Over the years,the people of Great Horwood and Singleborough have celebrated many national and local events.
Some Early Celebrations
19th century villagers had several annual festivals and celebrations to look forward to.
Harvest Festival
From 1868, the harvest festival was a day-long celebration. The day began at about 5 am ‘with a joyous peal from the bells’ and the volunteer decorators set to work adorning the church with ears of corn, flowers and greenery in time for the Harvest Festival service. After the service, about 200 farmers, labourers and principal inhabitants enjoyed a lavish lunch in marquees in the rectory garden, and ‘every farmer present was pleased to welcome the labourers at their table that day’. After toasts and speeches a further 800 people joined the festivities for tea and entertainment. Music was provided by a band, such as Winslow Band in 1870 and the band of the Royal Bucks Yeomanry in 1874. ‘There was dancing on the lawn in which even grey-haired matrons joined with all the alacrity of their younger days’, as well as croquet, cricket and other games. At the invitation of the Rector, Simon Adams, the inhabitants of the Winslow Union Workhouse were brought over to Great Horwood to enjoy the dinner and tea.
Annual Ploughing Match
During his time as Rector, Simon Adams founded the Great Horwood Ploughing Society, which held an annual ploughing match every autumn. This was one of the highlights of the farming year. Each team of ploughman and driver was assigned an acre of land and given four hours in which to plough it, after which the ploughing was judged. Eight teams competed in the first ploughing match in 1845 and the number increased in subsequent years, with 23 teams competing in 1857. Sometimes a root vegetable show was held too. After the ploughing the Rector, judges, farmers and ploughing teams retired to one of the village public houses where they enjoyed a good dinner and ale, paid for by the Rector. Prize money was presented to the winning teams and 1s (5p) given to each of the other ploughmen and 6d (2½p) to each driver, ‘after which some good cheering was given, and some excellent songs sung, and the greatest hilarity prevailed throughout the evening’. The annual ploughing matches continued in Great Horwood until the early 1890s.
May Day
May Day festivities included a procession with garlands of flowers. Until the Great Horwood schoolmaster decided to give a day’s holiday on May Day, many of the children played truant to ‘follow the garlands’. There was also maypole dancing, although the pole was not always acquired legally. In May 1854, for instance, Samuel Ridgway was charged with stealing a maple pole from a stack of wood belonging to William Viccars.
Harvest Festival
From 1868, the harvest festival was a day-long celebration. The day began at about 5 am ‘with a joyous peal from the bells’ and the volunteer decorators set to work adorning the church with ears of corn, flowers and greenery in time for the Harvest Festival service. After the service, about 200 farmers, labourers and principal inhabitants enjoyed a lavish lunch in marquees in the rectory garden, and ‘every farmer present was pleased to welcome the labourers at their table that day’. After toasts and speeches a further 800 people joined the festivities for tea and entertainment. Music was provided by a band, such as Winslow Band in 1870 and the band of the Royal Bucks Yeomanry in 1874. ‘There was dancing on the lawn in which even grey-haired matrons joined with all the alacrity of their younger days’, as well as croquet, cricket and other games. At the invitation of the Rector, Simon Adams, the inhabitants of the Winslow Union Workhouse were brought over to Great Horwood to enjoy the dinner and tea.
Annual Ploughing Match
During his time as Rector, Simon Adams founded the Great Horwood Ploughing Society, which held an annual ploughing match every autumn. This was one of the highlights of the farming year. Each team of ploughman and driver was assigned an acre of land and given four hours in which to plough it, after which the ploughing was judged. Eight teams competed in the first ploughing match in 1845 and the number increased in subsequent years, with 23 teams competing in 1857. Sometimes a root vegetable show was held too. After the ploughing the Rector, judges, farmers and ploughing teams retired to one of the village public houses where they enjoyed a good dinner and ale, paid for by the Rector. Prize money was presented to the winning teams and 1s (5p) given to each of the other ploughmen and 6d (2½p) to each driver, ‘after which some good cheering was given, and some excellent songs sung, and the greatest hilarity prevailed throughout the evening’. The annual ploughing matches continued in Great Horwood until the early 1890s.
May Day
May Day festivities included a procession with garlands of flowers. Until the Great Horwood schoolmaster decided to give a day’s holiday on May Day, many of the children played truant to ‘follow the garlands’. There was also maypole dancing, although the pole was not always acquired legally. In May 1854, for instance, Samuel Ridgway was charged with stealing a maple pole from a stack of wood belonging to William Viccars.
