Tag Archives: St. James Church

Delia Whitehead nee Hunt :Confirmation at St. James’ Church

Delia Whitehead nee Hunt in her Confirmation Dress made from parachute silk.

Delia Whitehead nee Hunt in her Confirmation Dress made from parachute silk.
Photo : Delia Whitehead

Confirmation at St James’s Yarmouth

Those of us that were the 12 to 14 age group who attended Yarmouth Church were told that there was to be a Confirmation at St James’s, not just for us; people from Freshwater and out in the country would be joining us. A lady, I can’t remember her name, told us that all us young girls must have white dresses. Older girls could wear blue, men and boys should wear “Sunday best” as it was called then, or if you were in the Services you could wear your uniform.

Now to buy white dresses at this time was just not possible. You had to try to get some material and get the dresses made and that was not easy either. I don’t know how my Mum and Aunt Alice got it, but they got some bits of white parachute silk and a lady in Yarmouth Square, Mrs Kellaway, fitted the bits together and made me a dress. My friend Sheila Kennedy (nee Reeves) had a great aunt in London. She somehow got hold of some beautiful white satin. She would not say how she got it, and Mrs Kellaway made a dress for Sheila as well. I remember one girl had a dress made from butter muslin, this looked very sweet. A girl from the country had a white blouse and had made a skirt from white net curtains. It was different, but she did look very pretty. There were other white dresses made from all sorts of materials, whatever the girls’ mums could get hold of. I must say my friend Sheila’s dress stood out, it was so beautiful.

After what seemed to be a very long service we at last came out and stood around the church yard while people took photos with Box Brownie cameras. It must have been late on the Sunday afternoon because people were putting out old metal dust bins before it got dark ready for the dustman who came very early in the morning on the Monday.

Sheila started to run about and suddenly she jumped over a dustbin and caught the hem of her lovely dress on a lid. The hem came down and made the dress look like a nightgown. Luckily for her, her mum could see the funny side of it and when you think about it, it really had been a lovely day to remember.
Delia Whitehead nee Hunt

Jill Cowley

August 16, 2013

Carnival 2013 Prizes Spirit of Carnival Helen Crates receives award

Carnival 2013 Prizes:  Spirit of Carnival Helen Sceales, receives Award from Carnival Committeee President Brenda Garlick.

The sun came out to see the prizes awarded this afternoon for the town’s Carnival Competitions, of which the Jewel in the crown is the award of Spirit of Carnival. This year’s winner is Helen Sceales, who holds the award, and represents the Carnival at events such as November 5th Fireworks and Carols in the Square.

Carnival 2013, Spirit Award Winner , Helen Scales

Carnival 2013, Spirit Award Winner  Helen Sceales

Carnival 2013, Spirit Award Winner , Helen Scales

Carnival 2013, Spirit Award Winner , Helen Sceales

Carnival 2013, Best Dressed House

Carnival 2013, Best Dressed House

 

 

Other prize winners: The Meaning Family for Best Dressed House, which reflected famiy history and ties with Canada. Joanne’s father, John Peston came to Yarmouth as a Canadian soldier in WWII .

Dressed House, Victoria Road,                                                      Best Dressed House, Victoria Road,
Carnival 2013 Prize to Meaning family for Best Dressed House   ‘Prairie Folk – Mum, Dad and the Kids’
Carnival 2013 Prize for Best Dressed House

Carnival 2013 Prize for Best Dressed House

Tony and Joanne Meaning who won the prize for Best Dressed House with their family photos and ‘Prairie family’ enjoying the sun in the garden.

Tony and Joanne sponsored the ‘Decorated Dinghies’ competition.

 

Dressed House, Victoria Road,

Best Dressed House, Victoria Road,

 

Carnival 2013 Prize to Meaning family for Best Dressed House

Joanne and Tony Meaning and family receiving the  ‘Best Dressed House’ prize, a crystal bowl.

 

 

 

Delighted individuals: It would have been Ist Prize if only there had been more than one blue Smartie in the pack…

Carnival 2013 Prize for Treasure Hunt  Ryan and Karen Ingram

Carnival 2013 Prize for Treasure Hunt Ryan and Karen Ingram from Thorley

Carnival 2013 Prize for decorated garden : Stella Taylor

Carnival 2013 Prize for decorated garden : Stella Taylor

Stella Taylor deservedly won the prize for the Best Miniature garden – judged by Anne Toms who has the Gallery in the High Street.

Carnival 2013 Prize for decorated garden : Stella Taylor, ‘I’ve been working on it all week’

 

Carnival 2013: It took the mayor, Steve Cowley, and bear's name?

Carnival 2013:

 

It took the mayor, Steve Cowley, and David Langford, Master of Ceremonies, a long while to discover the bear’s name from this prize winner.

 

 

 

 

And then off to the harbour for a boat trip to watch the Lifeboat display.

Carnival 2013 harbour trip as pirates, Curtis and sister

Carnival 2013 harbour trip as pirates, Curtis and sister

Carnival 2013 harbour trip as pirate

Carnival 2013 harbour trip as pirate

 

Eileen Smith : St James Church 1920s

On Sundays we had to go to church 3 times, Matins, Sunday School and Evensong. My sister and I used to go up in the gallery, above where our Grandma sat wearing a hat with a wide brim. We’d take little pellets of paper  in our pockets  and flick them down into her hat brim.
Grandad was the verger and for a special treat he’d take us up the church tower. It was exciting going up, but I didn’t like going down. Eileen Smith nee Lansdowne b 1921

View from ChurchTower

View from ChurchTower

 

Serena Dias de Deus nee Hunt: characters at church

Miss Scadding  played the church organ. She was quite eccentric; had her hair cut like a man, which was not usual in those days, and wore a mortar board.  She regaled us with stories about her cats. Her family had a music shop at Totland. I believe her father used to teach organ at Osborne House, maybe to Queen Victoria’s children, I seemed to have heard that at some time.

There were plenty of “characters” who attended the church, such as the Dashwood family from The Mount ; Theresa , Caroline, Cuthbert  and Constance.
The Dashwood family had always had their private pew in the church balcony, but the balcony had been put out of bounds because it needed repairs and the roof leaked. However, Theresa took no notice of this and alone took her rightful place on the balcony. If it rained, she just put her umbrella up.

Cuthbert wore plus fours and rode an old fashioned bicycle. To mount it, he used to run along with the bike and suddenly leap onto a sort of pedal at the back and jump into the saddle. We children loved to witness this!

Caroline came to my house one day when I was small and took me to The Mount to look at the wisteria which was growing on a wall and was very beautiful. She brought some freshly cooked asparagus for my cat, which she said cats enjoyed. I could not believe it, but he did.
Constance had rosy cheeks and was very sweet and friendly. Serena Dias de Deus nee Hunt b1939