Lots of people have been waxing sentimental about the fact that Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band have manfully played concerts in the rain over the last few nights. Now, I’m a fan, I love his music, I’ve seen him live a couple of times, and it’s great that they didn’t cancel concerts because of bad weather but I have rather more admiration for the brass band musicians who will be marching into Saddleworth villages in the rain this evening.
Today is Whit Friday, Band Concert day. When I arrived to work in Oldham in the early 1970s a number of things surprised me: youngsters who used a whole range of close to incomprehensible vocabulary I had never come across before; Oldham Wakes holidays, when schools closed for two weeks at the end of June beginning of July, a hangover from the time when local textile mills would all close for two weeks, the machinery would be serviced and the employees would go off on holiday to places like Blackpool and Southport (and later to the Costa del Sol); and great enthusiasm for brass bands and the band contest, which later featured in the film ‘Brassed Off’.
The music teacher at the school where I worked had special permission to take White Friday off because he was the director/leader of Dobcross brass band. And, once we moved to a house in Delph, I grew used to the fact that it was difficult to get home from work and find a decent parking spot on Whit Friday, with roads closed and parking restricted to allow the band coaches easier access to each village.
Whit Walks were not new. I grew up expecting to walk in procession with the church and Sunday School on Whit Sunday, Pentecost. It’s the seventh Sunday after Easter and commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ's disciples. (Some say that in England it took on some characteristics of Beltane, which originated from the pagan celebration of Summer's Day, the beginning of the summer half-year, in Europe, like so many Christian festivals subsuming older celebrations.) We usually had new clothes for Whit Sunday, as a rule a white pleated skirt for girls and white sandals, both of which became part of our ‘Sunday best’.
But we had no Whit Friday and no brass bands or contests. The brass band contests, initially with bands from collieries and textile mills, seem very much a Saddleworth affair. There has been much confusion as friends have asked me about a photo I posted showing the junior band practising last week. Granddaughter Number One has been puzzled as to why nothing is happening in nearby Shaw, where she has recently taken up residence. And Granddaughter Number Two, studying in York, announced to her housemates that today is Whit Friday and was surprised that none of them knew what she was talking about.
For a while the band contest, the closest thing to a fiesta around here, was an excuse for all-day binge drinking, and small boys running round with pea shooters firing dried peas at all and sundry, but that has calmed down nowadays. Much drinking still goes on but it’s more controlled. There also used to be a “beer walk” on the Saturday following Whit Friday. I think it was organised by the local Round Table organisation. Groups paid a subscription fee, donned fancy dress and walked (or indeed, ran) in a kind of procession from village to village, stopping for a half pint of beer at every participating pub along the way, and collecting funds for their chosen cause as they went. I think that may have disappeared even before Covid came along, although last year I saw people out and about in fancy dress. Just dressed up in silly costumes, not collecting sponsor money.
Here’s a photo of Whit Walks in Delph from a few generations ago.
A more recent tradition, providing entertainment for children on half term holiday from school, and maybe for easily amused adults, is the Delph Donkey trail. Businesses and some private houses put scarecrow-type dummies in their gardens, all with donkey faces - called the Donkey Trail because we have the Donkey Line bridle path nearby. Maps are sold with a sheet to tick off the donkeys spotted.
The pub next door to us has a sort of ‘Finding Nemo’ themed donkey next to their fish pond.
Local fun and games! It’s a pity it has rained on our parade again!
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
No comments:
Post a Comment