The tradition of towns, villages, counties etc. appointing an annual ‘Queen’ is a long one. Perhaps one of the best known examples in North West England is that of the Knutsford May Queen. Established in 1864, and receiving the Royal patronage in 1887, each girl elected to be queen for the year is crowned at the towns annual ‘Royal May Day’ celebrations.
In the years between the two World Wars many of Britain’s large industries, spotted an opportunity for PR and better company relations, and appointed their own annual ‘Queen’, the lucky girl selected usually being the daughter of an employee.
One of the first industries to appoint an annual Queen was the Railways. In the 1920’s Britain’s railway industry was vast, employing around 735,000 staff. The competition was open to girls aged between 14 and 17, and she had to be the daughter of a railway employee. The first crowning ceremony took place at a railway employee’s centenary carnival held at Belle Vue, Manchester on Sunday the 27th of September 1925, and the first queen was Miss Helena Wotton from Kingswear, Devon, daughter of a Great Western Railway carriage cleaner. The event was witnessed by a crowd of 50,000 railwaymen and their families, who had travelled from all over the country.
SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD MISS HELENA WOTTON, BRITAINS FIRST ‘RAILWAY QUEEN’.
The competition was organised by the railway trade unions, and as part of her duties, the reigning Queen was expected to attend public and charity functions, both at home and abroad, promoting the message of peace and co-operation between the different countries, and unity amongst railwaymen. The 1935 (10th) Railway Queen, Miss Audrey Mossom, from Blackpool, attended an event in Moscow, and was presented to Joseph Stalin, and the widow of Vladimir Lenin.
Although visits to parts of Cheshire by reigning Railway Queens are known (one being a visit to Chester General station in 1928 by Miss Mabel Kitson), the first recorded visit to the Mid-Cheshire line occurred on the 26th of August 1930 when the then queen, 16 year old Miss Molly Brown, suitably attired in her crown, robes, and chain of office, visited the award winning station gardens at (the now closed) Barrow-for-Tarvin station, which was situated between Chester and Mouldsworth.
SIXTEEN YEAR OLD MISS MOLLY BROWN, THE 1929-30 RAILWAY QUEEN
Two years later, in 1932, the 1931-32 Queen, Miss Patria Clark, of Sheerness, visited Knutsford to take part in the Royal May Day parade and May Queen crowing ceremony. That years Royal May Day event took place on Saturday the 7th of May, and, arriving by train from Manchester, 14 year old Miss Clark resplendent in her robes, and chain of office, was escorted from the train and on to the stations truly splendid gardens to be presented to the Station Master (Mr Howell), his wife, and several local dignitaries, before being chauffer driven to the Town Hall to take part in the procession.
THE 1932 KNUTSFORD MAY QUEEN, KATHLEEN DEAN, AND THAT YEARS RAILWAY QUEEN, MISS PATRIA CLARK, ON KNUTSFORD HEATH, FOR THE MAY QUEEN CROWNING CEREMONY.
What is thought to be the third and final visit to the Mid-Cheshire line by a reigning Railway Queen took place on the 2nd and 3rd of March 1935 when Northwich was graced with the presence of fifteen year old Miss Ruby Dovey. Miss Dovey’s father was an engine driver for the Great Western Railway at London Paddington. By this date the threat to European peace was all too apparent and, as with the visit to Knutsford three years previously, promoting the peace and unity message was an important part of the Railway Queen’s duties.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE RAILWAY QUEEN’S PARTICIPATION IN THE NORTHWICH PEACE PROSESSION AND SERVICE. Chester Chronicle, 2nd of March 1935.
NORTHWICH STATION, SUNDAY THE 3RD OF MARCH 1935.
ON A COLD WET SUNDAY AFTERNOON THE 1934-35 RAILWAY QUEEN, MISS RUBY DOVEY, SURROUNDED BY LOCAL C.L.C RAILWAY OFFICALS AND THEIR WIVES FROM THE ‘NORTHWICH AND DISTRICT RAILWAYMEN’S WELFARE ASSOCIATION’, POSE FOR THE CAMERA BENEATH THE STATION’S CAB STAND CANOPY. THE PROCESSION INTO THE TOWN COMMENCED FROM HERE AT 2:30PM. T. Booth collection.
