The Whit Walks
The traditional "Procession of Witness" has long been celebrated throughout the North West. For many, Whit Friday remains the most important date in the calendar.
Whit Walk in Stalybridge, 1961
In 1849, Charlotte Brontė described the Whitsuntide walks as "a joyous scene, and a scene to do good." Her novel Shirley contains a vivid description of the event in West Yorkshire. Until relatively recent times, Saddleworth was part of the West Riding of Yorkshire but the tradition persisted throughout the North West.
Each church or chapel marches in procession through the streets. The local bands would of course lead the processions but many churches hired bands from afar. Bands would arrive from throughout Yorkshire and the North West, playing as they marched from the station.
Each procession starts from the local school, the band in the lead ahead of the church banner. Then come the church dignatories, assorted choirs and scout or guide troops. Finally the local families, the boys in their best suits and the girls all in white - this is the annual occasion for new clothes The procession marches to a church service on the market ground usually starting with "Hail Smilin’ Morn" before going around the parish.
Mossley Brow - Whit Friday morning 2010
Mossley Brow - Whit Friday morning 2010
Friezland Christ Church with Lydgate St Anne's Church accompanied by Lydgate Band - Whit Friday morning 2005
Friezland - Whit Friday morning 2005
The morning walks would be followed by afternoon concerts, cricket matches and children’s games. This is also a day for kisses and hand-shakes - the occasion when many ex-pats regularly return home to renew old friendships.
The contests began as a sequel to the afternoon festivities. Sadly, most of these walks have now transferred to the preceding Whit Sunday but Saddleworth and Mossley still walk on Whit Friday morning.
The Manchester City Council web-site contains a number of interesting images of the Whit walks from the Manchester Archives & Local Studies records.