Maypole dancing was also good entertainment for other summer events, for example the July 1908 function on the rectory lawns to raise money for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. The entertainment on this occasion included a procession of the village school children wearing ‘Old English’ style costumes, carrying flowers and bearing a ‘May Queen’ in a beautiful bower. The children sang an ancient local May song and the girls performed a maypole dance. Afterwards, the Great Horwood Band, who had led the procession, played all afternoon and for dancing in the evening.
Great Horwood Feast
In the 15th century New College Oxford was granted a charter for an annual fair to be held in Great Horwood on the feast day of St James the Apostle. The fair is still held every year in early August. Although today the Feast is celebrated only by two evenings of funfair entertainment, in the past the celebrations also included a church service, Great Horwood Band playing, dancing and other festivities. We know that the entertainment sometimes included a peep show because in August 1845 the peep show proprietor, James Day, was arrested and fined for assaulting one of the showgirls at the Great Horwood Feast.
Henry Ayres also found himself in trouble with the law. He was fined for obstructing the highway in Great Horwood in August 1890 because he set up his roundabout and swingboats on either side of the road but too close together for traffic to pass through. The Great Horwood Feast was very well attended by the people of Great Horwood and Singleborough as well as by others from nearby towns and villages.
In the 15th century New College Oxford was granted a charter for an annual fair to be held in Great Horwood on the feast day of St James the Apostle. The fair is still held every year in early August. Although today the Feast is celebrated only by two evenings of funfair entertainment, in the past the celebrations also included a church service, Great Horwood Band playing, dancing and other festivities. We know that the entertainment sometimes included a peep show because in August 1845 the peep show proprietor, James Day, was arrested and fined for assaulting one of the showgirls at the Great Horwood Feast.
Henry Ayres also found himself in trouble with the law. He was fined for obstructing the highway in Great Horwood in August 1890 because he set up his roundabout and swingboats on either side of the road but too close together for traffic to pass through. The Great Horwood Feast was very well attended by the people of Great Horwood and Singleborough as well as by others from nearby towns and villages.
Great Horwood Victoria Benefit Club
Another annual feast was that of the sick benefit club.
Richard Edmans writes:
The Victoria Benefit Club was founded at the suggestion of the then Rector, Simon Adams, in 1846. Mr Adams was appointed club president and successive rectors held the presidency up until 1948 when the club closed, this being the year the National Health Service started. There was a women’s branch. When this started is uncertain.
The Club was formed to help village members who were unable to work. Members paid into the club, and received financial relief from the club if they were later unable to work due to illness or injury. The amount members paid each week is unknown but, towards the end of its life, members received 8s (40p) a week if they were unable to work. Nora Reeve remembers going to the then secretary Mr William Edmans to collect the money for her parents.
A Club Feast Day was held annually on the second Saturday in June. The church bells awoke everyone at 5.30 am. They were rung again at 9 am and, in early days, twice more. There was a roll call of members followed by a procession, led by the village band, to the church for a service at 11.00 am. After the service, the club banner was paraded around the village ending up at the village hall for the annual dinner. This was just for the male members of the club. The women’s section had a tea later in the day.
The banner that was paraded was very large and stretched across the road, requiring two bearers to carry it. During its life, the club had at least two banners. The wording on the two banners of which photographs survive were on the earlier one ‘GREAT HORWOOD VICTORIA BENEFIT CLUB’ and on the later one ‘GREAT HORWOOD VICTORIA MENS AND WOMENS FRIENDLY SOCIETY’. If I remember correctly, as I helped to take the banner to pieces for my parents to use as a bedspread, the main colour was royal blue and the lettering was yellow.
Richard Edmans writes:
The Victoria Benefit Club was founded at the suggestion of the then Rector, Simon Adams, in 1846. Mr Adams was appointed club president and successive rectors held the presidency up until 1948 when the club closed, this being the year the National Health Service started. There was a women’s branch. When this started is uncertain.
The Club was formed to help village members who were unable to work. Members paid into the club, and received financial relief from the club if they were later unable to work due to illness or injury. The amount members paid each week is unknown but, towards the end of its life, members received 8s (40p) a week if they were unable to work. Nora Reeve remembers going to the then secretary Mr William Edmans to collect the money for her parents.
A Club Feast Day was held annually on the second Saturday in June. The church bells awoke everyone at 5.30 am. They were rung again at 9 am and, in early days, twice more. There was a roll call of members followed by a procession, led by the village band, to the church for a service at 11.00 am. After the service, the club banner was paraded around the village ending up at the village hall for the annual dinner. This was just for the male members of the club. The women’s section had a tea later in the day.
