Slideshow: Victorian Evening makes for a fantastic night for Warwick
First the town’s mayor, Cllr Bob Dhillon, arrived courtesy of his chauffeur, Berkeley Williams, who had transformed himself into a Victorian coachman. Then the can-can girls warmed up the temperature with the first of three routines followed by the boys and men of St Mary’s church choirs who are about the release a CD of Christmas carols, including some new interpretations of old favourites by leader Thomas Corns.
Inside the church itself there was a whole festival of fancifully decorated small trees and collections in aid of the African Sisters of St Mary, a charity helping women in Tanzania and Zambia.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdOutside more Christmas trees were provided in Market Place and Smith Street by Barn Close Nurseries and, for the first time, traders in the Holloway, just off the square, had their own decorated tree.
In Swan Street two men took turns to swing great fireballs through the air, while just yards away traditional Morris dancers were going through their paces and still further down the street the Coventry Barbershop singers were tuning up to offer sentimental seasonal ballads.
The “Barbershoppers” continued to harmonise right round into the Zetland Arms to lubricate their tubes. Other attractions included Punch and Judy, singers from The Big Help Academy and Bridgehouse players from Mother Goose,