Annual Whit-Monday Procession

An awe-inspiring spectacle: thousands of young churchgoers throng the streets of Manchester for the annual Whit holiday.

The Manchester 'Whit Walks' were a newsreel favourite, and this film from 1927 shows why. The awe-inspiring procession drew churchgoers across the north west and beyond, overwhelming the city centre and flooding the cobbled streets with angelic children, pristine in their purpose-bought white frocks and sailor suits. The entrance to the famous Lewis's Arcade is visible in the final shot.

The walks, celebrating the Sunday School movement, have been taking place in Manchester since around 1800 and were originally associated with Whitsun, an annual holiday for mill-workers which fell seven weeks after Easter. Today the walk is usually scheduled for the late bank holiday in May.