May Queen and Boy Bishop
Untitled document
BOY BISHOPS
1957-58 David Balshaw 1958-59 Michael Heyworth
1959-60 Christopher Rawlinson 1960-61 Stanley Alcock
1961-62 Charles Ferguson 1962-63 Keith Schofield
1963-64 Roy Shackleton 1964-65 James Harris
1965-66 Jeffrey Rostron 1966-67 Neil Hitchen
1967-68 Stirling Rothwell 1968-69 Howard Hughes
1969-70 Michael Bowe 1970-71 Richard Lloyd
1971-72 Anthony Bowe 1972-73 Roger Rothwell
1973-74 Christopher Horsfall 1974-75 Shaun Bromley
2007-08 Samuel Edwards 2008-09 Daniel Starkey
MAY QUEENS
1947 Anne Sharples 1948 Sheila Livesey
1949 Barbara Ashworth 1950 Dorothy Everitt
1951 Megan Taylor 1952 Pamela Watkins
1953 Eileen Haworth 1954 Francis Tomlinson
1955 Geraldine Rostron 1956 Marian Lord
1957 Carolyn Turner 1958 Christine Bailey
1959 Yvonne Russell 1960 Susan Haworth
1961 Betty Lund 1962 Lynne Shackleton
1963 Shirley Rothwell 1964 Kathryn Lloyd
1965 Lesley Pickup 1966 Judith Lloyd
1967 Sheila Horsfall 1968 Janet Harding
1969 Sandra Hughes 1970 Julie Waddington
1971 Christine Ashworth 1972 Sharron Bromley
1973 Helen Worrall 1974 Jayne Clough
1975 Suzanne Binder 1976 Emma Binder
1977 Julie Bennett 1978 Louise Worrall
1979 Vicky Kay 1980 Angela Chapelhow
1981 Samantha Clough 1982 Joanne Bird
1983 Amanda Kay 1984 Claire Jones
1985 Emma Jackson 1986 Kirsten Dunkley
2007 Evie Waller 2008 Rosie Barnes
2009 Leda Hadjigeorgiou
In post-war Newchurch, Rossendale, the crowning of the May Queen was a feature of the community.
Pre-war, parish Whit Walks were quite common but it would appear that it was only after the war that the Crowning of the May Queen was introduced, by the Rev’d Stanley Lane.
53 years ago in 1957 the following description appeared in the St Nicholas Gazette: “The new Queen Carolyn Turner wore a velvet gown of white figured organza trimmed with mauve bows of velvet to tone with her velvet train. She carried a bouquet of sweet peas. Her attendants, Glenis Pickup and Christine Bailey wore dresses of orchid pink and checked organza with half bonnets to match. They carried dainty muffs trimmed with lilies of the valley…..then Caroline was crowned May Queen by the retiring Queen, Marian Lord.”
On a Saturday, the May Queen and her attendants along with the boy Bishop processed through the parish and ended up in St Nicholas School where the crowning took place until 1972. The following day the May Queen was presented to the Rector of the parish by the Boy Bishop, during the morning service. Everyone from the school seemed to take part in the procession and all dressed up for the occasion.
Another extract from the St Nicholas Gazette of June 1963 reads:
“Once again the sunshine was with us on Saturday May 11th when, headed by the band of St Mary’s Rawtenstall Scouts, the procession wound it’s way from the school round the estate. The primary children were behind the band and these were followed by the retiring queen, Lynn Shackleton, and her attendants. Then came six petal girls, Joan Newall, Judith Lloyd, Lynne Ferguson, Lesley Pickup, Barbara Gowers and Kay Pinchback. The new queen Shirley Rothwell, came next with her retinue. Junior children followed and the Maypole and Youth Fellowship banner brought up the rear. It was good to see parents in the procession along with the Rector and Boy Bishop, Keith Schofield.
Attending the new queen were Jennifer Rostron, Jennifer Haworth, Lynn Nightingale and Mary Haworth who were in dresses of lemon English cotton brocade, with lemon gloves and pearl trimmed headdresses to match. They carried posies of double daffodils and blue iris.
Shirley our new queen wore a dress of powder blue and silver figured satin brocade with scalloped neck line and full skirt. She had a royal blue velvet train lined with powder blue nylon and trimmed with silver braid, and she had a diamante headdress, powder blue gloves, silver shoes, and carried a bouquet of pink carnations. The cushion and crown were carried by the retiring queen who was attended by Susan Holt and Susan Tattersall.”
The historical evidence suggests that the tradition was abandoned during the curacy of the Rev’d Alan Toombs in 1986. The tradition was revived in 2007 by the Rev’d Sue Davies. On May 23rd, 2010 the 43rd May Queen was crowned—Miss Leda Hadjigoergiou.
