The Batley St. Mary of the Angels May Queen for 1930 was Eileen Hutton. Whilst there was no report in the Batley News about that year’s May Queen ceremony itself, 11-year-old Eileen had a prominent role in the Whitsuntide Pageant held on 10 June 1930. She was the only daughter of John William and Catherine Hutton (née Judge). Along with her older brother, also called John William, the family lived at North Street, Cross Bank.
Despite the gloomy skies and threat of rain, Batley residents – of all religious denominations – turned out in force to witness the event, one of the year’s highlights. Described as a lavish spectacle relieving the drabness of life in an industrial town, the 1930 procession was proclaimed one of the best Batley’s Catholics had ever put on.
The dresses of the May Queen and her court were even more magnificent than usual, despite the financial strain suffered by many families, caused by a severe global economic downturn which started the previous year, a period later known as The Great Depression. The Sisters of the Convent and Rev. Mother Mary spared no pains to make the pageant a success. The dresses were arranged by them and they played a huge part in the organisation work.
Tom Brennan headed the procession carrying the Cross, followed by acolytes, thurifers, and choir members in cassock and surplice. Accompanied by parish priest, Father McBride, the procession snaked its way from the schools, down Upton Street, Cross Bank Road, Cemetery Road, Mayman Lane, Clerk Green and Wellington Street, round the Bank Corner into Upper Commercial Street and Blakeridge Lane and back towards the schools once more.
The banner of St. Mary was followed by infant girls and the Mysteries of the Rosary, represented by three queens, which were in effect mini pageants within the overall pageant. The Joyful Mysteries were represented by Mary Hirst; Sorrowful by Margaret Dewhirst; and Glorious by Mary Cullan. Each was dressed in a white frock, but their cloaks were respectively white, red and yellow, with Mary Cullan wearing a crown which shone like gold.
Infant boys walked between the Guardian Angel Banner and the Banner of Our Lady of Good Counsel. The Standard 1 and 2 boys were followed by the ex-May Queen Mary Collins, a pretty figure in a white satin dress edged with fur, and a train of brocaded silk trimmed with blue. Her crown was decorated with orange blossom and pearls. Her attendants were Misses Nellie McHugh, Josephine Lynch, Maureen Cox, Mary Fleming, Mary Curley, Winnie Cairns, Kathleen Colburn, Kathleen Halloran, Madge Kelly, Annie Maguire and Kathleen Carr.
The older girls walked between the banner of St. Patrick and the banner of St. George, with the older boys heading the Faith of Our Fathers banner.
The centre of the admiring crowd’s attention, May Queen Eileen Hutton, was next in the procession, along with her court, attired in long white dresses. The girls in her court were Misses Bessie Riding, Mary Sunman, Annie Carroll, Eileen Jarvis, Monica Rowan, Mary Hannan, Mary Toohey, Nellie Mullins, Mary L. Shaw, Kathleen Lynch, Nora Walsh, Teresa Judge, Margaret Cairns, Agnes Judge, Nora Halloran, Maureen Kilbride, Kathleen Pickles and Margaret Smith.
Photographed left, and described as a pretty girl, with light hair in long curls, Eileen cut a regal figure in a beautiful gown of white satin in mediaeval style, with vandyked hem. This decorative hem was named after 17th century Flemish painter Anthony Van Dyke, and was an intricate edging shaped in a zig-zag, sawtooth pattern which created a lovely flow and sense of movement. The striking simplicity of the dress was relieved with the placement on the fabric of little designs of leaves and flowers worked with pearl drops. Her three-yards long, white satin, pearl-trimmed and silver-embroidered train, lined with Our Lady blue silk, was so heavy that four little girl attendants were needed to carry it. Her silver crown, from which drooped a Brussels net veil heavily embroidered with silk, was ornamented with pearls and studded with crystal brilliants of contrasting shades. Her ensemble was completed by silver brocade shoes and a bouquet of pink and white carnations and maidenhair fern.
