This is a film made by Eddie Percy showing a Rogation Day and School Sports day in Settle, a Flower Show and night time illuminations in Morecombe.  Rogation days are days of prayer and fasting in Western Christianity. They are observed with processions and the Litany of the Saints, and much of the procession is featured in this film. Posters are on display for Rogation Day at Settle on Sunday, 6th May 1956, showing the order of service at Settle Parish Church.  On an overcast day choir boys...

This is a film made by Eddie Percy showing a Rogation Day and School Sports day in Settle, a Flower Show and night time illuminations in Morecombe.  Rogation days are days of prayer and fasting in Western Christianity. They are observed with processions and the Litany of the Saints, and much of the procession is featured in this film. Posters are on display for Rogation Day at Settle on Sunday, 6th May 1956, showing the order of service at Settle Parish Church.  On an overcast day choir boys lead a procession out of the church, followed by a large congregation of adults and children, all singing.  Just outside the church they stop by a field with cows and sing, accompanied by a woman playing a small portable piano, or electric organ.  They continue through the streets of Settle and stop again to sing, after which, they move off and stop again to sing outside Grisedale and Sons, Furnishers.  Again they set off and stop to sing in the Market Square.  They finally make their way back to the church, with two men carrying the portable piano, where they once more stop to sing hymns.   The next part of the film features a sports day.  On a sunny summers day small children are lined up in a play cricket, with a railway viaduct and church steeple in the background.  The children take part in a race, followed by a girls’ race.  The boys then have a race in pairs, each having an arm around the other’s shoulder.  The girls have the same kind of race, with the vicar watching on, followed by egg and spoon races.  A board shows the scores for the different school houses.  There is another race involving having to pick up potatoes, followed by a sack race.  Many of the children are given prizes, with the parents watching, and each child displaying a coloured sash to denote their house.   The last section of the film shows a garden show, with displays of flowers and rockeries [the film here is quite out of focus], which is taking place both indoors and outdoors.  There are water features and trophies on display in a rockery garden.  There is a stall for James Blezzard and Sons, selling white enamel stoves.  There is a caravan for the Midland Bank and an Intaflora stall.  Finally, there are night time illuminations, possibly at Morecombe, showing Ted’s Grill and the “Cyclone” dance hall lit up in neon.