The May Queen for St. Mary of the Angels in 1951 was Mary Harkin, with the ceremony taking place on Sunday, 6 May. Just short of her 10th birthday, and the daughter of Irish parents Frank and Dorothy Harkin, four years later she would become the Mayoress of Batley, when her uncle Jimmy became Batley’s first Roman Catholic Mayor. She is pictured below.
The Batley News coverage of the event, with spellings as per the piece, read:
ST. MARY’S MAY PROCESSION
Crowning of the Virgin
As pretty a sight as ever was the annual May Day procession at St. Mary’s Church, Cross Bank, last Sunday afternoon.
The May Queen, Mary Harkin, crowned the statue of the Virgin Mary with a crown of lilies-of-the valley after the procession had wound its way twice round the church. A sheaf of arum lilies was placed at the foot of the statue by the ex-queen, Catherine Heaps. Twenty infant girls wearing white satin placed single lilies beside the sheaf.
Cushion bearer for Mary Harkin was her sister, Brigid. Pages were Paul Phillips and Colin Glazebrook; maids-of-honour were Patricia Judge, Jean Stenton, Cecilia Harkin, Margaret Battye, Maureen Underwood and Carol Flatley.
The procession was headed by cross-bearers and altar boys who were followed by members of the Guild of St. Agnes. their banner was carried by Joan Varley and the streamers by Eileen Talbot, Pat Stenton, Jean Burton and Moya Hill.
Next came the ex-Queen and her retinue. Her pages were Christopher Woodford and Thomas O’Connor. Maids-of-honour were Margaret Kenny, Patricia Grace, Josephine Scott, Christine Stenson, Margaret Parsons and Anne Jones. Twenty infant girls and boys preceded the Children of Mary. Kitty Ryan carried the banner and Eileen Walker, Connie Sharpe, Mary Mennel and Elaine Gallagher carried streamers. The statue was carried by Patricia Kilbride, Rita Collin, Rita Harkin and Josephine Senior.
The May Queen and her retinue were followed by Father G. Hinchliffe and Father Dennis Tagney.
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