HALF the world now separates one of the participants in this 1961 parade down Norwood Road from her old hometown.
Valerie Appleby was a newly-wed 20-year-old from Ainsdale when she was photographed at the fore of this Sunday School procession of All Souls Church.
A member of the local Royal Air Forces Association, Mrs Appleby (née Marston) had married Ray, an RAF serviceman, the previous year.
The couple – who had two daughters – emigrated to New Zealand in 1972, with Ray taking a job with the local water board there.
Mrs Appleby, who has since been widowed, keeps in touch with Southport through her sister, Nora Moran of Park Road West, who spotted her in LookBack last month.
Valerie Appleby, now living in New Zealand, is third from left holding the RAFA flag at a 1961 All Souls Church Sunday School procession. Maureen Fearn, who led the keep fit exhibition at the Summer Fair, is the tallest of the women on the lorry
Mrs Moran, who was not there at the 1961 procession, said: “It was quite surprising to see the photograph – I’ll send her a copy, she’ll be pleased to see it.�
Also taking part in the procession was Maureen Fearn, who then led the RAFA club’s female exercise groups and is now a Kew ward councillor and former Mayor of Sefton.
The RAFA at the time used to meet in the basement of Talbot Hall, on the corner of Sussex Road and Windsor Road. That historic building – which now houses Waddington Conservative Club – was also the venue for Southport’s first synagogue, consecrated in 1893.
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