West Mersea Church Gazette page 6.
Church and City Notes

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 :

  1. Cyclists (under the able Captaincy of Mr. Pearl Cross) who had previously made a circuit of the parish starting at 6.30 p.m.
  2. Band.
  3. " Joe Chamberlain," an excellent representation of a gun, drawn by our own "Handy Men" of the Coastguard Station under Chief Officer Smith.
  4. School Banner, followed by school children bearing flags and Chinese lanterns, generously provided by Mr. Gilbert.
  5. Waggon lent by Mr. Cross, containing Britannia (Miss F. Smith) surrounded by representatives of the Empire, attended by Sailors and Soldiers. A wounded soldier (J. Banks), attended by doctor (W. Mole) and nurses (Misses F. and V. Mussett).
  6. Masqueraders bearing flags and torches.
  7. Waggon lent by Mr. Cock, containing forge, lent by Mr. Shead, and group representing trades of Mersea.
  8. Waggon, lent by Mr. W. Green, carrying full rigged boat, lent by Mr. Leith and manned by sailors.
  9. An Ambulance Waggon, lent and driven by Mr. M, Thorp, containing a wounded " Gentleman in Khaki " who was not attended by nurses, by a strange oversight on the part of the authorities !
  10. Donkey Carriage carrying an assortment of representatives of the next generation of Merseaites.
  11. "Peter," in charge of Mr. S. Gentry, jun., conveying oil for the replenishment of the torches.

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