12-year-old Winnie Colleran was chosen as May Queen in 1933. She was the daughter of Patrick Colleran and his wife Alice (formerly Brennan), of Ealand Road, Carlinghow.
The plan for the Sunday 7 May ceremony was after the Rosary, Sermon, Crowning of Our Lady and Benediction, the May Queen procession would take place around the church grounds. But the English weather put paid to that.
The ceremony was described as follows:
Picturesque Scenes at St. Mary’s Church, Batley
Although heavy rain prevented Batley Catholics’ May Queen and her retinue from moving in procession through the grounds on Sunday, the service in St. Mary’s Church lost none of its picturesque beauty.
The white dresses of the children, the bright banners, the flowers, and the blue of the Queen’s robes blended in an impressive poem of colour.
The procession was headed by the Cross Bearer and Acolytes, followed by the Banner of St. Agnes, carried by Miss Eileen Hutton and streamered by Misses Mary Lee, Winnie Hodgins, Mary Collins and Kathleen Elsworth. Then came the ex-Queen and her attendants, then the cushion bearer, Miss Margaret Munns; the Banner of Our Lady, carried by Miss Nellie Murphy, with streamers held by Misses Phyllis Doyle, Margaret Lynch, Doris Healey and Nellie Monaghan.
The Children of Mary were followed by the infants from the school, in long white dresses, wearing wreaths and carrying a lily, which was later offered on the Statue of Our Lady. The statue, which was carried in procession by Misses Agnes Lynch, Mary Cassidy, Norah McHale and Agnes Mara, was preceded by the Queen and her attendants.
The service began with the Rosary and the Sermon by Father M. Magner. Then followed the procession, after which the ex-Queen presented a wreath of flowers to the Queen, who placed it on the head of the Statue of Our Lady. The Benediction was by Father P. McBride assisted by Father Magner.
The May Queen, Miss Winnie Colleran, wore a long gown of white satin, with Elizabethan collar and ornamented with embroidery. Fixed to her shoulders with clasps was a long train of white satin lined with blue. Her crown of white satin, with diamanté ornaments, was covered by an embroidered veil
Her attendants, all dressed in white, with floral crowns, were Misses Mary Rayner, Maureen Sharp, Marjory Gallagher, Kitty Collins, Annie Harkin and Margaret Hannan. Her train was borne by four boys in suits of white satin – Masters Frankie Gallagher, Jim Kelly, Thomas Senior and Peter Doyle.
The ex-Queen, Miss Agnes Kilgallon, wore a long gown of white satin and lace with lace panels, and her train, of white satin lined with blue, bore the embroidered inscription “Ave Maria.”
She was attended by Misses Joan Colleran, May Collins, Mary Harkin, Winnie Ramsbottom and Kitty Monaghan, all in white Her train was carried by Masters James Lynch, James Greenwood, John Hannan, and Francis Collins, who wore suits of white satin.
The cushion bearer, Miss Margaret Munns, wore a long dress of white satin, with a wreath of white flowers on her head. She had long blue gloves and blue shoes. On her blue cushion rested the crown of flowers later placed on the Statue of Our Lady.
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