Southport Carnival and Trades Procession (1902)

Southport Carnival and Trades Procession (1902)

Colourful carnival floats in the Lancashire seaside resort of Southport.

Although frequented by northern middle-class holiday makers, Southport here celebrates its own local trades and businesses, watched by a slightly sparse crowd. Allsopps Pale Ale, Hugh Johnson & Son Coachbuilder and a supplier of manure pass by the camera before we see the freshly-crowned Rose Queen. We also see a handcart promoting a screening of the very film we're watching.

Tags

From the collection

Sunday Best

Church is the place to pray, meet and be seen for these faithful Edwardians.

On a weekday, Mitchell & Kenyon's cameramen might expect to filming workers leaving factories or schoolchildren parading. On occasional Sundays, they found a more sombre subject: the faithful leaving places of worship, or marching in parades or processions. 

Mitchell & Kenyon's 'church gate' films mirror their 'factory gate' films, filling the frame with faces, though typically shot from a more respectful distance. Collectively, they reveal how integral Christianity was to Edwardian public life. Not surprisingly, Anglican churches are pre-eminent, but we see non-conformist denominations too, while Catholicism has a particularly strong presence, reflecting its strength in M&K's Lancashire backyard and in southern Ireland.

42 videos in this collection

Worshippers in their Sunday best file out of the Church.

Congregation Leaving St Mary's Church, Dumfries (c.1901)

  • Dumfries
  • 1901
A small boy impersonates military hero Lord Roberts, much to the delight of the crowds.

Manchester and Salford's Harriers Procession (1901)

  • Manchester
  • 1901
A well-dressed church congregation gathers on the elegant portico.

Congregation Leaving St Mary's Dominican Church in Cork (1902)

  • 1902
Church school pupils set off for a trip to the famous Birmingham entertainment hall.

Blue Coat Children Marching to Curzon Hall, Birmingham (1901)

  • Birmingham
  • 1901
A damp and murky day greets the annual Whitsuntide Catholic procession in Edwardian Manchester.

Manchester Catholics Whitsuntide Procession (1904)

  • Manchester
  • 1904
May Queens and drag queens, cadets and clowns: thousands turn out for an Edwardian fundraiser in the Merseyside town.

Carnival Processions in Birkenhead (1902)

  • Birkenhead
  • 1902
An Edwardian congregation emerges after Sunday service in Accrington, Lancashire.

Congregation Leaving New Jerusalem Church in Accrington (1902)

  • Accrington
  • 1902
Dublin's Catholic faithful wend their way home after Sunday service.

Congregation Leaving St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin (1901)

  • 1901
Larking about during Church Lads' Brigade drill and parade in Morecambe.

Morecambe Church Lads Parade at Drill (1901)

  • Morecambe
  • 1901
Colourful carnival floats in the Lancashire seaside resort of Southport.

Southport Carnival and Trades Procession (1902)

  • Southport
  • 1902
Residents of Manchester's own 'Little Italy' put on a display of religious pomp during the city's annual Whit Walk.

Manchester Italian Catholic Procession (1902)

  • Manchester
  • 1902
A small crowd bustles outside the now-demolished Centenary Methodist Wesleyan Chapel.

Congregations Leaving the Centenary Chapel, Middlesbrough (1902)

  • St Hilda's
  • 1902
Exponents of Britain's newest religion don their Sunday best for a parade through Edwardian Manchester.

Manchester Spiritualists Procession (1901)

  • Manchester
  • 1901
Accrington locals parade in their Sunday best.

Procession in Accrington Park (1900)

  • Accrington
  • 1900
Young orphans march through the streets of Edwardian Manchester with heads held high.

Manchester Catholic Orphanage Boys (1901)

  • Manchester
  • 1901
Preston's great and good gather outside the magnificent St. John's church.

Congregation at Preston Parish Church (c.1901)

  • Preston
  • 1901
Fine outfits on display in a Christian procession through Warrington's Bank Park.

Warrington Walking Day Procession (1902)

  • Warrington
  • 1902
Deprived Edwardian kids of Burnley enjoy some midsummer fun in the park.

