The 2023 Weaverham Rose Queen is Poppy Sofia Gibson. She is 14 years old and attends The County High School Leftwich. Her hobbies are football and troupe. We wish her a wonderful time for her year representing Weaverham.
The history of the Weaverham Rose Fete started in the early 1900s when it was called Hospital Saturday with the money raised being given to the Northwich Infirmary. There was a fancy dress and procession which started and finished at the Hanging Gate. Competitions were then held in the field opposite the pub.
In 1927 the event became known as the Rose Festival and its first queen was Betty Dudley. The queen was chosen by children from Forest Street School and the streets were lined with paper flowers and bunting and a best-dressed house competition was held.
During WW2 the festival was suspended but in 1946 Patricia Treeby became the first post-war queen. Mrs Turner, a teacher at Forest Street School, supervised the arrangements from the school, then in the early 1950s a Rose Fete Committee was formed which still organises the festival today.
Doris Oakes was crowned Rose Queen in July 1931 by her crown bearer Harry Holland. She is pictured below with her retinue on the stage. According to a report in the Cheshire Observer, the celebrations attracted a large crowd and there were prizes for the best tableaux, hand vehicles, decorated lorries, decorated horses, troupe dancers, morris dancers and jazz band. There was even a competition for “the best ankle”, won by Mrs Ellison!
Elizabeth Marshall was Rose Queen on 11 July 1953. The 13-year-old from Keepers Lane had only moved to the village from Blackpool 12 months previously. She was a pupil at Weaverham County Primary School and her favourite pastime was swimming.
The Rose Fete is a tradition that we hope will continue for many years to come.
