The Jazz Age
The decade known as the Jazz Age was a time of sparkling frivolity, fads and female
emancipation. Scott Fitzgerald had coined the phrase to capture the sense of euphoria that
swept the globe as the horrors of the First World War were laid to rest. It was a time when
youth was determined to have its fling and crazes were commonplace and fashionable. The
Charleston was the dance, young women were “flappers” and dresses were shorter as was
the length of women’s hair. Men shaved off their beards and moustaches so their parents
would hardly have recognised them.
The Twenties were a decade when women cast off the shackles of the past. The
Suffragettes, and women’s crucial contribution to the war effort, had forced the establishment
to relent and give them the vote albeit only to women over the age of thirty. By 1928, however
they enjoyed equal voting rights with men and had finally won a proper place in the twentieth
century. It seemed that everywhere innovation was in the air. Aeroplanes were crossing the
Atlantic; radio was regularly broadcasting all the leading sporting events; television was just
around the corner and some of the great sporting venues of the world, Wembley, Wimbledon,
Monza, Yankee stadium and Roland Garros were constructed.
As the decade drew to a close and the old eras were being superseded by the new, two
events in the final year signified the end of a romantic history and the beginning of a horrific
one. In January 1929, Wyatt Earp, the legendary Marshall of Dodge City, died peacefully in
his sleep with his Colt 45 Special hanging from the bedpost.
Nine months later, the worst economic collapse in modern times occurred when the Wall
Street Stock Exchange crashed. Many investors lost everything, some speculators committed
suicide and the world was plunged into crisis. The economic chaos that ensued would create
a recession so great that generations of people would be permanently scarred by the
experience and Hitler and the Nazis would step in to fill the void.
The fun decade had ended with a bang that was heard around the globe.
The people of Lancaster would know all about these happenings and continue to
celebrate the Easter Monday Festival on the Giant Axe Field that was created by a truly
benevolent man to simply put smiles on the faces of children.
This interesting piece of information was included in the pages of the Lancaster
Guardian when it described the festival of 1927.
“One of the features of the Mayoralty of the late Alderman William Smith in 1891-92 was
the inauguration of a Children’s Festival on Easter Monday, this substituting the “timehonoured” egg-rolling custom at Lancaster. Alderman Smith continued to finance the festival
in his own lifetime and also made arrangements prior to his death on October 30th 1913 for
the gala to be a permanent institution.
For this purpose he left £3,000 to endow the “William Smith Festival” and £2,000 is
invested in Canadian Northern Railway stock and £1,000 in Japanese Government stock. (In
2010 this would have been worth £250,000, what a wonderful bequest)
The investments produce £104 a year and the expenditure varies between £100 and
£138. The balance in hand with last year was £183 so the committee can afford to be
generous for a while. Although Mr W B S Smith, Justice of the Peace, of Newsham House,
Broughton, was unable to attend, he was represented by his son, the grandson of the founder,
who had a most cordial welcome along with his uncle, Mr Richard Smith, J.P., Greenfield,
when he distributed the football shield and the netball prizes”.
St Peter’s School 1922
Won the William Smith Shield after beating Dallas Road Council School 2-1 in a thrilling final
Bowerham School 1924
Lifted the William Smith Shield when in extra time they scored the single corner to defeat
Christ Church School
As Easter 1925 approached there was much tapping of the barometer by adults and
anxious scanning of the heavens by youthful eyes as the great annual children’s festival drew
near.
The programme of events was much the same as in previous years and the committee
chaired by the Mayor, Alderman George Jackson, and the general secretary, Mr. Fred H.
Smith, had spared nothing in their quest to ensure a happy day for the youngsters. There
would be girls’ and boys’ races for prizes of excellent value but the great attraction for the boys
was naturally the football competition. The kick off would be at 9.30 am when the first round
games were to be:
St Luke’s v St Thomas’s
St Joseph’s v St Peter’s
Skerton Council v Dallas Road
Byes: Boys’ National, Greaves, Scotforth, Bowerham and Christ Church
There was also a very fine collection of toys including cricket bats, skipping ropes,
sleeping dolls, beads, mouth organs, shuttlecocks and balls all to be distributed at 11 o’clock
in the morning.
The lighter side of the day had not been overlooked as in the centre ring Mr W. Temple
of Nottingham would again delight the children with his troupe of jugglers, equilibrists, trick
cyclists and acrobats. Add to this the clowns to make the children laugh and a “Punch & Judy”
show that would doubtless exercise its perennial fascination.
