The Whit-SUN-tide walks

St Pauls Church, Hathershaw, Oldham Whit walk.Three generations from the Greenfield Band take part in the walk (l-r) Lindsey Rankin, Edward Rankin(9) and Norman Vizard.

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OLDHAM’S rich tradition of Whit Walks and music was superbly highlighted yesterday with numerous events on a day of fine weather.

Church congregations, community groups and brass bands came together for processions and celebrations throughout the day.

I joined one walk yesterday morning with St Paul’s Church in Hathershaw and St Thomas Werneth, which included church choirs and Greenfield Band.

As we gathered outside St Paul’s on Ashton Road, church curate Janet Pitman told me: “The walk is a walk of witness. These events are very distinctive to the North-West. Traditionally, Whit walks are held on Sundays in Oldham and the May bank holiday in Manchester.

“Whit walks are about letting the wider community know we are here. Churches walk to mark Pentecost, when the holy spirit came to the disciples and they then went out on the streets to tell people about the good news of Jesus.”

Mrs Pitman came to St Paul’s last year and was previously based in Royton.

In addition to highlighting local churches and marking an important time in the Christian calendar, Whit walks also give the area’s brass bands an opportunity for a last-minute practice before this Friday’s brass band contest in Saddleworth.

Greenfield Band performed in the St Paul’s walk.

Musical director Tom Haslam said: “We play a mixture of hymns and march tunes. We process along streets for a 1.5 mile route, include a visit to a residential home and also have service on the grounds of St Thomas’s Church.

“The tunes we play come from different periods. Some were written around the 1940s and the time of the Second World War. Today’s tunes including “Army Of The Nile”, “The Slaidburn” and “Death or Glory”. One of our favourites is the tune many people will know from “The Great Escape”.”

Band secretary Andy Clayton said: “We’re pleased to play at Whit walks, which are a great tradition, and also provide good preparation for the Whit Friday band contest in Saddleworth. Our band currently has 25 members and we’ve got 20 here today, young and old. It’s great.

“We’ve been invited to play at the Durham Miners’ Gala this year for the first time.

“Quite a lot of bands from the North-West play at the Durham Miners’ Gala, so it should be really interesting.”

I bumped into three generations of a Saddleworth family in the band.

Edward Rankin (9) was with mum Lindsey Rankin (31), both from Delph, and grandfather Norman Vizard (67), from Dobcross.

Edward plays the cornet and cymbals , and said: “I’ve been playing the cornet since I was seven. Mr Haslam is my teacher at Dobcross School and he encouraged me to join the band. Me and another boy from school are members.”

The Vicar of St Thomas and St Paul’s is the Rev Nick Andrewes.

He welcomed us and got the walk underway saying: “It’s lovely to have such a good crowd here and such a great day.”

Explaining who should go where in the procession, he called out: “Band - clergy - choirs - banner - congregations - then the final banner.”

Then the bass drum was sounded, a music score was symbolically raised at the front of the band, and off we went.

The pounding drum and rich, swirling tones of the brass instruments made a fine sound.

The tunes rolled around the streets as we walked, with the tower of Earl Mill ahead of us. Households came out to watch – 21st century Britain witnessing a parade which stems from the Victorian era.

Our walk followed a 1.5-mile circuit through Hathershaw and Coppice.

Coming from Scotland and North East England, I’ve seen political flute bands in Glasgow and Edinburgh, and the brass bands of Durham, Northumberland and Yorkshire at the famous miners’ gala – ‘The Big Meeting’.

From a young age, I was always excited by street processions and parades.

This was the first time I’ve witnessed an Oldham Whit walk, which obviously comes from a different tradition and I have great respect for all those involved.

Elsewhere, Whit walks were held in locations including Chadderton, Royton, Lees, Shaw, High Crompton, Waterhead, Greenacres and Clarksfield.

These included the Parish of Christ Church, St Saviour’s and Crossley Christian Centre in Chadderton; an open air service off Westway in Shaw; St Mary’s and St Andrew’s churches in High Crompton; Greenacres Congregational Church and St Barnabas, Clarksfield.