Hutton Rudby celebrates the coronations of 1911 and 1937

Hutton Rudby celebrates George V's coronation

This photograph – provided to me by Malcolm McPhie from the Album entitled The Green on the Facebook page of the Hutton Rudby and District Local History Society – gives a brief glimpse of the village's celebrations in 1911 at the coronation of George V.  

A programme survives in Miss Winifred Blair's Scrapbook, from which I made notes in the days before scanning such things was easily done:-

"The Coronation of their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary"  on Thursday 22 June 1911 was to start at 8:30 am with presentation of Bibles and mugs to the children – church service – cricket – Maypole – sports.

These fascinating instructions showing how they managed to give a Public Tea to the entire village:-

Public Tea in the Council School, Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist Chapels.  

Those having RED Tickets take Tea at the Council School.

     "         "   WHITE     "         "       "    "    "   Prim. Methodist Chapel.    

     "         "   BLUE       "         "       "    "     "  Wesleyan Chapel.

Tickets can only be used by the person whose name is on it.  It will be impossible to obtain Tea without a Ticket. 

This was followed by a continuation of the sports – dancing on the Village Green – and finally the Bonfire at 10 pm

But the photograph and my notes from the programme don't convey the sheer scale and colour of the occasion – the "streamers, flags, and banners", the band, the sports, the marching round the village.  So I was very glad to find this, in the Darlington & Stockton Times:-

Darlington & Stockton Times, Ripon & Richmond Chronicle, 1 July 1911

HUTTON RUDBY

Right loyally did the inhabitants of Hutton Rudby celebrate the Coronation, and never was a happier day spent.  As early as 8.30 am the Hutton Brass Band gathered on the village green, conducted by their old bandmaster, Mr Henry Bainbridge, who freely gave his services on this most special occasion, and they played 'God Save the King' in a manner that did credit to the band, and which set the whole village a-going with a delightful determination to make the day one of the best.  

The band then played a march to the Council School, where Bibles were presented by Mr A. Park to all the school children of the parish, to the number of about 250.  They were also presented with a mug each, given by Mr J.T. Barthram.  Before the presentation Mr Park addressed the children in the schoolyard. 

On the conclusion of the presentations the children, under the control of Mr S. Eyre and his staff of teachers, formed a procession, headed by the band, and marched round the village, which was exceedingly pretty.  The streamers, flags, and banners flapped and danced in the morning breeze, which seemed to give life and gladness to everything.  The smiling faces of the happy children, with a Bible in their right hand and a mug in their left, walking in step to the music, was a sight that will not soon be forgotten.  

On they marched to the fine old Parish Church, which stands as a monument of the faith of our forefathers, and which has just been beautified by the fitting in of a reredos at the back of the altar table, with side wings down to the altar rail splendidly carved and panelled in solid wainscot oak, at a cost of something over £50.  This has been given to the church in memory of King George the Fifth's Coronation by Mr Allan Bowes Wilson, J.P., and Miss Annie Hutton Wilson, of Hutton Rudby.  The Coronation service was a most impressive and delightful one, the band taking part in the service by playing hymn 300 and the National Anthem.  The singing was taken up by the congregation with great enthusiasm.  The Vicar-in-Charge, the Rev F.W. Shepherd, gave an address on the great influence derived for good in having a Christian King.  

After the church service the band again headed the procession to the village, where the children dispersed, and the band lunched at the King's Head.  Later on they marched to the cricket field, playing selections while the cricket match was being played between Married and Single, the single winning.  At half-past twelve sports commenced, and lasted all day.  In fact they were not finished until Monday night.  At 2.30 pm the maypole dancers' march from the Council School, headed by the band, was a very pretty sight.  Great praise is due to Mrs Eyre for the trouble taken to get the dancers trained so splendidly, for the singing, dancing, and music was most enjoyable and pretty.  

A free tea was provided for all the parishioners, commencing at 4pm when 915 partook of an excellent repast provided by Misses Sedgwick, Hall, and Mello.  One of the most amusing parts of the programme was the fancy and comic costume parade, which was remarkably good and well got up.  The judges had great difficulty in deciding who was the most fancied and the most funny.  The rest of the night until dark was spent in sports and dancing until 10pm, when the bonfire was lit by Mr S. Snowdon.  

