Ulverston’s spectacular lantern procession provided a thrilling climax to the town’s Charter Festival celebrations in 1989.

Hundreds of people joined in the event organised by Welfare State International, which that year had the theme ‘The River of Light to the Moon’ to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Man’s first landing on the Moon.

Three processions – one from South Ulverston, one from Ford Park Crescent and one from Croftlands – converged on the town’s Market Cross.

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At the cross, people gathered to join in the special lantern chorus of songs, nearly all of which had the word ‘moon’ in the title.

The procession, with Nicky Gunson as ‘Mother Moon’ at its head, winded its way through the narrow streets of the town to the Lower School Field for the grand finale, in a ‘river’ of lights.

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The Charter Princess in 1989 was 21-year-old Maxine McKeown, of Ulverston, a Glaxo lab assistant. Her ladies-in-waiting were Emma Jarvis, 16, and Tanya Smith, 15, both from Ulverston.

The prettiest shop window during the charter festival was designed by Gaynor Phillpotts, of Woodburn’s Tobacconist’s on Market Street.

She baked and iced a charter cake as a centrepiece of her window and surrounded it with old wedding veils, a wedding dress and a doll in christening clothes.

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She was presented with her award by Ulverston’s mayor and mayoress, Cllr and Mrs Colin Richardson.

Colin Campbell won the charter golf trophy, while the Bert Ellam memorial trophy for clay pigeon shooting was won for the second time by Andrew Clarke.

The girls’ netball competition was won by the Croftlands junior school team.

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Dalton Church of England school made a clean sweep of the five-a-side football, with them emerging as champions in the under-nine and junior competitions.

The charter’s Raft Regatta was held in fine weather, with the Pugwash team - four lads from Ulverston - crossing the finishing line first.