Wallasey Celebrates
Part Two

Invitations to watch the Coronation on Public Television

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Your Coronation Revelry
It Was A Great Day For The Children
6th June 1953
Wallasey News

Coronation Day was party day for thousands of children in all parts of the Borough and, despite threatening rain and a cold wind, tables and chairs were brought into many of the streets, and jellies, lemonade, cakes and trifles disappeared with alarming rapidity.

Other streets, playing safe with the weather, booked church halls and schoolrooms for their parties and practically every school and hall in the borough echoed to the sound of children's excited and happy voices.

The Major and Mayoress (Ald. and J.P. Ashton) visited as many parties as possible and a number of local councillors called in to see the children having a good time at other celebrations.

Over fifty children who attended the Edith Road party will be able to boast in later years that the traffic was stopped for them on Coronation Day because as their Coronation Queen, fourteen years old Nora Sadler went in procession with ten attendants to Riverside School, police held back passing cars to let them go by.

Children of Edith Road were mostly in fancy dress and when it came to choosing whose was the best, nine years old Maureen Sadler, carried off first prize as a soldier of the Queen. At Riverside School the children, with 14 old age pensioners, settled down to tea and afterwards Coronation cups and saucers and other souvenirs were given out.

The crowning of the Queen was carried out by Cllr. B. Brooker, who was accompanied by Mrs. Brooker, and the organisation was done by Mrs. S. Thompson, Mrs. Hughes, Mrs. J. Lockley, Mrs. Blackmore and Miss. E. Yates with a band of helpers.

After the party Edith Road didn't forget friends in hospital and sometime this week Mrs Annie Seary, who was 86 on Coronation Day, received in St. Catherine's Hospital, a large basket of fruit and the bouquet which had been carried by the Coronation Queen.

Children living in the first 25 houses of Gorsedale Road saw their magnificent cake, which was in the form of a crown, long before the time came for eating.

The cake stood with coloured lights shining down over it in the window of number twenty-one for quite a while before the party. Decorated with yellow icing studded with silver, green and red, the cake was made by Mrs. S. Barrow, of Eton Road. In front stood a model of Queen Elizabeth.

But the twenty-five children soon made short of the cake in the infants' hall of Gorsedale Road on Tuesday even though they had just eaten ice cream, cakes, jelly and so on. After games and dancing they went home hugging a toy, a mug and 6d. each. Their party was organised by Mr. J. McEvoy and Mrs. F. Jamieson with helpers.

The middle section of Gorsedale Road held their party in St. Peter's Hall and just before ten o'clock things were still going with a swing - so much so that when technicians recording a Coronation events called in to get a few impressions they were treated to a lusty rendering of In a Golden Coach. Games were held during the evening with prizes for the winners and when music was needed, blind pianist, Mr. William Gowling, who was present with a number of blind friends from Cumberland, Stockport, Bootle and Speke, obliged.

Heading the eager band of organiser's and helpers were Mrs. C. Lewis, Mrs. J. Wright, Mrs. Burleigh and Mrs. Hamilton.

Forty children at the Rossett Place party in Derby Hall will be seeing themselves on a screen at the home of Mrs. E.M. Patterson shortly, for Mrs. Patterson's son-in-law was busy throughout Coronation Day with his cine cinema. During the day prizes won in the games and races were presented by Mr. G.L. Reakes, who also distributed Coronation souvenirs, cups and saucers.

Credit for the Rossett Place party organisation goes to Mrs. E.M. Patterson and a committee of helpers.

Next door in Greenfield Street celebrations went on until 2.30 on Wednesday morning and with music blazing from a radiogram over a hundred men and women danced and sung the night away.

Earlier they had entertained 84 children and seen Cllr. A. Noel Owens crown eleven years old Irene Davies, whose birthday falls in April on the same day as the Queen's, Coronation Queen. Then she, with her two attendants, Pauline Molley and Gillian Upton, and page Robert Parry, went with all the children to Marymount Convent.

