AS SADDLEWORTH churches and brass bands prepare for this year’s much-loved Whit Walks, a Diggle-based reverend has taken a deeper look back at the centuries-old tradition.
Reverend Canon Jim Burns has captured the stories, colours and sounds of the historic event in his new book ‘The History and Memories of the Whit Walks in and around Manchester’.
With around 200 pictures to bring to life the anecdotes from individuals and parishes across Greater Manchester, the book starts right back at the first Whit Monday Walk in 1801.
It also includes tales of the walks moving to Fridays and springing up in places including Oldham, Stalybridge, Bolton, Ashton and Saddleworth from around the 1840s.
Canon Burns was brought up in the Whit Walk tradition in East Manchester before moving to Diggle with his wife when he retired to be closer to his family.
He decided to write the book after searching around for something to keep him occupied, and has dedicated it to his eldest grandchild Isabelle Rose Burns.
Canon Burns, who gives services at Dobcross and recently held a Whit Friday Service in the Square for 1,000 people, said: “It is wonderful tradition. I still walk in Manchester too – if there is a Whit Walk, I go!
“It is amazing how it brings together churches and communities but above all I love the brass bands.
“When I retired to started to look around to find something to do. I was reading history books and apart from one book about Whitsun, nothing has really been written about Whit Friday.
“What surprised me is that no one can pin-point the exact time the Whit Walks started, apart from the very first one in Manchester.
“I think they really deserve the recognition for what they were. In Saddleworth it’s still going strong, despite a few problems with policing and funding. Warrington and Chorley are fairly strong too.
“There are three particular reasons for this, which are they have kept the traditional date, maintained the same format and the churches come together to celebrate.
“But in Manchester it’s just a handful of churches now that take part. But in their heyday in the 20s there were 45 churches, 100 bands and more than 50,000 children involved.
“It saddens me a great deal that these events are declining but hopefully in Saddleworth it will continue for ever.”
‘The History and Memories of the Whit Walks in and around Manchester’ costs £14.95 and can be posted (£1.95) or hand delivered to your address. Please contact Reverend Canon Jim Burns for more details: 01457 810074 or jimdburns@sky.com
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