May Queen crowned in a Bedfordshire village . Modern mic bophone at traditional ceremony . After a procession through the streets to Elstow Green , Miss Betty Crouch was crowned May Queen at Elstow , Bedfordshire , birthplace of John Bunyan . The ceremony included maypole and country dances . The coronation was performed by Phyllis Izzard , last year ' s May Queen . Photo shows , the ' proclamation ' being read into a modern microphone . 7 May 1936 *** Local Caption ***