Treat to 5000 Poor Burnley Children (1905)

  • Burnley
  • 1905
Worshippers stroll out of church after the Sunday service.

Old Poulton Parish Church, Morecambe (c.1901)

  • Morecambe
  • 1901
Edwardian Churchgoers crowd around the gates to St Elphin's after Sunday morning service.

Congregation Leaving Warrington Parish Church (1902)

  • Warrington
  • 1902
Filmed record of a local parade crammed with detail and charm.

Accrington Catholic Procession (1912)

  • Accrington
  • 1912
An eager crowd competes for camera time outside a Lancashire church.

Scenes Outside St Elphin's Church, Warrington (c.1901)

  • Warrington
  • 1901
Blackburn Catholics assemble to mark Whitsun weekend.

St. Joseph's Catholic Whit Procession, Blackburn (1911)

  • Blackburn
  • 1911
Crowds line the streets for the annual parade of the Birmingham Boys' Brigade.

Church Parade of the Boys' Brigade in Birmingham (1902)

  • Birmingham
  • 1902
A spectacular street procession in the heart of industrial West Yorkshire.

Hunslet Carnival and Gala (1904)

  • Hunslet
  • 1904
Crowds throng the city streets to see a parade of beautifully turned out children in a festive parade.

Manchester Sunday Schools Whit Monday Procession (1904)

  • Manchester
  • 1904
The faithful surge out of St James' Church onto a wind-swept street in Edwardian Hull.

Congregation Leaving St James' Church, Hessle Road, Hull (1902)

  • Kingston upon Hull
  • 1902
A view of Mansfield's Bridge Street, as worshippers emerge from chapel.

Congregation Leaving Wesleyan Chapel in Mansfield (c.1901)

  • Mansfield
  • 1901
A proud expression of Catholic identity, this Edwardian parade fills the streets of the Yorkshire town.

Halifax Catholic Procession (c.1905)

  • Halifax
  • 1905
Catholic schoolchildren lead a Whit Friday procession in honour of Our Lady.

Oldham Catholic Schools Procession (1904)

  • Oldham
  • 1904
Staffordshire parishioners stream home after a service.

Congregation at Hanley Old Church (c.1901)

  • Hanley
  • 1901
Dublin churchgoers after mass in 1902.

Congregation Leaving Jesuit Church of St. Francis Xavier, Dublin (1902)

  • 1902
Well-to-do of Cork worshippers leaving St Patrick's Church.

Congregation Leaving St Patrick's Church in Cork (1902)

  • 1900
Well-to-do Edwardian churchgoers

Congregation Leaving Parish Church, Sheffield (1902)

  • Sheffield
  • 1902
Members of a non-conformist congregation leave their Lancashire church.

Crowds Leaving Park Congregational Church in Accrington (1902)

  • Accrington
  • 1902
Edwardian worshippers at a since-demolished church in Middlesbrough's former centre.

Congregations Leaving St. Hilda's Church, Middlesbrough (1902)

  • St Hilda's
  • 1902
Dressed to the nines, a Lancashire congregation leaves church in Nova Scotia, Blackburn.

Congregation Leaving All Saints Church, Blackburn (c.1903)

  • Blackburn
  • 1903
Nurses and soldiers parade for crowds and the camera, with the boys' brigade marching past.

Boys' Brigade Review at Racecourse (c.1902)

  • 1902
Crowds gather to watch hundreds of Edwardian policemen marching through a Liverpool street.

Liverpool Church Parade and Inspection (1901)

  • Liverpool
  • 1901
The Coronation of Edward VII is celebrated by thousands of Coventry Sunday school children.

March Past of 20,000 Coventry Children (1902)

  • Coventry
  • 1902
Good people of Halifax defy summer rains to benefit the Infirmary, long before the NHS.

Royal Halifax Infirmary Annual Street Procession (1908)

  • Halifax
  • 1908
Brollies and ceremonial regalia are out in force in Clitheroe for Mayor's Sunday.

Mayor's Sunday at St Mary's Church, Clitheroe (1912)

  • Clitheroe
  • 1912
View full collection