On the 9th of March 1935 the Crewe Chronicle reported on the young Queen’s Northwich visit;
‘RAILWAY QUEEN AT NORTHWICH
ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME
VISITS TO CHURCH, INFIRMARY, AND BATHS HALL
LINK OF FRIENDSHIP FORGED
During the weekend railwaymen at Northwich and district had the pleasure of welcoming the Railway Queen of Great Britain and her visit was in effect the forging of another link in the industrial peace chain.
She had a most enthusiastic welcome, and her programme during the weekend included a visit to a railwaymen’s dance at the Baths Hall, a brief visit to the Victoria Infirmary, and attendance at the Parish Church on Sunday afternoon at an industrial and peace service at which the preacher was Bishop Tubbs, Arch Deacon of Chester.
The occasion had been arranged by the Northwich and District Retired Railwaymen’s and Widows Welfare Association, the secretarial arrangements being carried out by Mr W Hawkins. A generous thought on the part of the organisers was to devote the proceeds of the Sunday service to the extension fund of the Victoria Infirmary, and the amount was £7.3s.
The Railway Queen is Miss Ruby Dovey, aged 15, and she is the daughter of a G W R locomotive driver at Paddington. She has a charming personality, and her brief visit to Northwich was signalised by the making of many friendships among local railwaymen and their families.
COUNCIL CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME
BEST WISHES FOR PALESTINE TOUR
The Railway Queen on Saturday evening attended a dance at the Baths Hall, organised by the Northwich and District Retired Railwaymen’s and Widows’ Welfare Association, and here she was received by the Chairman of the Urban Council, the Rev A W Maitland Wood. There was a large attendance of dancers and music was played by the Crescent Dance Band, the M.C being Mr George Barton.
The Railway Queen arrived about 9.15p.m. and was accompanied by six maids of honour and a bouquet-bearer, all daughters of local railwaymen. They were the Misses Jean Moore (bouquet-bearer), Margaret Woodier, Ruby Birtwistle, Barbara Whitney, Ruby Bates, Joan Linegar and Joan Johnson.
An interval was called in the dance programme, and as the Queen and her retinue proceeded through the ranks of dancers they were most warmly received.
The Rev A W Maitland Wood, as Chairman of the Urban Council, welcomed Miss Dovey on behalf of the town, and said it was especially pleasing that she should include Northwich in her tour of the country, spreading the message of peace and friendship. He hoped her visit to Northwich would have many happy recollections, and on behalf of the company assembled he wished her every success on her forthcoming visit to Palestine, where she was to forge another link in the chain which was binding railwaymen of the world into one common brotherhood, (Applause).
The Queen gracefully acknowledged the welcome and thanked the company for the warm way they had received her. She was looking forward to her visit to the Holy Land, where she would make another link of friendship among the world’s railway employees. Her message was one of peace and friendship both industrially and internationally (Applause).
The Railway Queen received a handsome cut glass powder bowl, as a souvenir from the local Railwaymen’s Committee, and the bouquet which was presented to her by Miss Joan Moore was supplied by Messrs Knight and Grimditch, Greenbank Nurseries, who also supplied the wreaths which the Queen placed at the foot of the War Memorial following the Sunday service.
VISIT TO INFIRMARY
On Sunday afternoon the Railway Queen paid a visit to Northwich Infirmary, where she was received by the matron (Miss Killingbeck). She made a tour of the wards and chatted happily with all the patients, being particularly popular with the children. She afterwards returned to the railway station and joined in the procession to the Parish Church.
AT THE WAR MEMORIAL
Outside, the railwaymen re-formed ranks and marched to the town War Memorial in Church road, where the Queen laid a wreath on the plinth on behalf of Northwich and District Railwaymen’s Welfare Association. The Salvation Army Band played a selection of music and accompanied the singing of the hymns, “Jesus Lover of my soul” and “Abide with me”.
During her visit Mr Welch (stationmaster at Northwich) placed his car at the disposal of the Queen, and she was the guest during the weekend of Mr and Mrs E Billington.
On Sunday night the Queen went to Liverpool to rest preparatory to going on an official visit to Edinburgh, which precedes her departure on Thursday next for Palestine.’
A daunting schedule for a fifteen year old girl!
The appointment of an annual Railway Queen continued until 1975 when the last Queen, Miss Brenda Tomlinson, was crowned. By this time many changes had taken place in the railway industry and the position was seen by many to be out dated, and not in keeping with modern attitudes.
