The PROCESSION

THE PROCESSION.

John Smith directed the procession; the route stared at Church green before the procession wound its way up Evesham Street as far as the Plough and Harrow (now a Car Park). Then it turned down Ipsely Street and continuing as far as Mr Baylis residence Grove house which was located some were near the old converted chapel, it then turned up Alcester Street before returning to the green. The structure of the procession was heavily regimented. A guard of Yeomanry headed it, followed by the brass band of the Rifle Corps.

Then walking four a breast the children of the schools, first the National School this was a Church of England school, they were followed by Redditch Wesleyan schools and the Headless Cross Wesleyan schools headed by their teachers and minsters. A second brass band lead  the next part of the procession, containing  the Free Church schools. The primitive Methodist and the independents schools they were followed by the last band and the Roman Catholic and Baptist schools. And at the tail end ‘Mr Baylis band of Arab’s, 200 children of no domination or school.

The children held banners, flags and favours aloft, wore medals and ribbons given to them for the pocession making the whole a lively musical scene . Waved too and cheered on by their parents and friends. When the 2,500 children arrived back on the Green they dispersed to their school rooms were a celebration dinner awaited them.

THE DINNERS

Around the town Dinners were being prepared ready for the returning children and the town’s elderly citizens. The children of the National school had dinner in their schoolrooms; the staple fair of all these dinners was roast beef and plum pudding. After the school children had finished their repast, they left for a field lent by Mr Milward so they could spend rest of the afternoon amusing themselves.  Mr Baylis ‘feasted his lot thoroughly and well, in a room nicely decorated ; then let them out ‘to grass in ’his orchard were they flung their  heels like young colts until dusk.’ After the National school children had their dinner the room was cleared and 500 old people of the town sat down to their dinner, the crowning glory was a wonder a 40lb plum pudding.

THE OX ROAST

It was proposed an ox should be bought and roasted to mark the occasion; the meat was to be distributed to the town’s poor families of the parish. The prim beast was bought for £20 at Birmingham Cattle Market, by Mr Thomas Briggs, presented to the mangers of the ox roast Mr Miles and Mr Briggs also dressed and prepared the Ox for roasting. On Monday Ox had its own procession, carried round the town behind a brass band, trimmed with decorations, flags, flowers and plumes. A fire  place was set early Tuesday morning and by one o’clock    carving up the ox had commenced, and by four O’clock only the bones remain, they were taken to turn into beef broth.  The mangers had overseen the careful cutting and distributing off of the beef to the poor families in the town. Captain Bartleets Children has some little shavings from an ox roasted whole... Mr Hemming  the high sheriffs children got a taste and the vicar’ partook of a little’, the mangers were well roasted but oversaw the distribution of the beast to the towns poor.

DECORATIONS

Flags bunting and banners were hung from houses, several schools had triumphal arch. The arch across the road by the Wesleyan schools was considered ‘nicely made.’ Both the chapels and the churches were decorated inside and out, St Stephens’s church porch was decorated by Leafage work in exquisite taste. Mr  A G Baylis of Grove house, built a double Arch with coloured lamps that  were light as soon as dusk fell.

ILLUMINATIONS

Mr Clift, Manager of the Redditch gas work had offered free gas for illuminations. However few people took up the offer the technical problems seem to be a barrier. The  three towns centre Hotels, The Unicorn, the Fox and Goose and Crown   had Stars decorating the outside of their establishments. George  Hemming builder and James Wright had a colourful  transparency with’ God Bless the Royal pair. An extra train was put on to take people to see the Birmingham illuminations.