It was a red carpet day for Greenfield Street, literally as well as metaphorically, and throughout the celebrations a long carpet stretched over the specially built stage and down the entire road. And to remember this special day each child was presented with an attractive certificate indicating that they had attended the party.

Pylon at Liscard Roundabout, designed by the Borough Architect

Donkey's Paid A Visit

There were also some unusual visitors to the Greenfield Street party - four donkeys turned up to help the children enjoy themselves!

It was not only the children who made the most of the arrival of the animals either, and their party presence helped to make the party, organised by Mrs. M. Robinson, Mrs. E. Upton, Miss. M. Ward, Mrs. M. Upton, Mrs. E. Sackey, Mrs. C. Thornton and all the neighbours, go with a swing.

The same donkeys also called in to see 125 children enjoying themselves in Silverlea Avenue. There the children had been celebrating right through the day from ten o'clock when they went in two double decker buses for a tour round Wallasey and Birkenhead.

After races in Belvidere Field these children had came back to Silverlea Avenue where a ten pound Coronation cake decorated in red, white and blue, and topped with a marzipan crown, awaited them.

Souvenirs were distributed not only to all the children, but to the old people in the Avenue, too. And at the end of the day roles were reversed, the children presenting gifts to the organiser's, Mrs. J. Ellis and Mrs. N. Taylor.

In Ashville Road, Seacombe, 53 children had tea, games, community singing and dancing, and after a bus tour to see the decorations of Moreton, Birkenhead and Wallasey, and at the end of it all received a Coronation mug and Princess Anne saving stamps. All the neighbours helped for the party headed by Mrs. A. Williams, Mrs. N. Murray, and Mrs. J. Tucker.

Liscard Road decorations	Marine Promenade decorations

Massey Park Party

Ninety-five children of Massey Park competed in twenty-one sporting events on Oldershaw School field on Coronation Day, and after such strenuous exercise were more than ready for their large tea. One hundred and twenty-sex oranges which two of the organiser's, Mr. and Mrs. H.S. Ashworth, won in a competition, were distributed and each child received 5/- piece and a Coronation handkerchief. After tea came a puppet show at the Roycroft Hall and then the excited children returned to Massey Park where the triangular green in t he centre was floodlit showing up a large model of a crown made by Mrs. Ashworth.

During the day the Mayor called in with the Town Clerk, Mr. A. G. Harrison, and Cllr. J.R. Lindsay, who with Cllr. S.F. Chalk, had given the Massey Park neighbours a lot of help with their party.

Chairman of the organising committee was Mr. J. Deanne, treasurer, Mr. F. Jefferies and Mr. and Mrs. Ashworth were vice-chairman and secretary, respectively.

A pageant, which went back to the first Queen Elizabeth, was put on by the children of Prescot Street, New Brighton, when their Coronation Queen, nine years' old Barbara Lythgoe was crowned, and after this spectacle a fireworks display, lasting nearly an hour, was held.

In between the two events came, of course, a bumper tea at which the centre piece was a two feet square Coronation cake decorated with a miniature golden coach drawn by two horses.

To finish of their Coronation day what could be better than the old favourites - chips and pop? Certainly the 30 children of Prescot Street thoroughly enjoyed their supper treat and went off very happy with the party arrangements made by Mr. and Mrs. Sixsmith, Mr. W. Church, Mr. Robinson and Mrs. Earl.

Coronation Day coincided with the birthday of Mrs. F. Watson, one of the organisers of the Melbourne Street and district party, and after all the ice cream and cakes had been eaten and all the lemonade drunk, the children presented Mrs. Watson with flowers and a pair of nylons.

This party, for nearly a hundred children, took place at the Ennerdale Church Hall where races were run and souvenirs given out.

Upper Brighton Parties

Despite the fact that she is over sixty years of age, and, as well as looking after her own house, still goes to work, Mrs. E. Pemberton organised a party for eight-four children of Sutton Road on Tuesday.