The Guild of St. Agnes and the Children of Mary, the latter in white dresses and wearing blue cloaks, preceded the Statue of Our Lady, carried by Messrs. J. Lyons, Peter Cain, W. Elders and W. Bottomley. Members of the Guild of the Sacred Heart were followed by their banner. The rear was brought up by the Papal Banner and men of the congregation.
Some of those playing prominent roles were named. Banners were borne as follows:
- St. Mary of the Angels – Messrs. James Phillips, F. Gallagher, and James Leach.
- Guardian Angel – Messrs. William Senior and T. Hargreaves.
- Our Lady of Good Counsel – Messrs. M. Halloran and J. Gooder.
- St. Patrick – Messrs. M. Daley, J. Senior and T. Callaghan.
- St. George – Messrs. T. Cafferty, J. E. Breslin and T. Brazil.
- Faith of Our Fathers – Messrs. J. Phillips, J. Sheridan and J. Levitt.
- St. Agnes – Messrs. James Fitzpatrick and W. Woodhead.
- Children of Mary – Messrs. Leo Cox and Pat Brennan.
- Sacred Heart – Messrs. James Harkin, John McDonald, and J. W. Levitt.
- Papal Banner – Messrs. S. Sharpe, T. Birbeck, James Foley, J. Colleran, N. Grogan, P. Kilgallon, T. Harkin and A. Murphy,
Banner streamers were carried as follows:
- School (blue) – Misses Ellen Breslin, Annie Scally, Mary Lynch and Bridget Judge.
- Sacred Heart (red) – Agnes Colleran, Margaret Maloney, Rene Carter and Nellie Buckley.
- St. Patrick (Green) – Agnes Fitzpatrick, Winnie Vasey, Kathleen Mullins and Annie Vasey.
- Papal (yellow) – Phoebe Phillips, Mary Curley, Winnie Durkin and Mary Gavaghan.
- St. George (red) – Mary Gannon, Mary Kelly, Annie Foley and Nellie Walsh.
- St. Joseph (pale blue) – Nora Smith, Kathleen Holmes, Sarah A. Hooley and Jane Kelly.
- Faith of Our Fathers (red) – Nellie Newsome, Winnie May, Teresa Griffin and Nora Durkin.
- Blessed Sacrament (white) – Mary Phillips, Kathleen Stenchion, Winnie Hodgins and Teresa Frain.
- Our Lady (pale blue) – Nora Marshall, Kathleen Elsworth, Margaret Tarpey and Kathleen Daley.
Officials were: President, Father McBride; vice-president, Father Kelleher; secretary, Mr. T. Durkin; treasurer, Mr. W. Dillon; committee, Misses Mary Mara, Mary Colleran, Doris Leonard, Mary Cain, Winnie and Kitty Cairns, Bridget McIntyre, Kitty Gavaghan, Teresa Fox, Nellie Callaghan, and M. J. Tarmey, Mesdames T. Meagh, and A. Bairstow, and Messrs James Lynch, W. Kelly, M. Harkin, T. Ryan, J. McHale and R. Kelly.
In all there were over 1,000 people in the procession, including 600 children and many toddlers.
Accompanied by the Rothwell Temperance Band the processants sang hymns including “God Bless Our Pope,” “Faith of Our Fathers,” “Hail Glorious St. Patrick,” “Hail Queen of Heaven,” “O Sacred Heart,” “I’ll Sing a Hymn to Mary,” “Come Holy Ghost,” and “Sweet Sacrament Divine.”
Benediction was said in Church by Father McBride, and after tea each child received fourpence and sweets, as they left for a field at Carlinghow, kindly lent by Messrs. Critchley.
If anyone has any photographs I could include of the ceremony and participants please do let me know.
There is a tragic postscript to the 1930 May Queen ceremony, which I will write about in my next post.
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