HYDE CHESHIRE

Harry Rutherford's
Festival of Britain Mural




Wednesday 10 August 2011

Various Zion Church photos.

The following photos were kindly sent to us by Sean Mayall.

The first one  shows the Zion Whit Walks on their way down King Edward Road circa 1974.
Pictured is Phyllis Kempster ,who was a lovely lady, and Sean and Ian.

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Zions Sunday school outing, Aug 1976, place unknown.
(Possibly Blackpool,looking at the Pier).
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from left to right, Unknown, Andrew Wilson, Janice Wilson, Alan Mayall, Jackie Slater, Darren ?, Linda Wilson and Gary Wilson.

This next one shows  Zions 1974 whit walk, up Lilly St / Backbower. Unfortunately, its difficult to make out who's who, due to poor photo quality ... an evocative photo nontheless!
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I love how the children are holding on to the ribbons surrounding them :)


Karen Mayall playing snooker at Zions youth club.
She made a 50 break and the Reporter heard about it and came and took this photo !
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Thanks Sean - brilliant photos, as ever!

14 comments:

Dave Williams said...

The third photo looks more like they're walking DOWN Lilly Street!

Sean Mayall said...

Dave Williams you are proberly correct regarding the Lilly St photo, I just cant beleive how long ago the pic was taken. At the time i hated those whit walks, funny how time can change ones view about those sort of things. I was 7 or 8 yrs of age when it was taken.

Sean Mayall said...

The photo showing my sister Karen, was taken in the games room in Zions, the games room which i recall us youngsters redecorating in the late 70s. My sister was and still is a avide snooker fan, she loved snooker. My father use to take her to all the snooker competions. Regarding the photo, i think she got a 35 or 50 break and the North Cheshire Herald heard about it and came and took photos, if i find the newspaper artical i will forward it to Nancy to publish on here. Zions Sunday School pupils used the games room every Monday night if my memory serves me well.

Jean said...

When we were at Zion all the annual trips were to Southport and what fun we had.

Ceecee said...

Zion was the centre of our small world when we were kids. We went to the sunday scool, chapel, girls club, sang in the Annivesary choir, was in the pantomine and walked with the whit walks.Later when I was at senior school we went there for needlework. The Pastor Mr Bryant was one of the nicest people you could wish to meet. He conducted my marriage service and christened my first son.

Werneth Low said...

I agree with Jean that the Sunday School outing would most likely have been to Southport. When I was at Zion we went every year, travelling by train from Hyde Central.

Mr Bryant baptised me at Zion on 22 July 1945. My parents were married at the church and yes, it was the centre of our community.

I remember Phyllis Kempster and Gladys Hodgson who were Sunday School teachers. Both were accomplished pianists and we learned all the best hymns and songs at Zion - all of which are now lost of course. We didnt have hymnbooks but there was a huge word sheet slung over an easel on the stage and you sang from that. My uncle, Billy Jarrett, was an elder at Zion up to the time of his death and he worked tirelessly for the church. So much to remember that was good.

westarsteve said...

i was christened at zions church my mum still has the baptism certificate

Hydonian said...

We used to go to New Brighton with Zions. It always seemed to rain :)

John Booth said...

The unknown person on the beach photo was Howard Wass.I agree with Christine about Mr.Bryant...the most genuinely nice human being I've ever come across,and I remember Gladys was a really nice lady too.
You just don't come across such genuine people anymore.

Sean Mayall said...

I remember Phyllis and Gladys well, I seem remember that Gladys worked at Walls. Also every time me and my brother or sister were ill and had to miss Sunday School they both would turn up with flowers. They were very genuine and caring people and as John Booth commented you never come across people like these nowadays. As for Howard Wass i think he came to Zions for a short period with the Wilsons. Betty Wilson i remember use to take us to Charlesworth in her van when we played Charlesworth Sunday School at football. There also was a lady called Joan, i seem to remember she started the Pilots at Zions. Good ole days

Anonymous said...

joining in the debate as to whether the zion children are walking up or down Lily St, I think it is possilbe they are actually walking along Backbower you can just see a car on the picture and Backbower has a car bay which Lily St does not

Tom said...

I tend to agree with you... near to the top gate of the cemetery..

Hydonian said...

Yes , it is Tom and Anonymous.The flats in the background are on the left as you walk up Lilly Street. There used to be a wall next to it that said "Rory Gallagher" and "Bob Dylan" in graffiti on it - I also know who did this. (Not mentioning any names, Moth lol)

Werneth Low said...

The two ladies bringing up the rear of the Whit walk photo are Phyllis Kempster and Margaret Gilson. I'd stick with Lilly Street for this shot - it definitely looks like an upward pull and I think Back Bower is marginally flatter.