Result of sports:- 

Cricket match for men, Married v Single - 1st, Single
120 yards handicap footrace - J Honeyman; 2, T Bainbridge, 3, S Snowdon
Tug-of-war - G Nelson's team
Potato race - A Bainbridge, 2, D Fortune, 3 P Grearson [Grierson]
Clout the bellman - V Gordon
Sack race for men - J W Sidgwick and A Bainbridge
Point-to-point race - J Honeyman, 2 W Bainbridge, 3 L Hodgson
Pricking the donkey for men - G Featherstone
Do.do. for women - A Irwin
Race, women over 50 - Mitchinson, 2 Walker, 3 Smith
Fancy costume parade - 1 J Garbutt, jun, and M Sherwood, 2 B Foster and Miss Garbutt
Comic costume parade - T Liverseed, 2 D Fortune and R Hodgson, 3 G Husband and Miss Garbutt
Climbing greasy pole for leg of mutton - Gordon, 2 Dobson, 3 Coverdale
Band musical novelty race - T Sidgwick, 2 Lobley
Boys and girls under 14 - Cricket match, Up and Down Towners - Down Towners
Plaiting the maypole - £1 divided
Footrace for boys, under 7 - H Garbutt, G Hodgson
Do.do. for girls under 7 - D Smith
Needle and thread race - M Weighell
Skipping for girls under 14 - M Honeyman, 2 M Weighell
Do.do. for girls 7 to 10 - M Hodgson, 2 H Honeyman
Do.do. under 7 - J Coverdale, J Honeyman
Handicap footrace, 10 to 14 - J Mello, 2 G Stringer
Potato race - M Bainbridge, 2 V Dodsworth
Sack race - B Garbutt, 2 A Kay
Egg and spoon race - M Wood, 3 H Weatherell
Three-legged race for boys - A Wilson and C Chapman
Do.do. for girls - A Metcalfe and J Coverdale
Long jump - J Burton, 2 J Mello
High jump - N Williams, 2 J Dobson 

NOTES

I think the bandmaster must have been the builder Henry Bainbridge, who lived in Enterpen, on the site of the old Sawmill.

The Mr A. Park who presented the children with Bibles was Alexander Park.  

From The People behind the Plaques, an account of the memorials in All Saints', Hutton Rudby:-

The lectern was carved by Alexander Park, a gentleman farmer who retired to live at Leven House (across the river from the church) with his elderly spinster sisters in the late 19th century.  Mr Park was for years the honorary secretary of the Hurworth Hunt, and was said not to have made a single enemy during all his time in office.  On his last day out with the hounds he and his old black horse had a combined age of ninety-nine.  He and his sisters were very generous and active in village and church life: the choir stalls and altar rails were given to the church by the family.

Mr J T Barthram, who presented the mugs, was John Thomas Barthram, grocer & draper, who lived with his wife Mary, and children Martha, Thomas, Richard and James half way along North Side.

Samuel Eyre was the village schoolmaster.  He first appears in the Hutton Rudby census of 1881 as a young married man of 25.  He was born in Hope, Derbyshire and was twice married, firstly to Sarah and then to Hilda Marguerita.  Both women were schoolmistresses; Sarah was born in East Harlsey and Hilda in Hutton Rudby.  Hilda survived him.  In the early 20th century Samuel lived at West House.  This is the house next door to the Village Hall; it has been much extended over the years.  Under Mr Eyre, the garden in front of the house was put out to vegetables and boys were sometimes sent out of their lessons to do some weeding for him. (A History Walk round Hutton Rudby).  He died on 18 November 1914, aged 60.

The first verse of Hymn 300 of Hymns Ancient and Modern:-

All hail the power of JESUS' Name;
Let Angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him LORD of all.

Mr S. Snowdon was the 20 year old son of Dr Anthony Snowdon, who lived at Ravensthorpe on Doctors Lane.  For more on Dr Snowdon, his car and the story of the pet raven, see A History Walk round Hutton Rudby.

The name Mello appeared twice in the newspaper account as Mellor, but I have changed it to Mello on the assumption that it is a typo.  Mr Joshua Arnold Mello and his family lived, according to the 1911 Census, in the Bungalow on North End, next to the original Methodist Chapel, in the island of houses in the middle of North End Green.  Mr Mello is described as a Refreshment Caterer; the Bungalow was used as Refreshment Rooms and a dance hall before the building of the Village Hall.

There are many familiar village names in the list of winners, and I am sure their descendants will get in touch with Malcolm McPhie to explain who they are!

The Coronation in 1937

The Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on 12 May 1937 was celebrated in a similar style.

The programme in Miss Blair's Scrapbook shows that it was to start at 8:50 am with the children assembling at the school and marching to the Village Hall – presentation of mugs and souvenirs – cricket – service – sports – children’s tea at Village Hall, followed by tea for over 65's – fancy dress parade – sports – broadcast at the Village Hall – King’s speech broadcast from the Village Hall – dance in the Village Hall at 9:30