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This delightful scene captures the atmosphere of the May Day procession in Cotmanhay, around the turn of the last century.

The young girls of the village look very pretty in their summer dresses and bonnets as they walk along, clutching the flower-decked ribbons of the maypole.

Several well-dressed locals are striding about in front and alongside the procession while, in the background, villagers follow on with flags and banners. There are probably a few marching bands, too.

The procession is heading south along Cotmanhay Road, prior to the construction of the tramway which travelled along this same route in later years.

The railings of Cotmanhay Road Infants (later known as Bennerley) School are just visible on the far right of the picture, which shows the corner of Bennerley Avenue.

To the left, just behind the maypole, is a gap between the terraced houses which later became known as Milton Street. In the distance, to the right of centre, beyond the school, are the end houses of Wheatley Row, one of a few back-to-back terraces in the area. They were demolished some time between 1905-1910 and Richmond Avenue was laid out on this site.

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County:  Derbyshire

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