Search for Image ID "" West Mersea Church Gazette page 6.
The fall, or would it not be more accurate to write the rising! of Pretoria was celebrated on Thursday evening, June 7th, with a torchlight procession. The news was received by telegram on Tuesday, June 5th, at 1.30, and was with very little delay made known as widely as possible by the dressing of the Flagstaff at the Coastguard Station, on the Coast and in the grounds of the Hall. The more ardent and enthusiastic spirits had already manufactured torches, which they declared they were fully determined to light that evening ! With a view to organising something worthy of the parish, these red hot people, with as many others as could be got together, were summoned to a meeting at the Church Institute, when preliminaries were discussed and the meeting adjourned to the following evening to settle final details. The Procession assembled on the Church Green at 7.30, and started to make a tour of the parish, punctually at 8 o'clock, the time arranged, it was composed as follows :
The procession was marshalled by Messrs. A. and P. Cutts, J. Hewes, jun., V. Mole, and John Pullen who rendered yeoman service. During its progress, the following, dressed as nurses, worked hard in collecting for the War Fund, in boxes kindly made by Mr. Heard; Misses Andrews, M. Fletcher, G. Hempstead, M. Mole, E. Moss and B. Smith. Only one shower of rain occurred to mar the complete enjoyment of the evening, with the unhappy result that everybody got thoroughly well soaked and the damage thus done to the lanterns somewhat diminished the effect when lighting-up time arrived. The route arranged upon was persevered in to the end and the Church Green reached just before 10, when "God save the Queen," was heartily sung, and cheers for the Queen and her Forces lustily given and so ended a most happy 'fit out' which had been entered upon cheerfully by all, and in the whole carrying out of which not a wry word had been spoken. Date: July 1900 Photo: Heather Haward Collection Image ID WMCG_1900_007_040 Category 1 Books-->Church Gazette Category 2 Families-->Hewes Category 3 Families-->Pullen | ||
Top | This image is part of the Mersea Museum Collection. |