Description:Seated in the centre is seventeen year old Miss Maureen Cave the Pageant Queen, with Mr and Mrs C E M Blumer, Miss M Blumer and Miss Lilian Everitt. Standing left to right are: Miss Barbara Myatt (Miss Salt), unknown, unknown, unknown, Miss Pat Salt (Miss B.R.C.), Mr S Woodward, Miss Margaret Bradbury (Miss Great Haywood), unknown, unknown and Miss Cynthia Middleton (Miss Stafford).
Miss Cave was selected to be Queen of the forthcoming Stafford Pageant by the President of the Stafford branch of the British Legion Mr C E M Blumer, Mrs Blumer, Miss M Blumer and Miss Lilian Everitt. The selection was made at a dance organised by the British Legion’s Pageant Committee at the Borough Hall. There were many motor coach loads of people from nearby villages who came into town to support their own village “Queens”.
The new Pageant Queen had been selected a few weeks previous as “Miss English Electric”, where she worked as a typist in the Education Department. Miss Cave was born in India; she moved to Stafford four years ago and lived with her sister on Sandon Road, Stafford. The Pageant Queens attendants were: 16 year old Cynthia Middleton who was chosen as “Miss Stafford” two weeks previous to the final contest. She lived on Izaak Walton Street, Stafford and was selected as “Miss North End” last October, she was employed at a local woman’s outfitters. “Miss B.R.C.” 16 year old Pat Salt, daughter of Police Sergeant and Mrs A E Salt of Cramer Street, Stafford, was employed with the British Reinforced Concrete (B.R.C.) as a tracer in the drawing office. 18 year old Margaret Bradbury was selected recently as “Miss Great Haywood”, daughter of Mr and Mrs C Bradbury, of Swansmoor Farm, Great Haywood, worked at the Stafford branch of the West Midlands Savings Bank. Youngest of all, “Miss Salt” 15 year old Barbara Myatt of Sandon Farm, Sandon, was working with a Stafford dressmaker.
The crowning of the Pageant Queen was due to take place on 6 June. Later with her maids of honour seated around her, she would be driven in the Stafford pageant on 28 June 1952 on a decorated float. Other contestants for the Pageant Queen title were: “Miss Lotus” Barbara Wood, “Miss Universal” Sylvia Poyser, “Miss Hixon” Ethel Godridge, “Miss Haughton” Monica Davies, “Miss Gnosall” Doris Pluck and “Miss Derrington” Jennifer Godwin.
Reproduced by kind permission of the Staffordshire Newsletter who retain copyright.