The banner that was paraded was very large and stretched across the road, requiring two bearers to carry it. During its life, the club had at least two banners. The wording on the two banners of which photographs survive were on the earlier one ‘GREAT HORWOOD VICTORIA BENEFIT CLUB’ and on the later one ‘GREAT HORWOOD VICTORIA MENS AND WOMENS FRIENDLY SOCIETY’. If I remember correctly, as I helped to take the banner to pieces for my parents to use as a bedspread, the main colour was royal blue and the lettering was yellow.
A Year in the Life of a 1950s Child in Great Horwood
Although some of the early festivities had lapsed by the mid-twentieth century, there were other annual events for the villagers to enjoy.
Gill Wood writes:
In a small village like Great Horwood our pleasures were the occasional events that were not part of our everyday life. Our first day to look forward to was the Whaddon Chase Hunt Point-to-Point. This was held on the land opposite Sunny Hill Farm on Little Horwood Road. For weeks we would have been watching the jumps being built and wondering if they would be any higher than last year’s. The Sunday before the meeting, known as Point-to-Point Sunday, was the villagers’ chance to walk the course before the big day. At last the Saturday came and we would have a very early lunch so that we could walk across the fields to get there before the first race. It was a very well supported event but nobody came home any richer than they were at the beginning of the day. Some years we would have as many as three Point-to-Point meetings from other hunts.
The next events were the bazaars and fête days. Our first fête would be Field Day, which was organised by Mrs Griffin, the Schoolmistress, to raise money to take the village children on an outing later in the year. I remember going to Wicksteed Park and Billing Aquadrome on two occasions. The fête started with the fête queen and her attendants parading down the village in a decorated horse-drawn cart, supplied by the farmer, Mr Mason, and led by the Great Horwood Silver Band. The cart was followed by every child in the school wearing fancy dress, again organised by Mrs Griffin. It didn’t matter whether you wanted to go in the parade or not, because if she said you were, you just had to go in it. Next came the church fête and then, in August, the village hall fête, again to raise money for both organisations.
Gill Wood writes:
In a small village like Great Horwood our pleasures were the occasional events that were not part of our everyday life. Our first day to look forward to was the Whaddon Chase Hunt Point-to-Point. This was held on the land opposite Sunny Hill Farm on Little Horwood Road. For weeks we would have been watching the jumps being built and wondering if they would be any higher than last year’s. The Sunday before the meeting, known as Point-to-Point Sunday, was the villagers’ chance to walk the course before the big day. At last the Saturday came and we would have a very early lunch so that we could walk across the fields to get there before the first race. It was a very well supported event but nobody came home any richer than they were at the beginning of the day. Some years we would have as many as three Point-to-Point meetings from other hunts.
The next events were the bazaars and fête days. Our first fête would be Field Day, which was organised by Mrs Griffin, the Schoolmistress, to raise money to take the village children on an outing later in the year. I remember going to Wicksteed Park and Billing Aquadrome on two occasions. The fête started with the fête queen and her attendants parading down the village in a decorated horse-drawn cart, supplied by the farmer, Mr Mason, and led by the Great Horwood Silver Band. The cart was followed by every child in the school wearing fancy dress, again organised by Mrs Griffin. It didn’t matter whether you wanted to go in the parade or not, because if she said you were, you just had to go in it. Next came the church fête and then, in August, the village hall fête, again to raise money for both organisations.
Also in late July was the produce show organised by the Women’s Institute. My father was a keen entrant and would spend a long time growing the longest runner bean and whitest cauliflower. One year when he had just laid all of his produce out along the back yard, my mother had a load of coal delivered. That coal dust did his white cauliflowers no good, but it all ended happily with him still winning first prize with them.
In August came the fair. For weeks we had been saving our pocket money and looking forward to two nights of dodgem rides, swingboats and the general hurly-burly of the fair. The big lorries would start parking outside my house in Little Horwood Road during the afternoon, waiting until 7.00 pm when the church service would be over and they would be allowed to get on to The Green. They were always played on to The Green by the Great Horwood Silver Band and the village would turn out to watch them start erecting the fair. They always started with the dodgem cars. It was also a very profitable time for the two public houses in the village.
