The following arrived recently from Mike Cushing -
One of our friend’s mum has shared with us her account of
when she attended the first event in London in 1945. Her name (then) was Brenda
Cordiner, and she became Brenda Fishwick when she married. She and her husband
Ron (now sadly no longer with us) attended Fulwood when they moved to Preston.
Brenda still lives in Preston at Walton-le- Dale. Anyway, to the account!
Brenda has lent me an original typed document which I have
scanned and processed. Some of it is more to do with their journey (which, for a
bunch of teenagers travelling from the North-East to London in 1945 must have
been quite and adventure!), but there is quite a decent section on what went on
at MAYC on this occasion and it is that part that may interest you. I’ve
included a copy of her ‘pass’ to Camden Town Tube station, where they spent the
night, along with a copy of her ticket to MAYC which cost 2 shillings! Note the
plea, on the reverse of the ticket, to ‘save paper’ - even in those days!
The transcript has been copied as it was originally typed
and spelt, with the addition of the graphics.
June 1945
On Friday evening, June 1st, 1945, 9pm. to be precise, a party of boys and
girls from Askew Avenue Methodist Church, Hull, left Paragon Station on the
London train to spend a weekend in the metropolis in order to attend a great
Methodist Youth rally.
We had a pleasant journey down, travelling first class from Doncaster, there
being third class compartments vacant. Several of us, including myself slept
during the journey. We arrived at
King’s Cross at 4am., washed and tidied on the
station and had a cup of tea in a buffet near the station. We walked to Euston
for a tube to Camden Town (where we were to sleep) but the tubes had not started
running so we kept walking up and down. after looking at several interesting
buildings, we noticed a large antique junk shop and we spent a good deal of time
looking in the windows. The shop was in a large square and opposite on one of
the corners was a underground tube and when, after a few minutes, it began to
rain we ran across to it and followed the directions (not very
carefully
evidently) for Camden Town platform. We walked and walked, obviously in circles
and ran up and down numerous staircases and in the end found ourselves on ground
level facing the junk shop from a different angle! After all our trouble we had
merely walked across the street, underground, to a station on the opposite side
of the road. Naturally we spent a considerable time laughing over this incident.
Eventually the tubes started running and we took one to Charing Cross,
changed and took another to Camden Town. we walked to the New Tube Shelters and
as there was no one in sight we went inside. All we could see was a tiny lift
and a very very long spiral staircase. The lift only carried six so four,
including myself, walked. The people on the lift had to work it themselves. We
walked down the thick concrete steps, 150 of them, whilst the lift glided down,
at first successfully; then it stuck about two feet from the floor. For a long
time we tried to move it, but in vain. I had noticed a notice on my way down so
ran back up till I came to it. It read 'In case of accident press this button
and stand still'. I pressed the button and I stood still. I waited about ten
minutes and as nothing happened I ran back down the 150 stops to find all of
them, the inmates of the lift as well, waiting for me. The bell which I had rung
was to bring somebody from the inhabited end of the shelter to move the lift.
Our companion guided us through a maze of corridors. The boys settled in
'Bruce' dormitory and the girls in 'Allenby'. Mr. Skinner, the Minister in
charge, then joined us and made us welcome. He told us the dormitories were
named Lawrence, Plumer, Marlborough, Roberts, Napier, Townshend, Outram,
Wellington, Allenby, Bruce, Cline, Dalhousie, French, Gordon, Haig and
Kitchener,
The shelter is 135ft. below ground and underground railway on top of
that.
We had breakfast - popcorns and
milk - and all meals were free of charge, and the helpers in the canteen were
all voluntary workers.
After choosing our bunks we left our luggage and took an underground to
Charing Cross and walked along the Embankment to Big Ben and the Houses of
Parliament, visited the tomb of the Unknown Warrior and all the Abbey. In one
part of the Abbey we met a bad tempered choir master who spat on the floor as we
passed! We walked as far as Downing Street, Treasury, Colonial Offices, Chelsea
Pensioner, Admiralty Office, Hyde Park all by 9.30am. St. James Park, Wellington
Barracks, Buckingham
Palace, Marble Arch, walked down Oxford Street, visited
Selfridges and went to Lyons Corner Cafe for dinner. We had soup, fried cod,
chips, frothed apple, melba sauce and whipped frozen cream and tea. (2/6d)
After dinner we took the tube to Westminster and after three attempts got the
correct tube. At 3pm. we attended the Youth Conference in the Central Hall, the
address given by Sir Stafford Cripps; attempted taking the speech down in
shorthand, but nearly fell asleep from the heat and the busy day after the
journey!
As soon as it was over we walked down the Embankment, had a trip on a motor
boat up the Thames lasting half an hour; came back and boarded the tube for
Kensington and walked to the Albert Hall.
PROCEDURE IN ALBERT HALL.
Greetings to England, Scotland and Wales and several individual shires
including Yorkshire. Community singing:- A Roving and My Bonnie; prayers; Boys
Brigade Pageant. Played Intermezzo from Cavelleria Rusticana. Girls’ Skipping
Display barefooted; Drill Display by girls in black short and white blouses.
Chinese Pageant. Two Chinese Coolies and Princess. The item was named 'Festival
of the Lanterns' Two Chinese lovers and chorus of Chinamen.; Wedding
congratulations to Mr. Amos. Boys’ P.T. somersaulting etc.; messages of good
wishes from America and Canada.
Imaginary Circus:- juggling, tight rope walking, horse back riding,
heavyweight lifting and human pyramid all imaginary.
Red Rhythm Harmonica Band; Pipers; Sword Dance; Highland Fling; Choir sang
'Roadways'; 'Now on Land and Sea Descending'; 'Viking Song'; 'Jerusalem'.
A Mime (I think the nicest item of all) called The Vigil. It
was very slow, solemn and quiet with a girl and a Priest praying at an altar and
some children in black silk, representing temptation hovering around. Then the
angels came and overcame temptation casting it away to the end of the Hall.
Finale:- In this there were 17 different sets of girls and boys all in the
costumes they had appeared in, the choir sang and every or stood up with blue
and red flood lighting at either side of the Hall whilst the lovely music of the
‘Hallelujah Chorus’ soared up high to the roof of the mighty building. It was
very thrilling and we stood quite a long time inspired by the beautiful scene.
We went back to Kensington Station and spent about an hour chasing over
London on wrong tubes. After supper at the shelter we had prayers and went bed
to the strains of 'Tchaikovsky's B Flat Concerto' on the loudspeakers. Next
morning after breakfast we started for King’s Cross but got the wrong tube and
arrived at Goodge Street, took another one to Euston and another to King’s Cross
where we left our luggage and walked to St. Pauls, looked round it partly as
there was a service in progress and saw Fleet Street, Gamages, Methodist Y. D.
shop, Conway Stuart Pen building, Old Bai1ey etc. and went back to King’s Cross
on a bus, had dinner and departed London 1.10pm arriving Hull approximately 7pm.
P.S. Before the Finale there was the ceremony of launching the 'Good Ship
M.A.Y.C'.