Norwood News – Tuesday 5th May 1925, page 1

MITCHAM’S MAY QUEEN

PICTURESQUE CEREMONY ON THE CRICKET GREEN

Another attempt has been made to establish a Mitcham May Queen festival on the cricket green. The idea is to make it an annual affair. Success again attended the effort on Saturday.

Mrs. Coun. H. M. Hallowes, the chairman of the local council, attended, and gave the festival her blessing. She thanked the promoters for their determination to make the crowning of the May Queen a hardy annual on the Cricket Green at Mitcham, and promised them all the support and encouragement within her power. She favoured the festival because of the happiness and training it brought into the lives of the children.

The festival really emanates from the Brownies and Young Guides. Miss Law as the captain taking the lead, and it is to her chiefly, assisted by Mrs. Jolly and others, that the May celebration takes place.

Nearly a hundred Mitcham children took part, the girls being dressed in white with white shoes or sandals, and wore wreaths of flowers. The boys appeared in costumes representing archers, heralds, or farmers.

PROCESSION

A public procession through the main roads of Mitcham was watched with admiration by crowds of people. Everybody agreed it was a pleasing sight, and the children looked pretty. Fortunately, the rain kept off and did not mar their pleasure, or inconvenience them.

On arrival the Cricket Green, a public performance of crowning the May Queen was gone through with all the pomp and splendour associated with the old-time custom. Connie Wells, aged 12, made a very dainty May Queon, and in her canopy of floral boughs, she was crowned “Queen of the May,” by Irene Jones, a typical representation of Prince Charming.

OTHER CHARACTERS.

Other characters, suitably attired were the following :-

Trainbearers. — Winnie Wells, Barbara Oakes.

Maids of Honour. — Peggy Turner, Chriasie Keeffe, Margaret Mugridge, Gladys Sykes.

Pages. — Gwennie Jarman,Gracie Bishop, Peggy Scott, Peggy Carlton.

Prince. — Irene Jones.

Heralds. – Allan Millbank, Douglas Jolley.

Crown Bearer. — May Thomson.

Fairy Queen.- Gladys Siviour.

Fairies.— Reta Ashford, Gwennie Siviour, Doris Cox, Ruby Roberts, Sylvia Roberts, Lily Sutcliffe.

BO-Peep.- Gladys Pelling.

Shepherdess. — Pattie Ashforth.

Robin Hood. — Dora Croucher.

Archer. — Geoffrey Jolley.

Columbine. — Mona Watts.

Cupids. — Connie and Sybil Cordier.

Lavender Girls. — Florrie Wells, Girlie Downey.

Maypole Dancers. — Elsie Smith, Maisie Ware, Doris Melhuish, Ivy Sanders, Ivy Warren, Elsie Vagille, Amy Nightingale, Georgina Miles, Margaret Fleckney, Lily Fleckney, Winnie Osbourne, Marie Sayers.

Country Girls. — Daisy Miles, Irene Ault, Ivy Graham, Dolly Sullivan, Marjorie Morris, Ivy Sergeant, Gertie Read, Edith Poulton.

Ballet Dancers.— D. Boreham, B. King, P. Longhurst, M. Douglas, E. Douglas, G. Bennett, V. Morgan, J. Douglas, M. Watts, S. Jolley, R. Palmer.

REVELRIES

The new Queen, duly enthroned, thanked her subjects, and then the revelries began. First, flower strewing, then country dances, and the singing of “Come lassies and lads.”

Woodland ballets and dances by pupils of Miss Ruby May were very smartly done, and earned unstinted applause from the crowd. Taking part in a country dance were D. Boreham, B. King, P. Longhurst, M. Douglas, E. Douglas, G. Bennett, V. Morgan and J. Douglas.

A solo “Fragrance,” by M. Watts; picture gavotte by M. Watts and S. Jolley; solo, D. Boreham; Irish Jig, E. Douglas; dance of the midsummer fairies, M. Douglas, D. Boreham, B. King and M. Watts; solo, M. Douglas; Scotch reel, J. Douglas, chain dance, M. Watts, B. King, D. Boreham and M. Douglas; Welsh dance, D. Boreham and M. Douglas; Welsh dance, R. Palmer; Sailor’s hornpipe, B. King; and characteristic, D. Boreham and M. Douglas; all these efforts delighted the onlookers, and they were well performed by the children, reflecting great credit on their tutors.

Maypole and Morris dancing was also a feature of an interesting programme. The Tooting Wesleyan Central Hall Brass Band, under Mr W.D. Woodcraft, rendered capital music.

In every way, the festival triumphed, and too much praise cannot be bestowed upon the leaders for the amount of labour they must have put into it.