The party held at the Field Road Mission was attended by the Mayor, Ald. and Mrs. R.Y. Knagg, Cllr. and Mrs. T. Mann. Cllr. and Mrs. Morris, and Cllr. and Mrs. B. Stroude.

Cakes, lemonade, and all the other delicacies that made a special tea were there in galore but even so, there is enough money left over to take the children for an outing to Bell Vue when the weather gets warmer.

Children of Sutton Road Road were to have been joined by some children from the Albion Street home but, because of illness, the kiddies were unable to leave the house. However, they did not miss their food for their share was sent with souvenir mugs filled with sweets, by the Sutton Road residents.

Parcels of food were sent to the home by the Sandridge Road party organisers who were also to have entertained some of the children.

Sandridge Road held their party in the Field Road Mission, and they too were joined by the Mayor and the four Councillors who visited the Sutton Road kiddies.

During the afternoon there was plenty of singing with the accompaniment of an accordion, and when it was over the children went home carrying Coronation mugs printed with the name of their road. Old people in the road were given an ashtray and the men got special presentations of chocolates. Women without children were not forgotten either and to them went a lapel brooch of the Queen.

Sandridge Road party arrangements were carried out by Mrs. E. Lowndes, Mrs. J. Shirley and Mrs. A. Towers.

A colourful scene greeted the eye of the Tick Tock Cafe, New Brighton, on Tuesday, when 80 children of Grosvenor Drive, and Seymour Street East and West, were given their Coronation party.

Following the serving of tea, gifts of Coronation mugs, ball pens, sweets, chocolates and biscuits brought the party to a climax, and later music and games with mothers joining in, brought the party to a close.

Among the band of willing workers were Mrs. Marsden and Miss. Pollock and Miss. Balshaw, who decorated the room and the tables.

Nearly 140 children were entertained in the Gresford Place area, Egremont. Each child was given a Coronation cup filled with sweets, and the party ended with a bus tour of Wirral.

The Mayor paid a visit in the afternoon to Limekiln Lane, Poulton, where sixty-four children and twenty old age pensioners saw a variety show and had a street tea. The children were taken on a bus tour, and received presents.

Children of Walmsley Street and Greenwood Lane put on a special show at their Coronation party, which was attended by Cllr. and Mrs. H. Ellison, Cllr. A.E. Warriner and Cllr. W. Farrell.

With twelve scenes and a cast of 24 children, the show contained four complete changes of costume.

The party was held in the Presbyterian Hall, Manor Road, and after the tea, each child was given a Coronation glass filled with sweets and fruit.

Organising was carried out by Mrs. Parry, Mrs. Wheeler, Mrs. Montgomery, Mrs. Bowden, Mrs. Crosden and Mrs Chittick, and the costumes were made by Mrs. Parry, Mrs. D. Parry and Mrs. Little.

Wednesday was Egerton Street's day for celebrating, There were ice creams, sweets, cakes and a host of good things to eat and later each child was given a Coronation mug to take home. Their happy day ended with a tour by bus of Liverpool and Birkenhead decorations.

But the next day Egerton Street remembered In procession they walked down to the nEw Brighton war memorial to lay a wreath at the foot of the column.

Next Monday their week of special events comes to an end with a trip to the Floral Pavilion. The organisation was carried out by Mrs. P. Henri, Mrs. E. Williams, Mrs. M. Cross. Mrs. J. Gilmore and Mrs. E. Banks.

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Giant Cavalcade And Torchlight Procession
End To Eventful Coronation Week
6th June 1953
Wallasey News

All the romance of the old days when Morris dancing troupes and processions led by glittering hands or horse drawn chariots were seen on English, will be revived in Wallasey today.

A giant procession of Morris dancers, decorated vehicles, and four bands, will be led by a horse drawn chariot through the town from Seacombe to New Brighton Tower Grounds, where colourful displays and numerous competitions will, if the weather is fine, be watched by thousands.

