"This was still a time when relatives and friends would travel considerable distances, combining a social visit with watching one of the splendid processions. We had a number of such visitors." (Roy Smith)

"This time my own family were taking part, so the tradition was being passed on." (Kay Speight)

"Wednesday afternoon – the Free Churches’ Procession - a lovely, warm and sunny day – Fulwood Methodists assembling in Rutland Street, off New Hall Lane – the children dressed as Chinese boys and girls, led by Gladys Aylward on the long march through the mountains of western China.

As we moved off we were joined by Arnold Barker (Sunday School Secretary), leading an adult donkey and its youngster – kindly loaned by a family at Barton. All went well until we turned right into Stanley Street and came to a pedestrian crossing, where the large donkey halted and refused to walk over the broad white stripes on the road!" (Allan Clarke)

"It was like the tale of ‘Delaney’s Donkey’ Val Doonican used to sing about! With myself and others pushing and pulling, and Eva McLaren tempting it along with carrots and sugar lumps, the obstacle was eventually overcome - but the process was repeated time and again around the town centre. In one place the stripes on a crossing had actually been painted out – but the animal still refused to cross! By the time we reached North Road enough was enough: the donkey once more firmly planted its feet - and I and my four-footed friends found ourselves totally abandoned by all and sundry!" (Arnold Barker)

The photo shows Arnold and Eva with their notorious ‘friends’)! Click the photo to enlarge

"Memories include watching the float being assembled; waiting for the procession to begin; travelling on a bus for a part of the procession route and going to Avenham Park to watch the schools’ performance of Prospect of Preston." (Sue Penrith)

"I was helping to carry the Church banner when the bottom fell out of one of the leather holders!" (Chris Penrith)

"I was involved with the Schools’ Pageant on Avenham Park. I helped to train choirs to sing from the bandstand. We spent a whole day at Lancaster University sound recording studio: singing in the open air is difficult and for the sound to carry around the park, this recording would be amplified and the children would sing along with it. The procedure was somewhat delayed because an unidentified squeak was detected. It took about an hour and a half to find the cause – a mouse under the floorboards! This had to be caught before we could continue, otherwise the recording would have been ruined.

The tradition has been for the children to act out the history of Preston from ancient times: from a settlement by the river to modern times with modern industries. This year the British Aircraft Corporation was mentioned, and its part in the production of the Concorde aircraft. Children formed the shape of the aircraft and ran across the arena as a Concorde flew overhead – quite a spectacle." (Enid Singleton)

"I was a Town Councillor at the time and the Guild Mayor, Alderman Fred Gray, invited me to assist him during Guild Week – particularly at the Mayoral Reception for Overseas Ex-Prestonians. This was held on the Thursday in the Public Hall. So there I was, helping to marshall the queue and chatting to people patiently waiting: ‘And what part of the world have you come from?’ I asked two ladies. ‘From Tarleton,’ they replied!!" (Geoffrey Harrison)

"I was involved in researching local songs which might be incorporated into the schools’ pageant. Conclusion? There are not very many songs connected with Preston! Accordingly, someone had to set about writing some. Try this as an extract from one of them:

My dad works at B.A.C.

He’s not weaving cotton."

It wasn’t a totally new idea: it had been done before and it looks as though it’s being done for 2012 as well." (Roy Smith)

"By now I was married, with a family, living in Preston and attending Fulwood Methodist Church. In the procession Kathy walked with the Brownies and David was dressed as a Mountie (along with Philip Halewood) on the church’s lorry – but who can ever forget that wretched donkey and the chaos it caused?!" (Dorothy Smith)

"Dorothy was dancing with the local English Folk Dancers in the Saturday night Torchlight Procession, while I was with the Leyland Morris Men. Estimations of half a million spectators may seem rather over-the-top, but certainly there were huge crowds – and with all those big temporary stands along the route it produced an amazing atmosphere." (Roy Smith)

Back Row - Nicola Hinnells, Pauline Kirkham, ????, ????, Rosalind Watson, Susan Powell.

Front row - Judith Evans, Jacky Hinnells, Pam Rowlands, Ann Huddleston, Denise Bilsborough, Linda Crook.

Can anyone please fill in the missing names and we will add them here.