Flower Service at Conisborough

July 1886

Mexborough and Swinton Times July 2, 1886

Flower Service at Conisborough

The annual flower service was held on Tuesday last, St Peter’s Day. The schoolchildren assembled on the vicarage lawn each carrying a tastefully arranged bouquet of wild and garden flowers, and they proceeded from there in procession with their banners around the village to the church.

At the church gates they were met by the choir, who sang the hymn, “The church’s one foundation,” along the walk to the porch, where the choir divided, and the children passed through the centre into the church.

The service commenced at 7 pm with a processional hymn “Brightly gleams our banner,” headed by one of the choir boys carrying a banner, and another boy carrying one between the boys and the men, proceeded up the centre aisle and the east end of the church, and having given their flowers up to the vicar, retained their places in the choir stalls, then followed the girls, boys, and others in the congregation. The flowers were arranged on the Communion and other tables. The spectacle of the children, were all very neatly attired, marching up the aisles laden with pretty flowers, was very pleasing.

Although the seasons very late and the flowers so scarce, some of the bouquets, which were composed of roses and the choice flowers, filled the sacred building with their fragrance. The service was choral and the hymns were excellent. The sermon was preached by the very Reverent Archdeacon, Crosthwaite. Players were in Tom by the vicar, and the first letter read by reverent E.F.J.| Besby, and the second by the Rev P.W.N. Bourne.

After the service children return to the vicarage when they were dismissed. The flowers were afterwards placing & and sent to the hospitals in the neighbourhood, a number of bouquets retained for distribution among the sick residing in the parish.