Twelve Days Of Kirkham - 12 Club Day Queens
This artwork is located at Smoosh on Poulton Street
Kirkham Club Day
Along with many towns across the Fylde, Kirkham’s major celebration is its Club Day. This is usually celebrated in June and includes the participation of local churches, schools, groups, associations, and organisations who process through Kirkham and Wesham.
A longstanding tradition of Club Day is the choosing of a Rose Queen to represent each of the six churches in Kirkham and Wesham. This artwork celebrates club days queens past and present.
Club Day has a long and illustrious history and has been reported on in newspapers from the Victorian period onwards.
On 6 July 1907 the Preston Herald described the Club Day of the previous Monday and called the event ‘one of the prettiest and most popular events in the Fylde District’. Similarly, on 2 July 1896 the Lancashire Daily Post noted that ‘Glorious weather favoured the annual Club day at Kirkham today’.
“I am absolutely delighted to be part of Kirkham Treasures 12 Days of Kirkham and to have the artwork celebrating Kirkham Club Day and the Club Day Queens on the window. Watching Gill do her magic was a lovely experience, and she even let my little boy paint a few leaves which I’m sure will be a lasting memory for him! It’s been lovely watching people walk past the shop and admire the artist’s work.
Kirkham is such a wonderful town with people who are proud of their heritage and it’s lovely to see this being recognised.”
Jamie Owner of Smoosh Beauty
Artist: Gill Smith
Gill Smith is a Northwest based illustrator. She completed an MA in Children’s Book Illustration at The Cambridge School of Art in 2019 and was short-listed for The Batsford Prize and a winner of the Picture This illustration competition in 2020.
www.gillsmithillustration.com
Instagram @gillsmithillustration