Marshalled by the Chief Constable, Mr. John Ormerod, the procession will leave St. Paul's Road, Seacombe, at 1.30 p.m. and will march through Liscard Road, Liscard Village, Rake Lane, Rowson Street, St. James Road, Atherton Street, Wellington Road, New Brighton Promenade, Egerton Street and Molyneux Drive.

Gates will be opened at the Tower at 2 p.m. and until the procession arrives at about three the crowd will be entertained by the Wallasey branch of the Women's League of Health and Beauty.

The afternoon's programme includes Morris dancing and entertainment by special troupes, jazz band contests for prize money totaling over £100, jumping displays by show ponies and intermingling amongst the crowd will be the Carnival mystery man, who when challenged correctly will present a £1 note to the challenger.

Prizes will be presented by the Mayoress (Mrs. J.P. Ashton), who will be present with the Mayor (Ald.J.P. Ashton) and other alderman and councillors.

To-morrow evening ex-servicemen will march in the light of 400 torches which they will carry from the Tower Promenade at 10.15 p.m. through Victoria Road, Rowson Street, Seabank Road, King Street and Church Street to Central Park.

In the park the parade will be viewed by the Mayor and other officials from an illuminated rostrum.

The parade will be led by the 1st Battalion The King's Regt. and spectators in the park will be invited to join in the singing of hymns by the light of torches.

Beginning of the Torchlight Procession, in which torches were carried by 400 ex-service men.

Opening Ceremony

This will be the finale to a week crowded with events - a week which began last Saturday when the Mayor, officially opening the week's celebrations, dispatched Elizabethan dressed couriers on horseback carrying the national flag to Moreton.

Several hundreds watched this ceremony which took place outside a floodlit Town Hall and heard reports on the progress of the two riders as they neared Moreton Cross..

At the Cross, garlanded and decorated for the occasion, the residents assembled to welcome the Mayor and Town Clerk at 11.30 p.m. and after the Town Clerk had read the loyal proclamation representatives of the British Legion hoisted the flag.

The Mayor's civic service and the Town's Coronation service were incorporated at St. Hilary's Church on Sunday morning.

Before the service a civic procession headed by Foden's Motor Works Band left Manor Road school and marched via Manor Road, Liscard Village, Wallasey Road and Claremount Road to the Church.

After the service, during which a sermon was preached by the Mayor's chaplain, the Rev. R.F. Johnson, the procession returned to Manor Road by the same route.

Although the weather marred Coronation festivities during the rest of the week it could not damp the ardour of the people.

Despite all too frequent heavy and prolonged downfalls of rain there were dry interludes which enabled most of the street parties and open air events to run according to schedule, though the drill display in which 1,400 children took part had to be held on Thursday instead of Wednesday. Items at the display included national dancing, gymnastics, free standing movements, and skipping demonstrations

The children's touring show "Coronation Capers" met with great success during the week and presents its final performances today at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m in Belvidere Field.

Other events which have been held included a Coronation motor car and motor cycle rally on King's Parade on Saturday and Sunday, two massed concerts by 500 children conducted by Mr. Albert Price, Wallasey's music organiser, and many dances and fairs in all parts of the borough.

Oldershaw school playing field was taken over by members of the Wallasey unit of the Women's Junior Air Corps last Saturday for a Coronation garden fete during which 14 years old Barbara Hodkinson was crowned Rose Queen.

The crowing ceremony was performed by Mrs. E. Jefferies, wife of Lieut. Jefferies, of the Sea Cadets, and many those present were Ald. J.H. Wensley, who opened the fete, and Mrs. Wensley, who was presented with a spray by Sgt. Audrey Johnson.

After the crowning a colourful display of dancing was given by dancers carrying hoops decorated with roses, and then the three hundred who attended, visited the various stalls on the field.