After a glorious weekend starting with summer conditions on Good Friday and continuing
through Saturday and Sunday, the weather changed. At dawn on Easter Monday the heavens
opened and the rain fell at intervals until midday. Then the sunshine burst through the clouds
and the thousands of children who had assembled on the Giant Axe participated in comfort
throughout the afternoon.
The football competition, the chief centre of attraction for the boys began in the morning
and was watched with absorbing interest throughout the day until the moment late in the
afternoon when the Bowerham School team were declared the victors. In the final they
encountered St Peter’s in a sternly contested game that was won by a single goal. Amid
scenes of wild enthusiasm the young heroes ascended the platform to receive the coveted
trophy, The William Smith Shield, from the hands of the Mayor of Lancaster, Alderman George
Jackson. The shield would hold a place of honour in the school for a year and then be fought
for again on Easter Monday 1926. The runners-up received caps and all the participants in
the final received medals.
During the afternoon the attention of the younger children was riveted upon the stage
where a troupe of jugglers, equilibrists, acrobats and trick cyclists delighted young and old.
The highlight though was once again the “Punch & Judy” show. How the children laughed as
Punch outwitted the representative of the law; how the grins on the boys’ faces broadened as
Jim Crow scored points off Punch in a stand-up fight and how the girls screamed with
pretended fear and then laughed loud and long when the crocodile appeared and caught one
of the puppets between his spacious jaws. It was a wonderful interlude in which care-worn
mothers, white-headed grandfathers and big beardless youths laughed until tears rolled down
their cheeks.
How the visionary former Mayor of Lancaster, William Smith, would have delighted in
this spectacle.
The Lancaster Guardian also played its part in the festivities by offering prizes for the
best essays submitted by girls and boys on their experiences and impressions of the festival
day.
Bowerham School 1925
Won the William Smith Shield by beating St Peter’s School 1-0 in the final on Easter Monday
Back Row (L-R):
Mr R Davies (teacher), F Clarke, W Winder, Mr George R Roberts
(headmaster), Mr R Jemmison (teacher), W Hodgson, C Corkill,
Mr S Sylvester (teacher)
Middle Row (L-R): A Ennis, Jackie Webster1, T Woodhouse, Alfred Jones1
Front Row (L-R):
1
H Harrison, William Noble, H Pye, H Grantham
Jackie Webster and Alf Jones both graduated through local junior football to go on and play
for Lancaster Town Football Club
Bowerham School 1926
Presented with the William Smith Shield by Alderman G Jackson (Deputy Mayor)
after defeating Skerton Council School by 5-1
Back Row (L-R):
R. Gregson, W. Winder (captain), E. Wilkinson
Middle Row (L-R): C. Winder, R. Rogerson, C. King, R. Whitaker
Front Row (L-R):
S. Dever, A. Ennis, William Noble, W. Wilson
This Bowerham team had an outstanding season in 1925-26 when they won every game
they played. They won the Lancashire Schools League Cup, the Mail Cup, the Parkinson Cup
and the William Smith Shield. Notice that the boys are wearing all their medals, a total of 66
all-together. A. Ennis scored nearly 70 goals while William Noble, the goalkeeper, was only
beaten 7 times. W. Winder, W. Noble, A. Ennis and R. Rogerson also played for the Lancaster
Schoolboys team.
An article of great interest appeared in the Lancaster Guardian in March 1926:
“This would be the last time that Bowerham School would put their name on the senior
trophy as a change of the educational structure in Lancaster came into effect after the Easter
holidays in 1926. Following the holidays the school would be classified as “Junior” and the
senior scholars were to be transferred to Greaves Central School, of which Mr George R
Roberts was the first headmaster.
The old Lancaster School Board was responsible for the erection of the Bowerham
Council School situated opposite the Bowerham Barracks field in Bowerham Road. The
Infants Department began in 1895 and the mixed school was opened in January 1899, the
first headmaster being Mr Percival Sharpe. Mr G R Roberts was in charge at the school for
22 years after arriving in 1904.
Over 4,000 scholars have passed through the school prior to this change, many of them
holding responsible positions in the Civil Service and the Law. The school is immensely proud
of its war record which was unveiled by Lord Shuttleworth in 1919. Over 40 honours were
gained including a Victoria Cross. No fewer than 88 made the supreme sacrifice out of the
578 old boys who fought for King and country.
