A Pageant of Scenes from Prescot History
Pageant type
Performances
Place: Volair Park (Prescot) (Prescot, Lancashire, England)
Year: 1934
Indoors/outdoors: Outdoors
Number of performances: 2
Notes
12–14 July 1934
[12 July 1934 at 7pm; 14 July 1934 at 2.30pm.]
Name of pageant master and other named staff
- Producer [Pageant Master]: Dixon, G.
- Costumes: Mrs F.A. Bailey, BA
- Scriptwriter: Mr F.A. Bailey, MA
Notes
The pageant's producer
is named in the souvenir booklet as Mr G. Dixon, BA. However, a later newspaper
article states that the church curate—Rev. J.D. Jones—was also involved with
pageant organization [Prescot Reporter,
11 August 1939, 1].
Names of executive committee or equivalent
Notes
Committee members' names have not been recovered but it is presumed that church officials and personnel involved with the Sunday Schools were responsible for organization. The souvenir programme mentions separate Sunday schools for boys and girls, as well as four bible study groups (for men, women, girls and 'lads'); each of these groups had its own superintendent.
Names of script-writer(s) and other credited author(s)
- Bailey, F.A.
Names of composers
n/a
Numbers of performers
The number of performers is unknown; however, as the pageant involved members of the Sunday schools and bible classes it is probable that both adults and children were involved, with the majority being children.
Financial information
n/a
Object of any funds raised
None Known
Notes
It is not known if a charge was made for attendance; the Sunday Schools of Prescot Parish Church would presumably have retained any surplus made.
Linked occasion
The 150th anniversary of the foundation of a Sunday School at Prescot Parish Church.
Audience information
- Grandstand: Yes
- Grandstand capacity: n/a
- Total audience: n/a
Notes
The pageant was held in a football stadium (then called Valerie Park and popularly known as 'Hope Street'; it was renamed Volair Park in 2016). The stadium was loaned for the occasion by the Prescot Cables Football Club. The grounds contained a stand.
Prices of admission and seats: highest–lowest
No details of admission charges have been recovered.
Associated events
n/a
Pageant outline
Opening hymn
All People That on Earth Do Dwell.
Scene 1: Prescot's First Priest [c 5th and 6th centuries]
The souvenir booklet describes the scene as follows:
This scene represents the arrival of a band of monks at the place where Prescot Church now stands, then the scene of a heathen shrine. On the death of the last heathen priest, the chieftains of the district have decided to introduce the new faith. Having listened to the words of the leading chieftain and the leading monk, the people show their approval of the change, and a procession is formed to the place of baptism. The episode probably included dialogue.
[Unless otherwise stated all information about the episodes is taken from Prescott Parish Church: Souvenir of the Pageant to Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Founding of the Sunday Schools by the Rev. Samuel Sewell, M.A., in 1784 (1934).]
Scene 2: Breach of Sanctuary, 1330
In this scene, fugitives arrive at the church to claim sanctuary while the 'priest is engaged in his duties'. Royal foresters pursue the sanctuary seekers, and 'in spite of protests and entreaties, seize the offenders and take them away'. The souvenir booklet states that this case became the subject of a long-running legal dispute. Some dialogue likely took place.
Scene 3: William De Dacre's Charter, 1333
The souvenir booklet describes William as a 'man of consequence' because he was the son of Ralph de Dacre, Baron of Gilsland. William held the title of Rector of Prescot. In this capacity, he obtained a charter from the king which allowed a weekly market to be held, as well as a fair at the feast of Corpus Christi. The scene is set in Prescot Hall where William—'dressed as a Baron rather than a priest'—is seen 'interviewing a group of his tenants'. He 'exhibits his charter and announces his intention of emancipating the people of Prescot from serfdom and creating a borough here under his lordship.' This episode likely involved monologue.
Scene 4: The Foundation of Prescot Grammar School, 1544
This episode enacted the foundation of a Grammar School at Prescot by Gilbert Lathum, Archdeacon of Man. Lathum is seen in conversation with the local vicar; the two 'watch a crowd of children at play and rebuke them for their roughness'. Lathum then proceeds to promise funds for a school. The drama then shifts to a classroom scene in which a monitor, overlooked by a schoolmaster, instructs a class of boys. The episode included dialogue.
Interlude
There was a short intermission in the pageant performance during which country dances were performed.
Scene 5: The Court Leet in 1550
The souvenir booklet describes that 'the court was formerly the main organ of government in Prescot'; and that 'the details' included in the episode 'are all founded in fact, recorded in the court rolls'. A description of the scene is as follows:
It is the afternoon of Friday, June 6th, the morrow of Corpus Christi. The court, which has already been opened in the morning, reassembles after the Jurors have dined together and discussed their presentments. Edward, third Earl of Derby, presides as Steward. On his right sit the Deputy Steward and Bailiff; on his left, the Clerk of the Court. The Jurors sit opposite. The officers (Four Men, Constables, Aletasters, Burley-men and Affeerors) and townspeople remain standing. The business opens with the admittance of a new tenant with due proclamation. Then various types of offenders are presented and amerced. Next the Jurors make by-laws and orders for the benefit of the town. Finally, the officers for the following year are appointed and sworn. The episode likely included dialogue.