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Prizewinning Streets And Houses
6th June 1953
Wallasey News

So high was the standard of street, house and business premises decorations in Wallasey that the judges, led by the Mayor (Ald. J.P. Ashton) have decided to give additional consolation prizes.

Winners are :-

Best decorated streets -- £5 each to Felicity Grove, Greenfield Street and Middle Road. £2/2/- each to Lily Grove, Beaconsfield Street, Brooke Street, and Rossett Place.

Best decorated house (rateable value under £13) -- £5 to Mrs, Bristol, 7 Fairfax Road.

Best decorated house (rated over £13) -- £10 to Mr. Cousins, 58 Littledale Road; £5 to Mr. G.A. Payne, 11 Marsden Road; £1 each to Mr. P. Winstanley, 29 Manor Road, Mrs. Johnstone, 46 Trafalgar Road, Mr. Prenton, 201 Seaview Road, Mrs. Shirley, 17 Sandridge Road.

Best decorated business premises -- £10 to W. Dutton, The Tuck Shop, 413 Poulton Road, £2/2/- each to Mr. J. Cairns (Community Club, St. Paul's Road), Mrs. Elliot (Needle Art King Street), Messrs Coker's, 67 Seaview Road, and Messrs. H.M. Ellison, Liscard Village.

Best decorated house of 7 Fairfax Road.

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Scouts' Big Bonfire
6th June 1953
Wallasey News

The huge signal bonfire on the Breck, built by the Boy Scouts from materials supplied by the Corporation, was set alight at 10 0'Clock on Coronation night by the Mayor (Ald. J.P .Ashton). Soon Wallasey's blazing welcome to the Queen shone over Wirral.

Despite the heavy and steady downfall of rain, a crowd of several hundreds watched this ceremony and then joined in community singing as the bonfire burned itself smaller and smaller.

Fireworks were let off in the background by family parties eager to contribute to the festivities and play their part in the welcome to the Queen.

Under bad weather conditions over the weekend Scouts from 3rd (Emmanuel) and other groups spent the period in camp on the Breck, and under the leadership of Mr. Bohs build the bonfire.

The Scouts' press correspondent, Mr. Robert J.Bell, writes expressing the Scouts' thanks to the Borough Surveyor and Engineer (Mr. H. Crowther) and his staffs for their help and to the police and fire services for their duties on the Breck on Tuesday night.

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How Wallasey Celebrated The Coronation

The Mayoress calls in at the Hatherley Street party and cuts the giant Coronation cake, which, like all good things, took a long time to make but no time at all to gobble up!

Here's a bevy of beauties for you! No wonder they stopped the traffic as they went in procession to the Riverside School for the Edith Road children's party. Fifth from the right is the Edith Road Coronation Queen, 14-year-old Nora Sadler. With her are her attendants.

"I don't care if he has got a camera, I'm still getting on with my tea," says the little chap at the front as the photographer snaps this party at St. Luke's Memorial Hall just before everybody (or rather everybody else!) started on their Coronation feast.

Mayoress and "the little old lady of Stanley Street"

Behind the Union Jack, the Palermo Street Coronation Queen, her attendants and other children pose for the cameraman.

Mr.S.M. Cairns of the Clan McLeod Pipe Band plays for some of the 140 children entertained at the Gresford Place street party organised on Coronation Day by Mrs. S. Roberts, helped by all the neighbours

Mr. F.L. Allen, headmaster of Wallasey Grammar School, standing in the centre, looks on approvingly as these children enjoy themselves at the Withen's Lane Party.

They did things on the grand scale in Ruskin Avenue, where our cameraman persuaded the young guests to stop merry-making while he took this picture.

A photographer calling in at Merecroft Avenue found this happy band of youngsters ready to give a big smile. So happy were they that at least one on the back row seems to have burst into song!

The 'pop' is all lined up and they're happy to begin at the Gorsedale Road party in St. Peter's Hall. Altogether there were a hundred children and they soon made short of the ice cream, jellies and cakes that look so appetising.

