Neston Ladies’ Day has been the highlight of the town’s calendar
for hundreds of years.
Today the first Thursday of June 2012 they 'performed' their 198th Annual Walk........... WOW!!
This is the realm of the redoubtable Neston Female Society.
With the motto “bear each other’s burdens” it was formed in Jane
Austen’s day to shore up financial support and comfort for respectable women
left behind when their husbands answered the call of duty to go off and fight
against Napoleon.
To this day, it pays out £10 to members on the birth of any child
– born in wedlock, of course – and £60 to the family in the event of the
member’s death and about £1.50 towards the cost of the doctor’s sick
certificate.
It is the last remaining society of its type in Britain.... bigger WOW!!
Today it appears that the pull they have with the 'whoever' makes it rain ran out as it rained for the first time in 30 years!!
Ladies from 5 - 91 marched through the town carrying their staffs of local flowers, parading the latest fashions in umbrellas and tasty pink ponchos. They are led by a pipe band, march to the church and then on to the Civic Hall for a members meal and this year because we are all slightly over the top patriotic, with jubilee, Euro football and London 2012 the turn out of females were followed by Neston's very own 12 foot tall queen!!
All in all though, even with the rain, everybody, especially all the women seemed to enjoy themselves!
WOW!
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