In August came the fair. For weeks we had been saving our pocket money and looking forward to two nights of dodgem rides, swingboats and the general hurly-burly of the fair. The big lorries would start parking outside my house in Little Horwood Road during the afternoon, waiting until 7.00 pm when the church service would be over and they would be allowed to get on to The Green. They were always played on to The Green by the Great Horwood Silver Band and the village would turn out to watch them start erecting the fair. They always started with the dodgem cars. It was also a very profitable time for the two public houses in the village.
Our last big days would be in the autumn when the hunt met on The Green in November. For a child who loved horses and dogs, it was a marvellous time. The ethics of hunting did not come into it. Of course there was also Bonfire Night, when my family would buy me some fireworks from Keys Stores which we let off in the garden. There were rockets, jumping jacks, roman fountains, spinning catherine wheels, sparklers, and bangers. In the 1950s there was no organised bonfire event. There were also the religious festivals, Easter, Harvest, Christmas and, because the school was a Church of England school, we had the occasional half-day off for these. Those really were the big days in my childhood. Compared to modern children, our pleasures and entertainments were very simple but they gave a lot of enjoyment and wonderful memories.
Peace Celebrations, 1919
Great Horwood and Singleborough have marked many national events with their own celebrations.
After the misery and loss of the 1914-1918 war, the 1919 peace celebrations were a much needed opportunity for the villagers to have some fun. On this occasion, the people of Singleborough had their own celebration as well as participating in the Great Horwood event. Florence Rich, the schoolmaster’s eldest daughter and secretary to the Great Horwood celebration committee, wrote accounts of both. Singleborough held its peace celebration on Friday 18th July 1919. The houses were decorated with flags and bunting and all of the demobilised soldiers in Great Horwood and Singleborough were invited, along with all the inhabitants of the hamlet. A cricket match was played between Singleborough and the soldiers, which the soldiers won by an innings and 33 runs. A meat tea was enjoyed by 140 people and then ten men played a hilarious game of musical chairs on horseback, won by Mr J Hore.
The Great Horwood celebrations were held the next day. The bells woke the villagers at 6.00 am, William and Sol Elmes fired a large cannon at intervals, making the nearby houses shake, and Jesse Marks sounded the Rouse on his cornet. The Roll of Honour on the churchyard wall was decorated with several wreaths and crosses and the words ‘Lest we forget’ above. It rained all day so Mr Elmes was unable to send up his fire balloons but most of the planned sports races did take place. Most of the races were light-hearted ones, including the pipe and tobacco race, the needle and cotton race and the costume scramble. A meat tea was eaten in relays in Mr Hanson’s barn called ‘The Hovel’, followed by a dance in the school. The Great Horwood Band played all day long and was given cheers at midnight when the celebrations ended as it was now Sunday.
Coronations and Jubilees
The coronations of Kings and Queens of England have also been occasions for the whole village community to gather together to celebrate.
Coronation of George IV
The earliest recorded coronation celebration was that for King George IV’s Coronation on 19th July 1821. As part of the celebrations, five Great Horwood labourers asserted an ancient right on Coronation Day to cut down a tree and erect it in a conspicuous part of the village as a ‘Coronation Pole’. The oak they felled belonged to New College Oxford as Lord of the Manor but, after the celebrations, the five men sold the timber and kept the profits. They were convicted of theft and fined.
Celebration Sports and Entertainments
The celebrations of past coronations and jubilees included similar events. The church bells were rung at various points, usually including as early as 5 am on the main day of celebrations. There were parades, church services, entertainments and sports for all ages. The sports generally included both serious races and more amusing contests, such as slow bicycle race, three-legged race, obstacle course and tug of war.
The 1897 celebration of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee included ladies’ tug of war, not an activity usually associated with Victorian ladies. The Great Horwood Band, established the year after Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, did not play at her Diamond Jubilee ‘owing to a misunderstanding’. However, it has played for all subsequent coronations and jubilees, generally leading at least one parade and providing entertainment at other points during the festivities.
Celebration Teas and Dinners
Eating was another important part of each of these celebrations. Usually, the wealthier villagers donated money or supplies to provide free celebration meals for everyone in the parish. In 1887, Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee coincided with the 80th birthday of the Rector, Simon Adams, so the ever-generous Rector paid for the children’s tea as well as contributing to the cost of the adults’ meals. In 1887 and 1897, men and women ate their celebration lunch (‘dinner’) together in a marquee at the rectory but, on later occasions, the men had a cold meat lunch in the village hall and the women had afternoon tea there later while the children had tea in the school.
