The Batley St Mary of the Angels May Queen for 1929 was Mary Collins. Whilst there was no report in the Batley News about the May Queen ceremony, traditionally held on the first Sunday in May, the May Queen did have a major role to play in the Whitsuntide Pageant on 21 May 1929, another important annual parish event. The detailed write-up of the Whitsuntide event includes the names of many parishioners who participated in the procession.
The full coverage read as follows (with spellings – including the repeatedly strange spelling of Winifred and Renee – and punctuation as per the newspaper):
CATHOLICS’ GREAT DAY.
Imposing Procession in Batley.
FIVE DAINTY QUEEN’S
The Whitsuntide pageant of the Roman Catholics of Batley was favoured on Tuesday with delightful weather, and the imposing spectacle, full of religious significance, was admired by the townspeople who crowded the streets along the processional route. The whole affair was one of quiet reverence. The dresses of the elder girls in the various tableaux were handsomely designed, and no less pleasing was the spectacle of the little ones who were daintily dressed in white and walked with hands clasped in attitudes of devotion.
Headed by the Cross bearer and acolytes the procession left St. Mary’s School and proceeded by way of Cross Bank Road, Cemetery Road and Clerk Green to Wellington Street where the crowd was particularly thick. The majority of people assembled on Commercial Street. The remainder of the route was by way of Bradford Road and Carlinghow back to the Church for Benediction.
The Banner of St. Mary of the Angels was carried by T. Sunman, J. Brennan and T. Maloney, who wore blue sashes, and the blue and white streamers were held by girls in white frocks with dark blue sashes. Behind them walked infant girls prettily attired in white.
A. Cain and H. Monaghan bore the Banner of the Guardian Angel and infant boys, wearing coloured sashes followed.
The Banner of Our Lady of Good Counsel, carried by E. Cain and W. Rush (in green sashes) was followed by boys and girls of Standards 1 and 2.
FIVE QUEENS TAKE PART.
Last year’s May Queen, Miss Ellen Lynch, was charmingly dressed in white satin and georgette, trimmed with pearls and silver beads, and her handsome train of brocaded silk was carried by Kathleen O’Hara and Theresa Kenny. She wore a crown adorned with pearls and orange blossoms. Her attendants were Kathleen Lynch, Mary Curley, Norah Ellis, Marjorie Gallagher, Bessie Riding, Kitty Collins, Winnie Sunman and Reene Kelly.
There were five queens in the pageant, this year’s May Queen, last year’s May Queen and the three Queens of the Rosary. The last three, along with their attendants, formed an impressive part of the pageant. They wore trains of white, red and yellow, respectively and were attractively dressed in white, as were their attendants. Maids of Honour to these three Queens were: For Miss Mary Hirst. – Monica Rowan, Kathleen Oram, Eileen Monaghan, Margaret Cooney and Kathleen Avery. Miss Olive Foster. – Winefride Charlesworth, Mary Lee, Kathleen Halloran, Kitty Clark and Winnie Colleran. Miss Kathleen Murray. – Ellen Whelan, Winefride Hodgins, Mary Armstead, Ellen Frain and Hilda Cairns.
The Banner of St. Patrick was carried by B. Gallagher, W. Senior and T. Cafferty; and the girls of Standards 3 and 4 were followed by the Banner of St. George borne by T. Fleming, T. Callaghan and E. Lynch. Girls of the higher standards accompanied the Banner of The Faith of Our Fathers, carried by T. and M. Harkin, F. Flexney and J. Cain.
THE MAY QUEEN.
Other boys were followed by the May Queen, Miss Mary Collins, who looked charming in a gown of white satin with a train of brocaded silk trimmed with blue. She wore a crown adorned with orange blossom and pearls and carried a shower bouquet and sceptre decorated with various flowers. Her train was carried by Eileen Hutton and Agnes Kilgallon and her attendants were Madge Kelly, Mary Reasby, Winefride Rhodes, Hilda McCabe, Annie Colleran, Mary Durkin Margaret Tarpey, Maureen Kilbride, Nellie Smith and Hilda Gavaghan.
In charge of the Banner of St. Agnes were J. Carter and B. Cannon and with these were members of the Guild of St. Agnes. The Banner of St. Joseph was in the care of J. Connor, J. Gavaghan and E. Lynch, and following them were the older boys.
Rothwell Temperance Band preceded The Banner of the Children of Mary borne by Peter Cain and W. Bottomley. The Banner of the Sacred Heart, following the Statue of the Children of Mary, was carried by J. Shiels, J. Rush and J. Sheridan. A large number of the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart (Women) preceded the new Banner of the Blessed Sacrament, carried by T. Brazil and M. Holleran. The old Banner was borne by N. Daley and J. Colleran.
The Statue of the Sacred Heart headed men of the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart and the last Banner in the procession, the Pope’s, was carried by C. McLoughlin, S. Sharpe, P. Haley, J. Foley, T. Birbeck, J. Senior, J. W. Levitt, T. Halloran and F. Harkin. Bringing up the rear were men and women in the parish.
STREAMER CARRIERS
The streamers to the various banners were held by Josephine Higgins. Elizabeth Hargreaves, Margaret Hopkins, Dorothy Stacey, Nellie McNamara, Monica Houston, Annie Cunningham, Nellie Roberts, Kathleen Weaver, Mildred Newsome, Kitty Gannon, Reene Sheridan (Sacred Heart); Mary Hunt, Emma Holmes, Eileen Cassidy, Catherine Phillips; Monica Ellis, Margaret Kenny, Ellen Rhodes, Catherine O’Donnell, Kathleen Mullins, Mary A. McQuinn, Ellen Breslin, Margaret Maloney; Agnes Colleran, Mary Gavaghan, Bridget O’Donnell, Ann Rodgers; Teresa Griffin, Agnes Fitzpatrick, Margaret Cairns, Agnes Judge, Margaret Dewhirst, Ellen Walsh, Bridget Judge, Margaret Kilroy, Mary Gavaghan, Nellie Walsh, Winefride Cox, Mary Kelly; Kathleen Munns, Mary A. Kelly, Mary E. Shaw, Kathleen Lynch; Annie Foley, Winefride Durkin, Kathleen Holmes, Reene Carter; Margaret Berry, Nellie Mullins, Eileen Phillips, Norah Marshall; Mary Lynch, Bridie Freeman, Catherine McGuire and Mary Elsworth.
The officials in charge of the procession were, Rev. Father P. McBride (president), Rev. Father A. Kelleher (vice-president) Mr. T. Durkin (secretary), Mr. W. Dillon (treasurer), Messrs. P. R. Kelly, M. Grogan, J. Lynch, J. Buckley, J. Daley, J. Judge, J. Munns, W. Hannan, J. Kilbride, M. McHugh, T. Ryan, J. Farrington, J. Halloran, Mesdames K. Breslin, T. Meagh, A. Bairstow, Misses Mary and Margaret Mara, M. J. Tarney, W. and K. Cairns, K. Gavaghan, B. McIntyre, D. Leonard, M. Cain (committee). The success of the pageant was due to these organisers.
Rev. Father McBride (Batley) and Rev. Father Russell (Birstall), and Councillor John Deasy, J.P., walked in the procession which, it is estimated, 1,200 took part, including 580 children.
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