowers. Her attendants, who wore white dresses with blue sashes, were Misses Ellen Ellis, Delia Nicholson, Agnes Colloran, Kitty O’Donnell, Ellen Buckley, Irene Carter, Mary Alice Durkin, Teresa Judge, Nellie Breslin, Teresa Cox, Mary Cullen, Margaret Maloney, Nellie Smith, Mary Smith and Mary Hirst.
Behind the banner of St. Agnes walked the members of that Guild and occupying a premier position was one of their number, Miss Annie Farrar, which represented St. Agnes by carrying a representation of a little lamb and the palm of victory. Members of the Sodality of the Children of Mary, wearing wreaths, veils and neat blue cloaks, walked behind their banner and other banners which followed was that of Our Lady of Lourdes and the magnificent Papal Banner. The concluding portion of the procession comprised the Sacred Heart banner and the Blessed Sacrament Banner, followed in each case by members of the respective Confraternities, and by men and women of the parish.
A number of prettily attired little boys who acted as pages or attendants on the various pageant queens were Masters Thomas Doran, Willie Kellie, John E. Whelan, Leo Kilbride, Walter Foley, Patrick Stention, Patrick Rowan and Harry Johnson, in suits of blue velvet, and Masters John Hughes, Walter Lund, Thomas McGrath and Thomas Taylor, in suits and cloaks of white.
Route of the Procession.
The assembly took place at the schools at Cross Bank, and hymns sung before moving off and on return were “Faith of our Fathers” and “God Bless the Pope.” The route was via Cross Bank Road, Cemetery Road, Mayman Lane, Clerk Green, Wellington Street, Commercial Street, Blakeridge Lane, Bath Street,1 Bradford Road, Beck Lane, and back along Cross Bank Road to the schools. There the children were entertained to a substantial tea and the evening was spent in sports and games, accompanied by music and dancing in a field off Carlinghow, loaned by Major J. P. Critchley, J.P. The happiness of the children was made complete when each one received a packet containing four pence. The day’s expenses were defrayed by subscriptions amongst the parishioners, and the proceeds of a collection taken amongst adults at the field was sent to Batley Hospital.
Banner Bearers and Officials.
The following were in charge of the various banners, the gentlemen being bearers, and the ladies streamer carriers:-
St. Mary of the Angels. – Messrs. John Finn and R. Lambert. Misses Mary Healey, Annie Healey, Nellie Conley and Rose A. Carney.
St. Joseph. – Messrs. F. Harkin and Mr. Frain. Misses Margaret Lyon, Catherine Costello, Annie Hemingway and Jane Mullins.
St. George. – Messrs. P. Cain, and J. Sword. Misses Catherine Cunningham, Mary Cunningham, Mary A. McQuinn and Kathleen Marshall.
Our Lady of Good Counsel. – Messrs. James Judge and Thomas Kilkenny.
St. Patrick. – Messrs. Ed. Donegan, J. Foley and J. Ryan. Misses Annie Rhodes, Mary O’Hara, Agnes Rhodes and Annie Grace.
Faith of Our Fathers. – Messrs. T. Harkin, W. Kelly, J. O’Donnell and W. Kilbride. Misses Kate Smith, Margaret Colleran, Annie Munns and Mary Hopkins.
St. Agnes. – Messrs. W. Bottomley and John Frain. Misses Agnes Griffin, Kitty Dewhirst , Mary Stacey and Ellen Brennan.
Children of Mary. – Messrs. Leonard and Thomas Brennan. Misses Alice Sword, Sabina Bowker, Mary Grace and Margaret Lloyd.
Our Lady of Lourdes. – Messrs. R. Kelly and W. Merriman. Misses Hilda Booth, Catherine Howley, Ellen Dewhirst and Annie Kilbride.
Papal banner. – Messrs. G. Ramsbotton, J. Gallagher, P. McGrath, G. Carney, C. Fox, P. Haley, J. T. Cairns and J. Lyons. Misses Mary Colleran, Mary O’Neill, Catherine Phillips and Margaret Cartwright.
Sacred Heart. – Messrs. Joseph and James Kelly and H. Flexney. Misses Annie Vasey, Catherine Conan, Mary A. Kelly and Nora Lyons.
Blessed Sacrament. – Messrs. J. Harkin and J. Lyons. Misses Kathleen Berry, Margaret Berry, Lilian Stacey and Mary Lynch.
The capable organising committee had at their head Rev. Father McBride as president, Rev. Father O’Meara, vice-president, and two conscientious officials in Mr. T. Durkin (secretary) and Mr. W. Dillon (treasurers). The committee comprised Messrs. L. Berry, J. Higgins, D. Kelly, T. Kelly, P. Judge, Leo Cox, J. E. Berry, P. Brannan, W. Hannan, J. Gavaghan, J. Halloran, J. W. Walsh, J. Munns, P. and J. Lynch, J. Lynch, J. Shiels, C. Shiels, T. Doran, and W. Power, Misses Mary Daley, N. Prendergast, Jane Phillips, Josephine Tarmey, Mary Smith, M. Elders, M. E. Travers, K. McHale and M. Colleran, Mrs. Frain and Mrs. Hargreaves.
Marshals of the procession were Messrs. W. Dillon, P. Judge, W. Hannon, J. Gavaghan, D. and T. Kelly, J. and P. Lynch, P. Brannan, L. Cox, J. Healey, [?] Hewson, F. Dillon, L. Berry, W. Power, J. Higgins, T. Doran, P. Doyle, J. W. Walsh, J. Halloran, J. E. Berry and C. Shiels, Misses M. Smith. M. Elders, M. Daley, N. Prendergast, J. Phillips, M. Calloran, K. McHale, A. Dillon, Moya and Jose Deasy, and J. Tarmey, Mrs. Frain, Mrs. J. Shiels, Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Hargreaves.
Ladies who assisted in serving tea were Mesdames W. Harkin, T. Kilroy and J. Buckley, and Miss N. Cox.
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Footnotes:
1. I suspect Bath Street is incorrect as it is nowhere near the other locations described on the procession route. The most likely alternative is Balk Street.
Past To Present Genealogy 