'Empire Day was a ritual celebration of the British empire which was introduced to Britain in 1904

and quickly caught the popular imagination so that it became a significant feature of the national

calendar for over half a century' (English, 2006, p.247)

Empire Day celebrations were widespread but not universal in British schools in the first half of the last

century. At Empire Day celebrations schools would typically arrange 'pageants' (in which children would

dress up as countries in the Empire or as 'Britannia') and gymnastic and other displays.

The event depicted in the images from Preston in 1909 took place in Moor Park in Preston.

References

English, J. (2006) 'Empire Day in Britain, 1904-958', The Historical Journal, 49, 1, pp.247–276.