Talking to mi Mam

[dogduke]

I may have mentioned in other threads Mam is now 90 yearsold and as bright as the proverbial button.If I visit her on my own the conversation usually involves times past.Today it was the Band of Hope and the various mission halls.You had to be 7 to attend and sign 'the pledge' not to indulge in strong drink.She signed the pledge 3 times in different places,Belgrave Chapel,the Riverside Mission and Lees Hall which was upstairs on the Eastgate-Vicar Lane corner.Every Good Friday all the missions came together on the Town Hall steps(before they were altered ?) to sing hymns.Grandad used to buy her a new pair of sandals for the occasion.She then had to make a decision as to which mission put on the best bun fight afterwards.The newly elected Lord Mayor used to go to Lees Hall and all attendees were given a bag of buns.There was also the 'Never Seen The Sea'fund and open top charabang trips to 'the sea'She is truly a mine of information should any of you have a particular question or event in mind - but I warn you she knows nothing about tunnels and transport.

[Trojan]

dogduke wrote: I may have mentioned in other threads Today it was the Band of Hope and the various mission halls.You had to be 7 to attend and sign 'the pledge' not to indulge in strong drink.She signed the pledge 3 times in different places,Belgrave Chapel,the Riverside Mission and Lees Hall which was upstairs on the Eastgate-Vicar Lane corner.Every Good Friday all the missions came together on the Town Hall steps(before they were altered ?) to sing hymns.Grandad used to buy her a new pair of sandals for the occasion.She then had to make a decision as to which mission put on the best bun fight afterwards. I was brought up a very strict Methodist. I used to go to Sunday School twice every Sunday - and my dad made sure I went. My family were mainstays of the local chapel, Ebenezer on Fountain Street in Morley (flats now.) But despite his insistance that I attended, my dad was not a regular attender at chapel, he was however a regular attender at the Fountain Inn, a minute's walk from Ebenezer. So when (at about 7 or 8 years old) I brought home a pledge, and was keen to sign it he advised against. If you want Christmas pudding at Christmas don't sign that he said - there's rum in Christmas pudding and you won't be able to have any. I didn't sign. As for singing, the Morley Sunday Schools Union (free churches) would have a big sing on Morley Town Hall steps on Whit Sunday with the Sally Army band. I wonder if your mam was mixing up Good Friday with Whit Sunday?

[Uno Hoo]

Good job you didn't confuse singing with signing then, Trojan.

[carith]

My Grandad took the pledge every Sunday and always broke it by monday.

[Crazy Jane]

It's a good job my parents never took it, they'd have broken it the second the pubs opened on Sunday afternoon.I can't say that i recall Seacroft Methodist doing this cira 1980, perhaps it had fallen out of favour by then?