Following the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, on 28th June 1919, Saturday 19th July 1919 was officially designated as Peace Day.
The Glossop Advertiser of 18th July described the preparations for Peace Day in Glossop under the headline “To-Morrow’s Great Joy Day at Glossop” and sub-head “The Town in Festival Garb”:
At the time of writing, the town is fast arraying itself in festive robes, flags, bannerettes, shields, bunting, mottoes, and devices of various kinds being displayed in the centre of the town and on the principal buildings, whilst streamers are thrown across the road or street, in many places. In the past, Glossop has established a most enviable reputation for its public and private decorations and elaborate open-air carnivals the Coronation scenes etc., living in the memory, and if Peace Day is not being celebrated on quite the same lavish scale as in pre-war days obtained for great national festivals, it will, nevertheless, be a day to remember. The Norfolk Square is already very pretty, the archways and mottoes at the entrance from High Street, and opposite the entrance on the Henry Street side, being rather picturesque, and there is a plenitude of colour woven into the scheme of adornment.
The Town Hall and Hadfield Free Library are undergoing a sort of exterior transformation, and, given fine weather, to-morrow's proceedings should be really enjoyable. Of course one cannot expect the Town Hall and Norfolk Square to be made so artistically pretty as was the Park for the Coronation fete; they do not lend themselves so readily to artistic treatment and effect, but the best is being made of the possibilities, and we venture to predict that the public will he delighted with the picture set before their gaze.
The following is the official programme of the Peace festivities at Glossop:-
Saturday, July 19th, 1919.
10-45 a.m. - Presentation of Colours to Boy Scouts and Girl Guides at Glossop Hall by the Right Honourable Lord Howard of Glossop, to which ceremony the Parents of Scouts and Guides and others who have been invited by his Lordship will be admitted on presentation of the invitation card.
11-30 am. - The Mayor will Plant a Tree in the Park in commemoration of the Signing of the Peace Treaty.
3 p.m. to 5 p.m. - United Choir Festival in Norfolk Square. The United Choir will consist of 250 voices, and will be accompanied by an orchestra of 50 instrumentalists. (If the weather is unfavourable, this will be postponed until the following Sunday evening, 20th July, at 8 o'clock).
4-30 p.m. - Special Meeting of the Council at the Town Hall, to receive Mr. and Mrs Isaac Jackson, the donors of the purchase money for the Town Hall and Market to commemorate the conclusion of the Great World War, and in memory, of the men from the Borough who gave their lives for their country.
7 p.m. to 10 p.m. - The Glossop Old Band will play selections in Norfolk Square, and the Glossop Public Reed Band will play selections on Hadfield Cross.
11 p.m. - Display of Dover Flares.
Decorations.
The Town Hall and Hadfield Library will be decorated, and it is hoped that all the inhabitants of the Borough will display flags and bunting from their homes and places of business.
Closing of Shops Etc.
As the day will be a Public Holiday, it is hoped that all Shops and Places of Business will be closed all day. The Market will be held on Friday, 18th July, instead of on Saturday, 19th July.
Wednesday, July 23rd, 1919.
Entertainment of the inmates of the Workhouse by the Mayor.
Saturday, July 26th, 1919.
Tea and Entertainment for Old People over 60 years of age in Glossop, by Major and the Hon. Mrs. Hill-Wood, at the Victoria Hall, for which tickets of invitation will be issued.
Tea and Entertainment of Old People over 60 years of ago in Hadfield, by Colonel and Mrs. Heywood and Mrs. Platt. Tea at 4 p.m. in St. Andrew's Church School and St. Charles's Jubilee Hall. Entertainment at 6 30 p.m. in Hadfield Liberal Hall. Tickets may be obtained at Hadfield Free Library on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, July 21st, 22nd and 23rd, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, August 2nd, 1919.
Entertainment of and Presentation of Medals to Day and Sunday School Scholars.
(The surviving cutting is trucated at this point).
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The Glossop Chronicle of 25th July summarised the events under the headline "Peace With Honour!".
Glossop had full reason to be proud of the magnificent success of its Peace rejoicings last weekend, and the day’s arrangements were carried through in admirable style; but a number of very important events still figure in the fine programme which has been arranged in celebration of the historic event, and these include the treat to the children, the old folks' party. and the entertainment of discharged Soldiers and Sailors whilst on Sunday. August 3rd there will be another big united thanksgiving service in Norfolk Square. Thus thousands of young and old will yet take part in the general rejoicings.
Happily the weather on Saturday afternoon was beautifully warm and sunny and everything, so far as we can learn, passed off without mishap. In the charming sunny weather the banners, bunting, flags and mottoes looked their best, Norfolk Square, the Town Hall and adjoining streets presenting a pretty scene and the central part of the town made a fine and imposing sight whilst the big musical festival was in progress, the spacious Norfolk Square being crowded with vocalists, instrumentalists and spectators, the latter of whom numbered some thousands.
