The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-08-11 00:00:00

THE GODIVA PAGEANT AT COVENTRY.

On Mon Fay vast crowds of visitors thronged the
streets of Coventry to witness the revival of the Lady.
GoAlva procei4ion. The pagea. t was arranged dif-
ferently from many of its predecessors. To cm:ripen-
satd for the loss of the civic costumes, the ancient
r.galia, and the stamp of authoritative sanction,
Godiva was accompanied by the representatives of
various personages whose names are histori-
cally connected with the city, together with
deputations from Trade Guilds and bodies associated
for friendly and benevolent purposes) with their
banners, strea.ners, emblematical and ornamental
devices, bands of Inu,io and numerous gaily-dressed
children on horseback, designated as " Followers."
The representative of the lady who "rode forth,
clothed on with chastity," and who passing through
the city, thus " ts,ok the tax away and built herself
an everlasting name," was Miss Maud Forrester. She
had a retinue so gay and numerous as to rival the
splendour of a Lord Mayor's Show.

While ieveral sections of the procession, comprising
the local bodies, were arranged in a spacious open
space, known as the Pool Meadow, the historical
characters dressed in various apartments of the
Guildhall. Shorty after twelve o'clock the ringing
of a peal on the famous bells of St. Michael's an-
nounced that the chief character had joined the pro-
cession, and that start had been made. By this time
the streets were filled with dense crowds of people.
First came a couple of heralds, then mounted police
and the city guards, who evoked hearty bursts of
laughter from the ludicrous appearance which the
labourers, brewers' men, and others presented in the
old ill-fitt,ng armour. The Rugby town band pre-
ceded St. George (who, according to tradition, WaN
born in Coventry). A splendid banner followed,
heading the Coventry Licensed Victuallers' Society,
the Volunteer Fire Brigade, with steam and manual
engines gaily decorated succeeded; next the Welling-
bora Fire Brigade at d a -eand repressntation of the
Ancient Order of Drec.-e.•. ollowing these were other
Friendly Societies, a decorated car representative of
the Four Seasons, and several trade societies, printers,
engineers, bakers, silk dyers, watchmakers, and the
bicycle and tricyle trades. The representation of the
latter was unique. A large car, decorated at the
corners with ferns, contained in the centre an c'evated
platform, around which were placed some of Coventry's
famous cycling machines, and on the top of the plat-
form, which was about six feet square, was a clever
little boy, who, as the car moved along, performed
some striking evolutions on a bicycle. Immediately
behind the car the city crier and city beadle followed,
and the Lady's jester preceded the heroine of the day,
who was mounted on a fine grey horse. She wore a
flesh-coloured, closely•fitting bodice; her shoulders aed
arms were hare; long hair tell over her and a flowing
white veil. Miss Forrester was frequently cheered. Fol-
lowing her came Leofric (her hinband), Earl of Mercia,
and a number of distinguished pirsonages who have been
in various ways cont,ected with the city, as Edward the
Black Prince, who was Lord of the Manor of Cheyles-
more ; Kings Richsri 11, and Henry IV,, Sir John
Falstaff, Henry VI. and his Queen Margaret, Henry
VIII., Queen Elizabeth, Sir Thomas White and
Mary Queen of Scots. The rear was brought up by
two bodes of representatives of the colliers in the
adjoining coal field, in unique emblematic cars. As the
procession moved along the interest of the vast crowds
seemed to increase. The weather was brilliantly fine
during the four hours the pageant was on view.