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Chesham Stories

Pauline Bates - May Queen Celebrations at Townsend Road School in the 1940s

My name is Pauline Bates and this is my recollection of the May Queen celebrations at Townsend Road School in the 1940s.

I am now 70 years old and my memory is not as good as it used to be, but I still remember the excitement that I and my school friends felt as the 1st day of May approached. The whole school was abuzz with anticipation in the days preceding the voting for the Queen of the May. The names of various pretty girls were whispered around suggesting the one to be given our vote. The voting was made by each pupil writing the name of their choice on a slip of paper which was then placed in a ballot box. The votes were counted by the teachers and the top few were selected. The one with the most votes was chosen as Queen and two or three others were proclaimed as her maids of honour. The Queen was also given a band of soldiers to guard her - and I forget how they were chosen, but the band had a captain and six supporting soldiers. The Queen was also presented with various flowers, each flower given to her by a flower fairy dressed in an attire to match her flower. I remember there being a violet, daisy, poppy, buttercup and mayflower. Each fairy had a little verse to say as she presented her flower to the Queen. I vaguely remember the mayflower fairy, when she wasannounced, said, "Yes I'm coming lead me there, I'm the little mayflower fair".

On the morning of the 1st of May we arrived at school in our party frocks, quite often it was a bridesmaid dress from a previous wedding. Some children's hair had been carefully curled by their mothers and everyone had flowers in their hair. The guards of honour were very smart in black knickers and white blouses with coloured bands across their chests. The maids of honour had long dresses and carried sprays of flowers, and the little flower fairies from 1st year pupils looked very sweet and shy with their pretty flower coloured dresses.

The music to this ceremony was very catchy and had been well rehearsed beforehand so that each song was sung with great enthusiasm. I remember the guards song began with the lines (captain, stepping forward from the drill line) "I am the captain of the May Queen's band" and the soldiers followed (stepping forward in line with him) "and we are the band. (Captain) "I hold my lance in my hand you see" (soldiers) "and so do we" (Together) "To our good Queen we shout Hurrah - Hurrah Hurrah Hurrah" etc.

The ceremony began with all the pupils gathered in the hall, seated either side of a wide aisle, down which the Queen and her maids of honour regally walked, escorted by her band of guards. Many songs were sung and a crown of flowers was placed on the Queen's head. The maids of honour presented her with a flower sceptre, and the guards vowed their allegiance to her in song. Finally the flower fairies, individually, presented her with a flower posy after telling her in verse which flower they represented.

The ceremony concluded with the May song "Oh the lovely,lovely May, ever welcome ever gay. When by brook and fountain, when by moor and mountain, flowerettes bloom and insects play in the lovely, lovely May. Oh the lovely,lovely May ever welcome ever gay. Charming, charming, charming, charming, charming lovely May".

The day finally over, a school of very weary but happy pupils went home singing the songs which were ringing in their heads.

The day's events were recorded by an official photographer and each pupil took a photo home to show the family. Some of us have kept them for many years [see photograph above].

I would love to find copies of the music and the script to the ceremony but alas I fear it has all been lost with the closure of the school.

Pauline Bates

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