Following our traditional autumnal break and after an educational visit to Fishwick County Primary School on the 22nd October, the team got back into action with a Lancashire Day Celebration run by the U3A in Aughton near Ormskirk on the 1st December.
It was a ‘reet gud do’ with West Lancashire’s town crier, Don Evans, in attendance, resplendently kitted out in his scarlet uniform and tri-corn hat and Don dutifully spent the day carrying out the traditional role of the town crier – reading out the proclamation followed by the recitation of some favourite old Lancashire monologues.
Lancashire Day, which normally is observed on the 27th November, commemorates the date in 1295 that the first elected representatives from the area were called to Westminster by King Edward I to attend what later became known as "The Model Parliament".
The team put on an enthusiastic display of Morris with such dances as ‘The Rose Tree, Constant Billy and Lads a Buncham’ interspersed with Lancashire Folk songs.
The afternoon’s celebrations were co-ordinated by mine host and MC, Margaret Gibbon, who had splendidly researched the history of the county and continually delivered an ongoing synopsis of the subject throughout the day. Two young children appeared on the scene from the local school attired in 19th century dress much to the delight of a very well attended function and everyone sampled traditional snacks in celebration of the occasion.
The team behaved impeccably. Indeed, there was no brawling, fighting or general disorder and we were almost asked for a return visit. Len Daniels, Roy Hill and Paul Dryden got lost a little on route and arrived on the scene a tad late and somebody left his flower bedecked straw behind. Other than that all went well.
Next up is the annual Garstang Victorian Fair which this year will take place on Monday 7th December.