Walks and Parades

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W Lancs coat of arms

News update

Next meeting...

Wednesday 23rd April 2025

Celebrating VE Day

A programme of short talks and displays with a wartime theme

No need to book, just come along,

Guide Hut, Moorgate, Ormskirk (Opposite Hesford's) L39 4RU

Doors open 7pm, talk starts 7.30pm

All welcome, non-members £2.00 entrance

Next Ormskirk Library Family History Helpdesk

Monday 2nd June 2025

10.30 a.m.- 11.30 a.m.

Out and About with ODFHS this Spring and Summer

The ODFHS stand will be at the Museum of Rural Lancashire Life, Anvil Day

Saturday 26th April 11am-4pm

Alderlee Park, Turning Lane, Scarisbrick, PR8 5HR

All proceeds for Alzehimer's Society

ODFHS 45^th Anniversary Competition

2025 is the 45^th anniversary of ODFHS and, in celebration, we’ve decided to mark this with a competition, open to both members and non-members. The subject of the competition is “Who is your most interesting West Lancashire ancestor?” or “What is your most interesting family discovery related to West Lancashire?”. Choose one of these and tell us about it in 300-750 words. Add photos and illustrations as you want.

Entries by email or post - any reasonable format accepted. The winner will get a year’s free membership. Entries must be received by 31^st May 2025 and the results will be announced 1^st August 2025.

The best entries will be published in the ODFHS Magazine “The Ormskirk and District Family Historian” (subject to space). Full competition rules can be found by following this link (click here).

Sharing People's History of West Lancashire project

Family History and the Lost Buildings of West Lancashire

Family History and the Landmarks of West Lancashire

Our books are still available as a digital downloads, please follow this link

Family History and the Landmarks of West Lancashire

A Slice of Gingerbread

A Slice of Gingerbread - the Ormskirk Gingerbread Sellers is available to purchase:

A Slice of Gingerbread

See "Events" and "Meetings" pages for details of upcoming events.

Sunday School Anniversary Walks, St. George's Day and other Ormskirk parades - a miscellaneous collection

The Sunday School Anniversary Walks are something of an Ormskirk tradition* - see here for an Ormskirk Bygone Times article. (* Though reminiscent of the similar Manchester Whit Week Walks.)

Many of these have been recorded on the Images of Burscough website.

The following shows a lovely set of snaps from the Rigby collection showing what is probably one of the June Sunday School Anniversary Walks, ca. 1920s based on the older girls and ladies' clothing. There are three little girls (unnamed) who feature quite prominently, they may have a Rigby connection.

June Bibby thinks these were probably from Skelmersdale. The banner, does indeed say "Skelmersdale Mission Church Sunday School. Search the Scriptures"

Sunday School Walks 1920s 1

Sunday School Walks, 1920s: 1

Sunday School Walks 1920s 2

Sunday School Walks, 1920s: 2

Sunday School Walks 1920s 3

Sunday School Walks, 1920s: 3

Sunday School Walks 1920s 4

Sunday School Walks, 1920s: 4

Sunday School Walks 1920s 5

Sunday School Walks, 1920s: 5

Sunday School Walks 1920s 6

Sunday School Walks, 1920s: 6

Sunday School Walks 1920s 7

Sunday School Walks, 1920s: 7

Sunday School Walks 1920s 8

Sunday School Walks, 1920s: 8 - "Skelmersdale Mission Church Sunday School. Search the Scriptures"

More walks...

From: Ormskirk Advertiser 20th June 1940

ORMSKIRK PARISH CHURCH

SUNDAY SCHOOL GIFT SUNDAY

The Sunday School anniversary services were held at the Ormskirk Parish Church on Sunday last, when the children from the Parish Church Sunday Schools attended church, and a girls' choir from the schools took part in the services.

The Sunday School and Bible classes attended the special children's service in the afternoon conducted by the vicar, the Rev. F.A. Redwood.

It is the usual custom for the children to go to church in procession headed by the Ormskirk Old Prize Band, but that was dispensed with this year. Children assembled at their own schools and walked to the church with their teachers. Instead of taking their usual gifts of flowers and fruit the children had been given special envelopes for donations to the British Red Cross Society.

1950s - Church Street, Ormskirk

Sunday School Anniversary Walk 1950s 1

Sunday School Anniversary Walks 1950s: 1

Sunday School Anniversary Walk 1950s 2

Sunday School Anniversary Walks 1950s: 2

Parades...

These photos were taken during Councillor William Rigby's term of office as Chairman of Ormskirk Council in 1968-1969. He is on the platform wearing his chain of office. Mrs. Ruby Rigby and Enid Rigby are on the pavement to the left of the platform.

St. Georges Day parade 1968 1