Around the villages

 

The villages in and around the Needle District held their own celebrations, on a smaller scale than the towns.

HEADLESS CROSS

 The Sunday school from the Wesleyan Chapel were lead down into Redditch by the town band; they joined the procession and walked round the town centre. They returned up Evesham road and promenaded around the village. The children were taken to the Chapel while the school rooms were made ready for them. While they had been in the town the school rooms had been used by 100 old people from the area who feasted on Beef and Plum pudding, and really enjoyed the occasion.  

The children were allowed in and soon as the young reporter, reported it.

“Such a battle was waged, children

Against beef and pudding, beef and

 Pudding against children. It would take

A Russell to describe it, at the beginning

of the Conflict it was feared

the children would conquer”.

From the report the children lost the battle with the pudding, but three hearty cheers were raised for the helpers.

 St Luke’s church of England Sunday school children were given Medals and Rosettes, and they too processed round the village. The children called on Mr Thomas one of the oldest inhabitants of the village he gave each an orange. They returned to the schoolrooms were tea and plum cake waited for them a number of elderly parishioners were also invited to share the treat.

Crabbs Cross & Hunt End

A eleven in the morning the children assembled  at the Weselayan School Room , here the 200 children formed a procession. They too were presented with medals and rosettes. The children paraded around the hamlets with banners, flags and favours, with a band at the head of the procession.  When they returned they were taken to the Malt house of the Star and Garter Hotel and had a dinner of roast beef and plum pudding.  After which the children went to play in a neighbour’s meadow. The Children’s dinner was followed by dinner for 90 mangers, Sunday school teachers and friends of the Sunday schools and next day,” forty poor families were proved with plum pudding and soup”.

Studley

The School children of the village had their fair share of roast beef and plum pudding and other delights. And the aged poor were regaled with a fine dinner the whole day was rounded off with a peel of bells and fireworks.

Astwood Bank

Over 300 children from the Baptist Sunday School with teachers processed to Doe Bank House were James Smith Esq. gave each student and teacher a medal with a red white and blue ribbon  After entertaining Mr Smith by singing several hymens. The children then returned to the school were the children were supplied with tea and plumb cake, then went to play cricket and foot ball in Mr Smith’s field. Meanwhile the teachers and some of the congregation sat down to tea. There was a magic lantern show in the evening by Rev Phillips and Mr Timpson which the children enjoyed. The choir sang ‘God bless the Prince Wales’.