Scene 6: The Re-Opening of the Church, 1610
This episode portrays 'the conclusion of the ceremonies attending the consecration and rededication of the new building in 1610'. The drama includes the Bishop of Chester, the vicar, the Provost of King's College, Cambridge, and 'John Ogle of Whiston Hall' (who presents a 'fine chair' to the church). Also in attendance are William, sixth earl of Derby, Sir Thomas Gerard of Bryn, Richard Bold of Bold Hall, Edward Eccleston of Eccleston Hall and 'many other gentry'.
Scene 7: Prince Rupert at Prescot, 1644
The arrival in May 1644 at Prescot of Prince Rupert. Rupert is described in the souvenir booklet as 'gallant and impetuous'. A crowd greets the arrival of the prince enthusiastically and he proceeds to give a speech in which he calls for 'volunteers and contributions of money'. The Steward responds heartily and the prince thanks all warmly before inviting volunteers to 'march with him against Liverpool on the morrow'. The brochure further remarks that later in the year (July), on his return from defeat at Marston Moor, Rupert again stopped at Prescot. The episode included dialogue.
Interlude
Maypole dances were performed.
Scene 8: An Episode of the '45
The Jacobite army are in retreat from Derby. The pageant brochure explains that support for the Stuarts had receded and the people of Prescot were 'anxious to prove their loyalty to George II'. For this reason, a party from the town are seen setting out to capture some of the retreating Jacobite army. A second scene follows this when the party return having captured 'above 40 rebels'; these are described as 'in a bad condition and almost dead with fatigue'. This episode may not have included dialogue.
Scene 9: The Proclamation of the Fair, 1755
This episode depicts the annual Corpus Christi fair. The pageant booklet states the following description of the drama:
In this scene, we much imagine the shops and booths, the droves of livestock, and entertainments, that formed the background of the scene. We see the Steward, John Hodgkinson accompanied by the officers of the town, make the formal proclamation which opened the fair. The words are those actually written by Mr. Hodgkinson for the occasion.
Scene 10: The Foundation of the Sunday School, 1784
The pageant booklet explains that on '21st march, 1784, only four years after the foundation by Robert Raikes of the first Sunday School at Gloucester, a similar school was founded at Prescot'. The drama consists of a re-enactment of the first meeting of the school. In this, the vicar (Samuel Sewell) 'addresses the children, explaining the good work to be undertaken, and looking forward to the day when all the children of the town will enjoy the blessings of education'.
The National Anthem
'God Save the King' was sung at the close of the pageant.
Key historical figures mentioned
- Lloyd, George
(1560/61–1615) bishop of Chester
- Stanley, Edward, third
earl of Derby (1509–1572) magnate
- Stanley, William, sixth
earl of Derby (bap. 1561, d. 1642) nobleman,
- Rupert, prince and count palatine of the
Rhine and duke of Cumberland (1619–1682) royalist army and naval officer
Musical production
Few details of music have been recovered. There may have been a choir. Pieces performed included:
- Hymn: 'All People That
on Earth Do Dwell' (opening of pageant)
- National Anthem (close
of pageant)
Newspaper coverage of pageant
Prescot Reporter
Book of words
- None known.
Other primary published materials
- Prescott Parish Church: Souvenir of the Pageant to Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Founding of the Sunday Schools by the Rev. Samuel Sewell, M.A., in 1784. No publication details.
References in secondary literature
n/a
Archival holdings connected to pageant
- The Lancashire Archives holds 1 copy of the souvenir booklet, ref: PR 3404/14/113
Sources used in preparation of pageant
n/a
Summary
This pageant was held in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the foundation of a Sunday School at St Mary's Anglican Church in the market town of Prescot. Like many church pageants of the interwar years, the pageant married ecclesiastical history with the history of the local community and underlined the centrality of the church to the life of the town and the importance of church records within local history. In terms of the episodes selected, the pageant trod a familiar path that included the arrival of Christianity and traditional religious fairs, through to the English Civil War and the Jacobite rebellion—before ending with a commemoration of the establishment of the school itself, in the eighteenth century. Many episodes featured local gentry or nobility as well as church figures. Over ten chronological episodes, there is little included that is controversial or particularly of note, save for the fact that the Reformation is not tackled in any way, although this does form a part of many pageants in the north of England.
Members of the church's Sunday schools and bible classes undertook the drama. We do not know how many were involved but this is likely to have been over one hundred. The pageant took place at a sizeable local sporting venue with readymade stand, so it is probable that a respectable number of spectators attended its two performances. It is clear from remarks made in the pageant booklet that many organizations in the town helped with the event, including the town's main employer—the cable-making company 'B.I.C. Ltd.'—which loaned material to make the set, and whose workers helped with this task. The football ground used for the performance was home to Cables A.F.C. and also clearly associated with this company. Evidently, no charge was involved for its use for the pageant.
Firmly centred on local
history and involving sections of the local community from beyond the church's
congregation, this pageant highlights the continued importance of the
established church in such communities in the north during this period. It is a
pity we do not yet have details of how it was received by the audience.
Footnotes
How to cite this entry
Angela Bartie, Linda Fleming, Mark Freeman, Tom Hulme, Alex Hutton, Paul Readman, ‘A Pageant of Scenes from Prescot History’, The Redress of the Past, http://www.historicalpageants.ac.uk/pageants/1439/