Well folks, in these strange times, it is still Whit Sunday today.
The Parish Whit walks were something we looked forward to.
Dressed in white with flower posies,hair taken out of Saturday night’s “ sore finger ringlets”( my Mum was a sadist ,she put the knots at the top so you got no sleep!) .
White shoes and down to church and your allotted place on a flower banner or if in the top Sunday School class The BIG banner!
Held aloft by poles, measuring six feet across and about ten long it weighed heavy.
Brocaded and embroidered it had the Church’s name and a portrait of that Saint.
Long ropes kept taut helped the men carrying it to balance the weight ,
and ribbons were held by the oldest girls.
It was an honour to be on the big banner.You had to have 100% Sunday School and church attendance.
We had long white dresses ,flower headdresses and if on the ropes,no posies as you had to pull.
On the ribbons we did have posies.
Children from three or four walked the parish walks on Whit Sunday afternoon.We had the Church Lads’ Brigade band or our Scouts’s (ooh those knees pre long trouser days!)band.
On Whit Monday was the really big walks, from the parish churches right down to Albert Square and some into the Cathedral on a Rota.
There were upwards of 20,000 Sunday School children walking, it took the procession two hours to pass.
On that day the Churches hired brass bands to play during the walks ,each had its own.
Ours had Culcheth Prize Military Band in which my grandfather played the flute.
Their other name was The Tall Hat Band.
This was because they wore morning coats and top hats.
It was something we looked forward to all year round and the local press took hundreds of photographs.
On Whit Friday the Roman Catholic walks were joined by Manchester’s Italian ,Polish and Hungarian communities,all in National costumes ,then they walked again on Trinity Sunday.
The Italians had a huge Madonna,smothered in Madonna lilies and carried by the young men.( half the Manchester Mafia
)
All the Ice cream families,Pesagno, Granelli,Rea, Corelli, Pandolfo and Italian
artisans, Bachegalupo ,Quigliagotti etc were represented and it was a spectacular sight.
No Sunday schools really now and church attendance very poor.
We got our yearly new outfit at Whit, so it was a real milestone in our pretty hum drum lives .
But by now we would be lining up to walk in order round our parish ,cheered and clapped by residents it was the big day in our year only bettered by Whit Monday.
Sectarianism was rife , as you can imagine , but one gentleman Mr.John Pesagno always waited at seven o’clock on the Whit Monday morning to see our church start its walk to Albert square,on the corner ,he took off his Homburg hat and acknowledged our Rector .
Considering Mr. Pesagno had been interned on The I.O.M for the duration of the war ,that was really a most generous gesture.
Ah well , no sore finger ringlets tonight , no keeping your posy in a cool damp place( ie the house,!)no whitening your shoes for Monday’s really big exciting day.
No looking forward to seeing The Scouts
and hearing the crowds shout encouragement when we were getting tired” keep your lilies up “—- (keep your heads up high) no maudlin sentimentality as we passed pub after pub especially on the return route,the mixture of religion and Nationalism .
There was always a big Bonny girl dressed as Britannia and some churches had the little boys dressed as Victorian sailors ,with Union Jacks!
All gone I think ,but it was fun whilst it lasted.
Viktoria.
