Lost Faces of Warwick

BATTLE OF THE QUEENS

Fundraisers such as this were popular in Warwick in the 1920s. The Warwick Daily News on 22 September 1926 carried this detailed report of the Battle of the Queens.

Impressive Crowning Ceremony. Effort Realises £1028

The Country Queen Carnival was successfully held in the Town Hall last night, when a very large crowd witnessed the impressive crowning ceremony. The hall was tastefully decorated in blue and white (St. Mary's Church colours) which were intertwined with greenery. The stage was most effectively ornamented with greenery, and in the centre was arranged the throne draped in scarlet and purple. The Ideal Orchestra supplied excellent dance music. A delicious sit-down supper was arranged at long tables beautified with pink and dark purple sweet peas, tied with streamers of white and green.

The chief event of the evening, the crowning of the winning queen, took place at 10 o'clock. At the sound of the bugle call the four queens (Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western) marched through the hall to the stage with their attendants. 

The greatest excitement prevailed when it was found that the Northern Queen, Miss Vera O'Dempsey, had secured the highest number of votes, 13,460, which brought in the amount of £336/10/, contributed by Maryvale with the sum of £29/11/; Sladevale £49/14/6; Gladfield £51/12/6; Clinton Vale £86/18/6; Freestone £118/13/6. 

The Eastern queen, Miss Annie Smyth, came second with 12,606 votes equal to £315/3/5; Wiyarra contributed £23/2/3; Junabee £32/13/3; Emu Vale £34/6/6; Swan Creek £63/11/11; Yangan £159/9/6.

The Western queen, Miss Rita Collins, secured 6,440 votes, making the sum of £161/0/1. Thane's Creek collected £8/18/; Milmerran £10; Karrara £ 17/19/; Sandy Creek £21/5/; Pratten £23/1/6; Leyburn £37/6/6; Greymare £42/10/1. 

The Southern queen, Miss. B. Roach, won 6,300 votes, equal to £157/13/10. Dereen contributed £16, Jew's Retreat £17, Elbow Valley £24/9/3, Killarney £29/10/6, Loch Lomond £32, Tannymorel £88/14/1. The grand total for four queens amounted to £970/7/4.

Monsignor Byrne, P.P., V.G., Ipswich, in an appropriate speech, crowned the Northern Queen, and expressed his great pleasure of being present to take part in such a brilliant function. He spoke in glowing terms of the hard work done by the queens and their supporters to raise such a splendid sum in aid of their magnificent St. Mary's Church. Monsignor Potter also expressed his appreciation of the loyal support given to him by the country districts.

The frocking of the queens was smart and pretty. The winner, Miss O'Dempsey, was in white crepe de chine and lace. Her maids of honour frocked in crepe de chine and carrying posies of flowers, were the Misses. M. Peters, M. Ryan, D, Doran, and N. Booth. Miss M. Nolan was train-bearer and the page was Master G. Booth. 

Miss Annie Smyth (eastern queen) was in cream brocaded satin, with gold spangled purple briar, bordered with ermine. Her maids of honour, Misses B. Mahoney and K. Morrissy were frocked alike in cream silk marocain with train of pale blue satin, and tulle caps, finished with ostrich plumes. The pages, Masters E. Smyth and M. Henry, wore pale blue satin. The flower girls, little Doreen O'Connor and Monica Brennan, wore dainty frocks of French voile inlet with filet lace and tulle cans. 

The western queen (Miss Rita Collins) was prettily frocked in white mariette with guipure lace forming petals on skirt. She wore a band of royal blue and her cIoak and train were of scarlet velvet edged with ermine. Her attendants were Miss M. Cleary and Miss E. Collins, who wore cream crepe de chene frocks, inlet with lace. Misses Blaire Allan and Monlea Cleary were maids of honour and were dressed alike in dainty frocks of pink crepe de chine and carried baskets of flowers. Master Ronnie Arnold, as the herald, was in cream with kingfisher blue cloak, and the page, Master Jack Cleary, was in cream.

The southern queen, Miss B. Roach, was in white satin and lace, beaded in silver, and worn with cloak of scarlet. Misses Kathleen and Mary Wallace were maids of honour in frocks of white voile. The pages, Masters D'Arcy Baker and Aubrey Baker, were in white satin with plumed hats.

The sum of £58 was taken at the door. The clever organiser of the function, Mrs. Brosnan, is to be congratulated on the success of the carnival. Mr. Coman was in charge of the ticket office. The stage and the supper tables were decorated by Mrs. J. Kidner.

The photograph above is of the Western Queen, Kathleen (Rita) Collins who was born on 16 November 1906 to Cornelius Joseph Collins (1873-1959) and Bridget Mary Casey (1873-1953). She married Francis (Frank) Angland on 20 October 1937 and died on 28 April 1984 in Warwick at the age of 77.