Garstang and District Children's Festival
LOOKING BACK with Steve Kirkman
Recently I had access to a collection of several years’ worth of festival magazines.
Incidentally, if anyone clearing out odd drawers and boxes at home should find any unwanted magazines pre 1996, our Festival Secretary David Gardner would be delighted to receive them.
As I browsed through these booklets the usual thoughts came to mind – is it really 10 years since that young lady was Queen, and then this one who is now married with two children, married so and so, where do they live?
I am sure you have experienced conversations based on past events and been surprised and even disbelieving about the passage of time.
I thought that it might be interesting to chat to some of our past Queens and find out where they are now and their memories of the festival.
JULIE WRATHALL (NEE HUDSON) – 1971
Our Queen in 1971 was a farmer’s daughter, Julie Hudson, from Barnacre. At this time the right to choose the Queen was rotated through the villages and then lots were drawn to pick the lucky young lady.
Her dress for the day was a wedding dress which her Mum bought. Her retinue consisted of friends from Church and Julie, who was 13 years old at the time, confesses to being very nervous indeed on the day of the Festival. Everything however, went off without a problem, the weather behaved itself and the afternoon was spent judging various sports events.
A high point in the day was the lunch at the Liberal Club, a very grand treat at the time.
Julie was involved for many years with the Barnacre entries in the procession and, when her three daughters were at Nateby School, she helped with the float decorations on many occasions. Her children are long past Festival float days now but Julie is still a keen spectator at both parades.
As I left her at the busy Bed and Breakfast she runs in Garstang, she offered her good wishes for this year’s event and the universal plea for “a fine day”.
JOANNE BERRY (NEE CARR) – 1977
The year was 1977 and our Queen was Joanne Carr (Now Berry). It was also Jubilee year.
The Queen’s canopy was topped by a Union Flag design, although the colours suffered badly from the wind and rain which affected both parades.
The dress was made by a local lady with sewing expertise - Jean Fowler, who it seems was responsible for the finery on a number of occasions. The dress which Joanne describes as absolutely beautiful is still in a wardrobe at home.
Like all the Queens, Joanne was very excited and nervous but, having family and friends in her retinue, helped. One of her brothers helped to pull the canopy and brother Damian carried the ceremonial cushion. The visits as Queen to other festivals were really enjoyable, probably because the pressure was off.
The Tuesday of Whit week was a holiday to mark the Jubilee and our new Queen and retinue joined in the procession to mark the occasion at the old fair field on Lancaster Road. The bad weather relented and the retinue were able to shed the anoraks they ended up wearing on Monday.
Joanne has since been involved with the festival through her five children at pre-school and primary school level and this year her Grandson is scheduled to take part.
She helps on the family farm near Chipping and found me some time one busy evening during lambing to talk about her reign as Queen.
When things slow down from the current hectic pace on the farm, she will go back to the two days she works in the family jewellers.
Will she be at this year’s parade to see the latest family member? Certainly, at night. Morning depends on how busy things are at home.
CHARLOTTE ARCHER
Charlotte is now aged 17. She enjoyed her crowning and the events throughout the day.
Her early nerves disappeared at the crowning and she and her retinue visited the Old People’s Home on Bowgreave, supported one of her attendants in the football final at night and then partied at night.
Her year’s reign included a visit to Catterall Gala where her Grandparents live and a visit to the local MP Ben Wallace at the Houses of Parliament.
Charlotte has now left school and is taking a diploma in Child Care at Preston College. This involves two days a week at a local nursery where she has been working with 2-3 year olds. Evenings are spent working as a waitress in a local Pub.
Her next ambition is to spend 12 months working as a nanny in Canada and then to attend University to study midwifery.
She still retains links with the festival. This year’s Queen, Hayley Phillips, was in her retinue and Charlotte helps train the Morris Dancers.