Rushden Research Group: 2012 St Mary's Fete

St Mary's Church Fete 2012

Sue opens the fete

Printed on the back of the Fete programme
was the balance sheet for the 1953 Fete:

With £1 in 1952 now the equivalent of £24.32 the proceeds were really in excess of £4,500!

Receipts			Expenditure

Donations	18	17 6	Sound Equipment	3	0 0
Produce Stall	25	0 0	Programmes	5	6 0
Men's Stall	34	5 0	Posters	1	7 0
Congregational Stall	44	2 6			13 0
Bran Tub	2	5 9
Cake Stall	11	0 0
Sweet Stall	3	0 0
Mystery Stall	7	9 10
Ice Cream Stall	2	13 2
Teas [MU]	12	17 6
Amusements	13	12 11
Programmes	15	5 6	NETT BALANCE	191	2 8
Miscellaneous	12	6 0
	200	15 8		200	15 8

Designed and printed by St Mary's Church Office, 2012

The sum raised in 2012 was £615.

On a somewhat blustery day the Fete was opened by Sue Manton. Being the Queen's Jubliee Celebration weekend, the theme was 1950s. There was a 'Red, White & Blue' stall, and a '£1 stall' as well as others selling plants, cakes, toys, toiletries, handbags, cards, and one showing 1950s memorablia. Sue had written this poem for the occasion:

	Very few houses had a television Radio was where it was at Paul Temple, Round the Home, Family Favourites Amusing programmes like that. "The Home Service" and "The Light Programme" Now that takes you back. That's how it was in "the Fifties" Those were the "Good Old Days"
	We shopped for our "divi" at the Co-op Queued at Maypole, Liptons or Star And even "Home and Colonial We didn't have to go far There was a shop on most of the corners 'Cos not many possessed a car That's how it was in "the Fifties" Those were the "Good Old Days"
	For the Ladies there was "Roses Fashion" Josephine's, House of Fashion, Flavell Hart. Webbs Gentleman's Outfitters and Hepworth's Kept our men looking smart. The Co-op for stockings and undies And interesting garments like that While a trip to visit "Elizabeth" Would provide ladies with a stylish new hat. That's how it was in "the Fifties" Those were the "Good Old Days"
	We used United Counties buses If we wanted to get about. There was one every quarter of an hour With conductors who would shout "Hold very tight please. Move along now!" As they gave all the tickets out. That's how it was in "the Fifties" Those were the "Good Old Days."
	In the house there was no central heating Coal fires fitted the bill And when you woke up in the morning There was frost inside on the window sill. But despite the icy conditions We didn't seem to get ill. That's how it was in "the Fifties" Those were the "Good Old Days"
	In an emergency we went to the telephone box Put in our money and pressed button A If there was no connection We then had to press button B A long queue at the box meant waiting So we went home, tried again after tea. That's how it was in "the Fifties" Those were the "Good Old Days."
	In those days we knew our neighbours Trusted them with a key. I knew all about them And they knew all about me. There was a sense of a community We did things together each week. And the birds that lived in the garden Were the only things that could "Tweet" That's how it was in "the Fifties" Those were the "Good Old Days".

St Mary's Church

Coronation 1953

Sue's 1950s Memories