Flash goes the camera and then these children at the Massey Park party will be delving into the crate of oranges, won by two party organisers in an essay competition.

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Carnival Parade Seen By Large Crowds
13th June 1953
Wallasey News

Something of the old time carnival gaiety returned to Wallasey on Saturday when in pleasant weather the Coronation parade from Seacombe to New Brighton enlivened the crowd-lined streets. The turn-out was highly creditable to the organisers, particularly when it is borne in mind that similar processions in Liverpool and Birkenhead drew many individual entres for fancy dress.

The procession, headed by the Barton Hall Works Band and a contingent from Wilkie's Circus, left St. Paul's Road, Seacombe, marshalled under the direction of the Chief Constable, Mr. John Ormerod, O.B.E., and proceeded to the Tower Grounds.

Prior to the arrival of the procession there was a display by members of the Wallasey branch of the Women's League of Health & Beauty. On reaching the Tower Grounds the parade was reviewed by the Mayor and Mayoress of Wallasey (Ald. J.P. Ashton and Mrs. Ashton). Watched by a crowd of about 5,000 people, it provided a striking spectacle and the Mayor made the remark that it was the finest carnival parade seen in Wallasey for many years.

During the afternoon there were Morris dancing contests, entertaining troupes contests and a display of jumping by ponies which was greatly enjoyed. The ponies were ridden by Misses Irene O'Brien. Pauline Jessop, and Betty Hale, of the British Show Ponies Society, who came specially from West Derby to give the display.

Results : Open Morris dancing : 1. Greenfield Stars, Flint; 2. Imperial Troupe. Bootle; 3. (equal), Grosvenor Troupe, Haydock and Harlequins Troupe, Little Sutton.
Entertaining Troupes : 1. Wallasey Kilties; 2. Pegrams Crazy Gang, Liverpool; 3. Maree Kay School, Wallasey.
Jazz Band : Walk over, Gwersyllt United Star Jazz Band.
Decorated trade vehicles : Birkenhead Co-operative Society, Ltd.
Comedy vehicle : New Brighton Rugby Football Club.
Most spectacular vehicle : National Hospital Service Reserve.
Decorated cycle : Marylyn Brown, Wallasey.

Members of the Committee, which had been engaged on organising the parade since last October, are Messrs. C.E. Protector (chairman), Jackson Earle (vice-chairman), Jack Taylor (hon. secretary), Jack Taylor (hon. secretary), C.A. Huntington (hon. treasurer), A.W. Micklewright (hon. publicity officer), Cllrs. Stanley R. Baker. J. Lindsay and T. Mann, Mesdames Olive lloyd, Messrs. H.G. Beattie, A. Clement, F.R. Ferns, H.C. Gurney, F.W. Harrison, F.C. Jenkinson and F. Jones.

The success of the parade has encouraged the committee to entertain the idea of making it an annual event, the organisers feeling confident from the experience gained that they can put on an even better show.

One of the most admired of the dancing troupes was the Gunners' Troupe from Llandudno, sponsored by the Royal Artillery Association, Llandudno. They were dressed in the uniform of the Royal Horse Artillery and presented a colourful scene.

Torchlight Procession

The Coronation celebrations ended on Sunday night with an ex-Service men's torchlight procession in which members of the following organisations took part -- British Legion, R.A. Association, R.N. Old Comrades Association, R.A.F.A., Mersey Far Easters P.O.W. Association, 6th Cheshire (Wallasey) Home Guard. The stewards were members of the local branch of Toc H. British Legion took part.

Headed by the band of the 1st Battalion of the King's Regiment, the procession marched from New Brighton promenade via Victoria Road, Rowson Street, King Street and Church Street to Central Park, where they were received by a civic party including the Mayor and Mayoress (Ald. and Mrs. J.P. Ashton).

Wallasey's Motor Bus Department's illuminated historic tableau was in the procession.