Coronation of George IV
The earliest recorded coronation celebration was that for King George IV’s Coronation on 19th July 1821. As part of the celebrations, five Great Horwood labourers asserted an ancient right on Coronation Day to cut down a tree and erect it in a conspicuous part of the village as a ‘Coronation Pole’. The oak they felled belonged to New College Oxford as Lord of the Manor but, after the celebrations, the five men sold the timber and kept the profits. They were convicted of theft and fined.
Celebration Sports and Entertainments
The celebrations of past coronations and jubilees included similar events. The church bells were rung at various points, usually including as early as 5 am on the main day of celebrations. There were parades, church services, entertainments and sports for all ages. The sports generally included both serious races and more amusing contests, such as slow bicycle race, three-legged race, obstacle course and tug of war.
The 1897 celebration of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee included ladies’ tug of war, not an activity usually associated with Victorian ladies. The Great Horwood Band, established the year after Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, did not play at her Diamond Jubilee ‘owing to a misunderstanding’. However, it has played for all subsequent coronations and jubilees, generally leading at least one parade and providing entertainment at other points during the festivities.
Celebration Teas and Dinners
Eating was another important part of each of these celebrations. Usually, the wealthier villagers donated money or supplies to provide free celebration meals for everyone in the parish. In 1887, Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee coincided with the 80th birthday of the Rector, Simon Adams, so the ever-generous Rector paid for the children’s tea as well as contributing to the cost of the adults’ meals. In 1887 and 1897, men and women ate their celebration lunch (‘dinner’) together in a marquee at the rectory but, on later occasions, the men had a cold meat lunch in the village hall and the women had afternoon tea there later while the children had tea in the school.
The villagers did not enjoy a big meal for King Edward VII’s Coronation in August 1902 because they had eaten it in July. Edward VII’s July Coronation was postponed because he was ill but the villagers’ celebratory feasts were already bought and prepared so they ate them anyway. They could not then afford another dinner in August so the women and children were given ginger beer and buns, while the men had beer, bread and cheese.
Parades
Most coronation and jubilee celebrations included fancy dress parades. The fancy dress winners at King George V’s Silver Jubilee in 1935 included Phyllis Davies as Britannia in a jubilee car, George Edmans with his motorbike disguised as Bluebird, the speed record car, and a young Nora Ridgway as Magpie Pierrot.
Parades
Most coronation and jubilee celebrations included fancy dress parades. The fancy dress winners at King George V’s Silver Jubilee in 1935 included Phyllis Davies as Britannia in a jubilee car, George Edmans with his motorbike disguised as Bluebird, the speed record car, and a young Nora Ridgway as Magpie Pierrot.
For Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation, there was a costume parade of school children and infants of the welfare centre, led by a wagon decorated as a ‘Britannia Car’. The villagers also put on a pageant of past monarchs and other British Empire builders.
Flags, Bunting and Decorated Houses
From the Coronation of King George V in 1911 until Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee in 2002, there was also a decorated house competition. For Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation and Silver Jubilee celebrations almost every house was decorated with flags, bunting or more lavish displays.
From the Coronation of King George V in 1911 until Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee in 2002, there was also a decorated house competition. For Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation and Silver Jubilee celebrations almost every house was decorated with flags, bunting or more lavish displays.
Mementos
Often the children of the village were given a special memento of the day. They each received a medal in 1902, a coronation mug in 1911, and a bible and prayer book for King George VI’s Coronation in 1937.
Often the children of the village were given a special memento of the day. They each received a medal in 1902, a coronation mug in 1911, and a bible and prayer book for King George VI’s Coronation in 1937.
Battles and Fireworks
At the celebrations of the Coronation of King Edward VII in 1902 and of King George V in 1911 the village school boys, drilled by local servicemen, were dressed as soldiers and engaged in a mock battle.
At the celebrations of the Coronation of King Edward VII in 1902 and of King George V in 1911 the village school boys, drilled by local servicemen, were dressed as soldiers and engaged in a mock battle.
Other exciting elements of the celebrations included bonfires and fireworks displays for George V’s Silver Jubilee and for Elizabeth II’s Coronation and Silver Jubilee. Mr Elmes sent up fire balloons for George V’s Coronation and Silver Jubilee and also fired his cannon in celebration. In 1935 the Monday church service to commemorate King George V’s Silver Jubilee finished in time for people to listen to the St Paul’s radio broadcast and, in 1953, Mr & Mrs Griffin had their television set up in the school so that villagers could watch Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation procession.