The day's events commenced with the Presentation of Colours to the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides by Lord Howard, this interesting ceremony attracting a large company to Glossop Hall in the forenoon; and later there was a big company present at Glossop’s pretty Park, where the Mayor (Mrs. Partington), who has worked so devotedly and enthusiastically in connection with the celebrations, planted a young oak tree to commemorate tho signing of Peace, and, was presented with a beautiful silver spade.
Then in the afternoon came the grand and impressive musical festival in the Square, followed by a pleasing ceremony at the Town Hall, where a special meeting of the Town Council was held to receive Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Jackson, who have made the magnificent gift to the town of the purchase money for the Town Hall and Market, to commemorate the conclusion of the Great War and in memory of the brave men from the Borough who have given their lives for their country.
In the evening musical selections were provided at Glossop and Hadfield respectively by the Glossop Old Bond and the Glossop Public Reed Band, and large crowds enjoyed the spirited and excellently played patriotic music. Late in the evening rain came on, but this did not prevent many from wending their way to the neighbourhood of “The Castle” where Dover Flares brilliantly illuminated the surrounding district. It was a great day, one which reflected credit on the town, and similar success, we believe, will mark the remainder of the festivities.
The Chronicle also reported:
A display of Dover Flares from “the Castle” concluded Glossop's Saturday programme. Unfortunately rain set in shortly before 11 o'clock, the time fixed for the display, but this did not prevent many from assembling in the vicinity of the Castle and the Park. Eight flares and six rockets were used during the evening, and they brilliantly lit up the district for miles around. The display, had been arranged by a small committee of the Town Council, consisting of Couns. J. E. Buckley, S. Bamforth, J. Platt, and W. Jackson.
Note: Dover Flares were invented by Wing Commander Frank Brock of the Brock Fireworks company. Their purpose was to light up the sea at night and force U-boats into deep mine fields.
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Two photographs survive from the ceremony of the Presentation of Colours to Boy Scouts and Girl Guides.
The gentleman in the top hat is Francis Edward Howard, 2nd Baron Howard of Glossop, and the lady with the fur round her neck and the dark hat is Mary Alice Partington (Mayor at the time).
The man in uniform is probably Scout-Master Parker (1st Glossop), who was in charge of the parade, and the vicar is probably Rev. H. Lawrance of Dinting who conducted the religious service.
The event was reported in the Glossop Advertiser the following Friday (July 25th):
The day's proceedings of Saturday last, opened with the joy bells of peace ringing merrily from the church steeples in the valley, following which, about 10 a.m., the various contingents of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides paraded on the Glossop Market Ground, the Troops represented being: Boy Scouts: 1st Glossop, 3rd Glossop, 4th Glossop, 1st Hadfield (Rev. A. C. M. White), 1st Hollingworth, 1st Dinting (Rev. H. Lawrance), 7th Glossop, 8th Glossop. Girl Guides: (Mrs. Olerenshaw, District Commissioner), Dinting (Mrs. Lawrance and Miss Johnson), Hadfield (Miss Herrick), St. Luke s (Mrs. Hankinson and Miss Watts). The whole parade was in charge of Scout-Master Parker (1st Glossop). The processionists made an imposing spectacle, and they marched to Glossop Hall headed by the united Bugle Band in charge of Band-master I. Mallard. When the Scouts and Guides had been placed in the positions assigned to them, the proceedings commenced with a short service of dedication and blessing the Colours, conducted by Rev. H. Lawrance, M.A. (Vicar of Dinting), the beautiful Colours, the gift of Lord Howard, being placed on the piled drums. Colour parties consisting of four Scouts and four Guides, then advanced to receive the Colours, those in command being: Guides: A. Hutchinson, H. Lomas, E. Lacey. Scouts: H. Tagg, J. Hobson. After a few appropriate words, Lord Howard presented the Colours. The colour parties then turned to face the Scouts and Guides, and the general salute was sounded on the bugles. When the colours returned to their respective troops, the band played the National Anthem.
Lord Doverdale proposed a vote of thanks to Lord Howard, for whom three hearty cheers were given, and the whole proceedings proved very impressive. Headed by their band and with colours flying, the Scouts and Guides then marched to the Park gates, where a guard of Honour for the Mayor was formed. Thence they returned to Norfolk Square, when the Colours were trooped in front of the Town Hall, and the general salute again sounded. A word of praise is due to Scout-Master Parker for the efficient manner in which he commanded the parade, and to Band-Master Mallard for the able way in which he conducted the band.
We may add that the parents of Scouts and Guides had been invited by his Lordship to attend the ceremony, and a very big number were present and evinced the greatest interest in the proceedings.