Heyday of the great parades

And Edith also forwarded a picture of the Sutton parish walking day of 1963 (to be featured on this page soon) during an era when such street processions were social highlights of the year.

An outdoor mass picnic and fun and games for the kids came at the conclusion of that leisurely parade -- brass bands oompahing and billowing banners held proudly aloft. New clothes and shoes were traditionally purchased especially for the big day.

Alice, one-time leader of the Dainty Juveniles dance team, casts her mind back to the big Dahlia Queen procession at Burtonwood, which attracted visitors in their hundreds. She still has clear memories, these decades later, of Mr Peers, a neighbour who used to dress up for the parade as the Devil, complete with horns and forked tail.

"We walked for miles to attend the Burtonwood festivities", adds Alice, who, long ago, used to organise May Queen processions among her young friends.

Picking up on an earlier piece on this page from George McNicholas of Clock Face, who had pointed out that he never had time to be bored during his boyhood, Alice is in full agreement. Street games, such as skipping, rounders and hop-scotch ("with our parents watching us from the front gate") occupied their young minds.

"We never lacked for ideas as to how to be amused, and never resorted to vandalism". The long shadow of the legendary local beat policeman, Bobby Traill, was enough to keep youthful high spirits from running out of control.

And the main difference then, compared with today?

"Every child seemed to respect their elders". Now, she says, many older people have to live with fear, worry and stress brought on by vandalism and hooligan behaviour.

THOUGH I'm pleased to note that, in her particular district, a recently-formed residents' organisation has been succcessfully striving to combat this menace.