Floral Arches
Great Horwood was renowned for constructing particularly fine celebratory arches. The arch built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee was declared ‘the most artistic for many miles around’. It spanned the entrance to School End and was designed by Alfred Rich, the Schoolmaster, and decorated by his wife Caroline, Marie Chevalier and other ladies.
Floral Arches
Great Horwood was renowned for constructing particularly fine celebratory arches. The arch built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee was declared ‘the most artistic for many miles around’. It spanned the entrance to School End and was designed by Alfred Rich, the Schoolmaster, and decorated by his wife Caroline, Marie Chevalier and other ladies.
Likewise, the arch to celebrate George V’s Coronation was ‘pronounced by all to be the best in the district’. It spanned the road by The Swan and included around 200 paper poppies hand made by the ladies.
The arch built to celebrate Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee was perhaps the largest celebratory arch in Great Horwood’s history. It was erected across Singleborough Lane because the County Council refused permission for it to be built across the High Street.
Speaking at King George V’s Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1935, Alfred Rich recalled Great Horwood’s celebrations of earlier coronations and jubilees. He noted that ‘on each occasion Great Horwood did splendidly on account of the united loyal efforts of the parishioners’. These were days when problems and differences were set aside and ‘complete harmony and pleasure marked the whole event’.
Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee
Alfred Rich’s words still hold true today, as shown by the celebration of Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.
Ann Elliott writes:
The village celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee held on Monday 4th June 2012 were a real celebration of all that is great in our country and in our village - joyful, happy and unifying. The church bells rang out for the start of the celebration event and D Jack Smith, Lord of the Manor of Great Horwood, cut the opening ribbon under the floral arch made by Jeannie Marshall.
The Great Horwood Silver Band played, undeterred by the odd shower of rain. They opened the whole event and then played again to start the beginning of the picnic itself. An indefatigable town crier proclaimed the event, marching up and down and ringing his bell. It was a superb party, which most of the residents of Great Horwood and Singleborough attended at some time during the day. The centre of the village was a sea of picnic tables, bunting and smiling faces.
Ann Elliott writes:
The village celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee held on Monday 4th June 2012 were a real celebration of all that is great in our country and in our village - joyful, happy and unifying. The church bells rang out for the start of the celebration event and D Jack Smith, Lord of the Manor of Great Horwood, cut the opening ribbon under the floral arch made by Jeannie Marshall.
The Great Horwood Silver Band played, undeterred by the odd shower of rain. They opened the whole event and then played again to start the beginning of the picnic itself. An indefatigable town crier proclaimed the event, marching up and down and ringing his bell. It was a superb party, which most of the residents of Great Horwood and Singleborough attended at some time during the day. The centre of the village was a sea of picnic tables, bunting and smiling faces.
There was entertainment for the children, including a magic show, circus skills, sponge football and sumo wrestling, together with traditional races including egg and spoon and sack races, and a tug of war. We had a wonderful King and Queen fancy dress competition with some brilliantly creative costumes; George Landymore and Hannah Fuller were crowned ‘Jubilee King and Queen’. Each child at the celebration received a commemorative medal.
Everyone made a huge effort with their picnics. The Union Jack colours of red, white and blue were used in the most wonderful creations including table settings, cakes and buns, pavement drawings and patriotic outfits. The W.I. made an abundance of jubilee cupcakes, which were eaten almost the moment they hit the tables, and June Margerrison made a fantastic celebration cake that represented all the organisations in the village.
No fewer than two pig roasts, plus a fish and chip van and an ice cream van, kept everyone fed until late into the evening. The Crown’s usual good selection of refreshments was augmented by a variety of interesting cask ales, jugs of Pimms and plates of strawberries and ice-cream. Even John Bercow, our local MP and Speaker of the House of Commons, arrived and joined in.
At 8.00 pm the dancing started. A fantastic local band, The Cantells, plus a wonderful singer, Karen Bizzell, provided music that everyone could dance to. The lighting of the beacon at nightfall was accompanied by all the villagers singing the National Anthem. The dancing then continued into the small hours when the final revellers swayed home, happy and content. What a wonderful day! What a wonderful village!
At 8.00 pm the dancing started. A fantastic local band, The Cantells, plus a wonderful singer, Karen Bizzell, provided music that everyone could dance to. The lighting of the beacon at nightfall was accompanied by all the villagers singing the National Anthem. The dancing then continued into the small hours when the final revellers swayed home, happy and content. What a wonderful day! What a wonderful village!
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