The Derby and Chesterfield Reporter, Friday, July 4th, 1902

This article was kindly contributed by Trevor Owen, who discovered it amongst the possessions of his late mother-in-law Mrs Phyllis FUTTER, née YEOMANS (1910-1998) who lived in French Lane, Horsley. She had lived in the village nearly all her life, and took a keen interest in its history.

CORONATION FESTIVITIES - HORSLEY

At this pretty village, as elsewhere, the festivities arranged to celebrate the Coronation were not carried out according to the original programme. On the first receipt of the sad news of the King's illness, the committee met and decided to postpone everything except the tea, but afterwards, as the news of his Majesty's condition became more favourable, this decision was not adhered to, and eventually most of the arrangements were carried through, the finishing touch being added by the lighting of the bonfire on Tuesday night.

The proceedings were inaugurated by a service in the parish church at 2 pm on Thursday. It was largely attended by the inhabitants of both Horsley and Kilburn, and the special intercessory prayers were offered and a very touching address given by Canon Prior, who previous to the singing of the National Anthem expressed his desire that the congregation would sing it as a prayer that God would indeed bless our Sovereign and restore him to health.

The children's tea was held at 3-30, and all the adults had a substantial knife and fork tea at 5-30. Cricket was indulged in during the day, and swings were erected for the use of the children in Mr Barnard's field.

On Friday afternoon sports were held in the Dovecote, kindly lent for the occasion by Mr F K Brown, as follows:-

Sports for those under 14:

Boys six-a-side football contest, won by A Team;

Adults' sports:

On Saturday afternoon two chestnut trees, obtained for the occasion were planted in the presence of Canon Prior and a small company of parishioners. The tree at the site of the old village cross was planted by Misses Madge Barnard, Margaret Prior, and Nellie Peat. The tree in the churchyard was planted by Masters Geo Mosedale and Sammy Howitt, the only two Coxbench children present, each tree being representative of one of the two townships comprising the parish of Horsley.

On Sunday the members of Canon Prior's Sunday afternoon class for men held their first church parade, marching from Kilburn School, headed by the Kilburn Brass Band. The service was largely attended, and special hymns were sung, and an appropriate address delivered by Canon Prior, who, in the course of his remarks, expressed his earnest hope of future gatherings of a similar character. As the bonfire had been left unfinished, and could not be completed by Monday night, it was lighted on Tuesday at 9.40 pm by Mrs Sneap and Mrs Crooks, the wives of the two leading members of the Bonfire Committee. A good muster of the inhabitants of Horsley and Coxbench gathered round the blaze, and heartily joined in singing the National Anthem and other patriotic songs until about midnight.

Editor's Note: 'H Yeomans', who was awarded 3rd prize in two Girls' under 14 sport events was most probably Harriet Yeomans born circa 1889, a member of one of the families Trevor is researching.

[Information contributed by Trevor Owen from various sources © 2002]