aunts

my mum found this photo yesterday..it's her aunty Sara (my names sake..or am i hers?) and aunty Mary..they were the eldest daughters from a family of nine children.. my grandma Ellen, Annie, Harry, Albert, Florrie, BIll, Jim Halliwell..they all live together in a two up two down on Brassy Street
they were possibly about 15 or 16yrs when this was taken which makes this photo about 80+ years old
the girls had probably been working for a couple of years by this time, like most of the family, in the cotten mill at the end of the road
they are dressed ready for the Whit Walks..Whitsuntide (?)..May Day...all the girls wore white with veils..and they walked in a procession to church..
Elsie Wild arranged their flowers..my mum knows this because Elsie arranged her flowers and then mine as all 3 generations followed the same tradition..
their white stockings and gloves are a marvel..