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Esica Historical Pageant

1931

The boy Esica, 1 of the 7 saints of Barking abbey - a scene in the Barking historical pageant, 1931. Peter Gale was the youngest performer in the Barking historical pageant in October 1931.

He played 1 of the 7 Saints associated with the abbey - the boy Esica - whose story was told by the Venerable Bede:

'In this convent lived a little boy named Esica … who, being so young, had been brought up and taught by these women vowed to God. Attacked by the plague and about to die, he 3 times called the name of 1 of Christ's virgins as though she were present, saying: 'Edith! Edith! Edith!' Then he left this present world, and passed to eternal life.

The nun whose name he had called with his dying breath was at once stricken where she was by the same disease, and departed this life, following the child who had called her to the kingdom of heaven'.