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This article from
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Temps passé: 1904
Battle stations for the St Helier brigade
A HUNDRED years ago, on 18 August 1904, none of the record crowd of some 20,000 people who thronged Victoria Avenue and the slopes of Westmount were worried about the future of the Battle of Flowers. In fact, it was declared ‘an unprecedented success’.
The sun, of course, shone brilliantly all afternoon – although it was so wet first thing that morning that the special excursion from Guernsey was cancelled and, ‘if the breeze was a trifle too strong to be pleasant, it at least had the effect of tempering the heat’ was the conclusion of the Evening Post in its report the next day.
The town and its environs were en fête, with flags flown from private and business establishments throughout the town and parade route.
‘Trolley loads of lampions made their appearance on the Esplanade and Victoria Avenue and the tiny glasses were rapidly fitted to the chains looped across those thoroughfares,’ enthused the EP.
The centre of the festivities was on Victoria Avenue where the paying public stood or sat and crowds on Westmount settled down to watch from their free perch.
By one o’clock businesses in the town closed and the streets were full of people.
The above picture, from a postcard sent in by Frank Le Brun, of St Saviour, shows Manual No. 2 of St Helier fire brigade, festooned with flowers in the section for four-wheeled carriages.
According to the EP: ‘This engine, which accommodated nine firemen, was neatly decorated, the wheels being picked out with white flowers, which contrasted well with the red of the engine itself. At the back of the engine an effective trophy of fire-fighting weapons was arranged.’
Two professional photographers were given special places commanding the best view down the avenue to record the occasion. One of them, Albert Smith, took this photograph, The roof of a pantechnicon was brought into service for some 50 amateur photographers to use.
A success it may have been but it wouldn’t, it seems, be the Battle of Flowers as the EP explained:
‘Unfortunately, the system of voting the prizewinners, as at present carried out, is depressingly slow, and much delay was caused.’
After the prizewinners were announced and had done a victory lap of the arena, it was not a cheery ‘let battle commence’ but a much more authentic ‘charge’ sounded by the buglers of the Hampshire Light Infantry that launched the crowds upon the decorated vehicles. The uniformed HL infantrymen being on hand throughout the afternoon to marshal the arena.
Despite the fever of battle, the EP also recorded that ‘At the same time, let us record the fact that there was an almost total absence of rowdyism. The utmost good spirit prevailed, and the missiles were thrown as they should be, not hurled with the full force of the arm.’
After the battle, as the arena cleared and the vehicles, now stripped of every flower, were conducted towards the exit, the St Helier fire brigade created a ‘slight diversion’.
‘Finding the arena clear, they dashed the entire length of the course at a hard gallop, and appeared to enjoy the experience, too.’
Not only was the afternoon parade a huge success but the evening festivities saw People’s Park, Westmount, Lower Park and Victoria Avenue and the surrounding streets bright with lanterns.
But the candles and firework display of the evening’s entertainment brought their own risks and, for the St Helier fire brigade, it was not to be a day just for fun.
The brigade attended the firework display with a small manual pump stationed by a water tank on the hillside, near the firing ground.
In the event there were fires among the furze on both sides of the quarry (an area revealed again in recent years with the demolition of West Park Pavilion) which were brought under control in half an hour.
The last word goes to the EP: ‘This work, we should say, was most dangerous, as the soldiers and firemen were working on the very edge of the cliff, and were half blinded by the dense smoke. Much credit is due to the firefighters for their splendid work.’
This article updated: 2004/08/12 14:31:22
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| ......Daily Ditons...... |
Nou vait les bieaux c'mîns quand l'hèrnais est vèrsé.
It's easy to be wise after the event.
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