Bowerham Council School has been a fine training ground for teachers. No fewer than
40 pupil or student teachers have been trained during the past twenty years. The sports’
record of the school is also one to be proud of, especially football. For many years Bowerham
was the premier school team in the town and was generally in evidence at the William Smith
Easter Monday Gala. They were the champions last year. This year they have won all their
23 matches. By defeating Scotforth on Saturday they are assured of the Lancaster and District
Schools Football Championship.
Members of staff are:
Mixed department: Mr George R Roberts (headmaster), Miss A. A. Armistead,
Miss B Blezard, Miss E Coulthwaite, Mr R E Davies, Miss M Hall, Miss A M Jackson,
Mr R Jemmison, Miss E Maddocks, Miss D Miller, Miss L F Ray, Miss G Stuttard,
Mr S Sylvester
Infants department: Miss J Kirkbride (headmistress), Miss M Fox, Miss I Lythgoe,
Miss E Richardson. Student teachers, B Rawes, H Bickerstaff”
Bowerham Council School
Greaves School 1927
Defeated St Peter’s in the final by 3-1 to win the prestigious William Smith Shield
The netball competition in 1927 proved to be a great success and Mr W Birkett was
congratulated for organising the event.
Prizes consisting of handbags were handed to the Greaves Central Girls “B” team who
won the competition by beating Dallas Road “A”.
During the afternoon the John O’Gaunt Band rendered first class music and boys and
girls took advantage of this to “trip the light fantastic” when tired of games and egg-rolling.
When the National Anthem was played at 5.30 pm everyone left the field with a sense
of thankfulness that April showers had kept away and the weather had helped them to enjoy
their gala day.
In 1928 the Lancaster Guardian included this excellent group photograph of some of the
officials responsible for providing the children of the town with a day of fun and enjoyment
Front Row (L-R):
S Woodhouse, W B S Smith (son of William Smith),
Councillor E C Parr (Mayor of Lancaster), Mrs Parr (Mayoress of Lancaster),
C E Harris (Chief Constable), T Cornthwaite (Chairman)
Middle Row (L-R): S Gower, W Bland, H E Wilkinson, J Duffy, J Estill, J Goss
Back Row (L-R):
F H Smith (General Secretary), T Nixon (Sports Secretary)
Many anxious eyes surveyed the sky on Easter Monday morning hoping the weather
would favour the William Smith Festival on the Giant Axe Field. April showers greeted the
opening of the gala at 9.30 am but towards noon they ceased and conditions were better than
expected. The gala proper didn’t start until 1.30 pm but in the morning the preliminary rounds
of the football and netball competitions took place and drew a crowd of 3,000 people. Shortly
before 1.30 pm the “great trek” began and by 3 pm over 12,000 people were enjoying the
festivities. Many veterans recalled the day when they visited the Giant Axe Field for the first
time under Alderman W Smith’s Mayoralty in 1892.
Egg-rolling was as popular as ever but was run close with skipping by the tireless girls
for whom fond mothers twined the ropes. Netball however made a strong appeal and was
watched by girls from every school along with their friends.
The king of English winter games, football, proved the big draw and the “nippers” battled
like Trojans in the centre of the vast enclosure for that honour of honours the “William Smith
Shield” or as it was better known “T’Shield”. You couldn’t hear yourself for the deafening
cheers from grow-ups as well as enthusiastic children. The winning team proved to be the
Boys National who defeated Skerton Council in the final by a solitary goal. Throughout the
competition the standard of football was very high. In the semi-final it was necessary to have
three periods of extra time before it could be decided whether the holders (Greaves) or Boys
National would have the honour of meeting Skerton in the final and in the event National
prevailed by 2-1.
Skerton were a trifle unlucky in the final, bombarding the National goal during the latter
period of the game and came close when they hit the framework of the goal. Boys National
scored through Frank Ainsworth and thankfully had a strong defence and this led to their
success.
Boys National 1928
Back Row (L-R): Mr E C Parr (Mayor), Singleton, F Jackson, H Jackson, Wildman, Barnes,
Smith, Mr J W Green (Headmaster)
Front Row (L-R): Padkin, Caley, Wilson, Frank Ainsworth (father of the author), Hodgson
This rather hazy photograph is I believe another image of the
Boys National team that won the Senior Shield in 1928
The netball competition final was won by St Joseph’s who defeated Dallas Road “A” by
6-5.
The football and netball prizes were presented by the son of the founder Mr W B S Smith
of Newsham House (who kicked off in the football final)