Mexborough and Swinton Times, July 26, 1919

Wombwell Welcomes The Peace.

Unprecedented Scenes.

Wombwell welcomed the advent of Peace with unstinted gladness. Peace Day was celebrated by such colour, music, laughter, and feasting that its memory will surely never fade. With the children especially will it be remembered as an event of history, for it was essentiai1 a children’s day.  The children were first and foremost everywhere, and with the children abandoning themselves to a day of unrestricted enjoyment, everyone else became influenced by the spell whether they would or not.

Under the direction of the Wombwell Council, who worked with commendable zeal to make the event a success, the Town Hall was gaily bedecked several days before ‘Peace Day.” Very quickly the whole town followed, suit, so that anon almost every house in the district was displaying some emblem of patriotic rejoicing.

The tradesmen of the town soon began to vie with each other in the grandeur of their display of colour. The phrase “Business before Pleasure” was reversed for the time being, and many customers found themselves waiting vainly in a neglected shop whilst the shopkeeper scaled some dizzy heights to fix a bit of red, white, and blue.

Among the bet decorated shops in the town were those Mr. Bamforth, pawnbroker, High Street and the Barnsley British Co-operative Society Stores. Mr Balfour especially, had been at great pains to obtain something more than a mere jumble of colour, and the result was most artistic

But the tradesmen, notwithstanding, the better facility for trimming which their shop frontage afforded them, were quite outstripped by the private householders, and most remarkable it was too, that the more unpretentious the thoroughfare, the more gorgeous and elaborate were the decorations.

Ship Croft, for instance, caught the fever very early on, and soon the whole neighbourhood was a blaze of colour. Garlands and bunting and streamers crossed and recrossed the street in brilliant profusion, and when at last “Peace Day” arrived Ship Croft was nothing more nor less than a gorgeous arcade. The good people there were out to win the prize which was being ,offered for the most effectively decorated street, and they were successful. Indeed it would have been a great injustice had the prize gone elsewhere.

Summer Lane was also very lavishly beflagged. The residents of a long block of buildings at the Hough Lane end of the thoroughfare had conceived a joint scheme of decoration ‘which worked out splendidly. Posts were fixed in the ground in each of the front gardens, and festoons of the traditional colours were drawn from one to another in profusion. Opposite, someone had decorated the window very prettily with Chinese lanterns.

The procession which was the principal feature of the day’s celebrations first of all assembled in the field at the rear of the Empire. Included in the assembly were : The Wombwell Town Prize Band, Sailors and Soldiers, and ex-Service men, Police, members of the Urban Council, members of the Education Committee, Guardians, Council, and other officials, Wombwell Fire Brigade (with engine) representatives of the Miners’ Lodges, Friendly Societies, and Clubs, Boys’ Brigades, Girl Guides, the scholars of the Sunday Schools, Special Constables, Railway Servants, Boy Scouts, etc.

The proceedings opened with the singing of the National Anthem (3 verses). Mr. Jabez Shillito conducted the singing, and notwithstanding that, there were some three or four thousand people present, this important part of the programme went off very successfully. Everyone joined in the singing with rare fervour. The “Reveille” was then sounded, and afterwards the “Last Post,” the latter being given as a tribute to those who had fought and fallen. Then followed a band selection, and finally three lusty cheers—three cheers that fairly caused the ground and air to vibrate were given for the King.

During the cheering the children appeared to lose touch with the platform for their high-pitched voices could be heard far away at the back end of the crowd long after it had subsided in the vicinity of the conductor.

Appropriately enough, the occasion was chosen for the presentation of the Military Medal to Private P. Godfrey. 5th York and Lancasters, Wombwell.              Councillor J. E. Mitchell, who made the presentation in the absence of his brother, Col. ,T. W. H. Mitchell, stated that the act of bravery for which Private Godfrey’ had been awarded the Military Medal was Performed in 1918.

A strong and troublesome enemy position had to be tackled and reduced, and Private Godfrey, two other men and an officer were chosen for the job. During the whole of their dangerous task they were subjected to very heavy machine-gun-fire, and Private Godfrey was wounded. Nevertheless their work was the means of making possible an important advance.

The officer, said Mr Mitchell, in making the recommendation, spoke in the highest possible terms of Godfrey’s conduct. On such an occasion especially, they all  ought to be feel heartily proud of Godfrey and all such men, and he hoped he would live long to wear the decorations.

Private Godfrey had barely time to remark, “I am not a very good lad spouting, and this, that, and toother,” when his words were cut short with three hearty cheers, the children joining in heartily

The passing of the procession through the main street of the, town was one of the prettiest sights ever witnessed in Wombwell. It’ was certainly the largest organised gathering, that It is ever passed through the town. The children of course, were vastly in the majority.

The Wombwell Town Band headed the procession, and then followed the Police and members of the Urban Council. Councillor Allott, as marshal of the procession, worked hard to make the event a success. The next feature to attract attention was the Wombwell Fire Brigade, with engine and equipment, The Church Lads’ Brigade, under Capt. Tabor and Lieut Burrows, looked very smart, as did also the Boy Scouts, under Mr. S. Taylor.

But the procession was specially a children’s affair, for they constituted quite nine-tenths of the long line which stretched from end to end of the town. A great deal of time and patience had been expended by the Sunday School teachers. The Roman Catholic children made a very pretty show. The smaller children were carried on drays, the most prettily decorated of which was one lent by Mrs. Netherwood. The children attending the Parish Church were also, very quaintly attired. A great many , children were dressed in character.

The, procession went through the main streets oi the town, and by special request of the residents of Ship Croft, through Milton Street, which had been marvellously decorated. The procession over, the children dispersed to their respective Sunday Schools, where they enjoyed a capital tea provided by the Council, and prepared by a willing band of voluntry workers.