Traditional pursuits in November – part 2

 

Traditional pursuits in November – part 2

Images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The State Coach in which the Lord Mayor travels is over  250 years old and

 is guarded by Pikemen. It is drawn by six shire horses, a postillion on the

 first pair and the following four driven by a coachman on the box seat.

London has two mayors. The Mayor of London is responsible for the government of Greater London and is elected by Londoners. The Mayor of London may serve a maximum of two four-year terms. It is a position that was created in 2000 by the last Labour government and is political in character. The Mayor of London is responsible for improving London’s environment, ensuring among other things, that transport is efficient, helping the city’s businesses to thrive, attempting to provide sufficient and affordable housing.

It is a role completely separate to that of the Lord Mayor.

The Lord Mayor’s Show is held on the second Saturday in November every year. It dates from 1215 and is the oldest civic procession in the world, only being cancelled in the event of national disaster or disruption, like the 1665 Great Plague, the Reform Bill riots of 1830 and the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

This year it falls on 11^th November, Remembrance Day. It is customary for a two-minute silence to be observed at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, the time at which the Armistice was signed in 1918.

It is a poignant moment when everything ceases for that two-minute period, in supermarkets, in educational establishments, the BBC, wherever it is practicable so to do. It will be observed prior to the commencement of the procession.

 Many floats representing businesses. youth groups, charities and others take part in the procession.

A new Lord Mayor is elected every year and the office reflects his position as the civic leader of the City of London, an area also known as the Square Mile. The Square Mile is London’s main financial centre. 

He is voted in by the liverymen belonging to the Great Twelve Livery  Companies - the Mercers, Grocers, Drapers, Fishmongers, Goldsmiths,  Merchant Taylors, Skinners, Haberdashers, Salters, Ironmongers, Vintners  and Clothworkers - and other livery companies, such as the Worshipful  Company of Basketmakers, participate by invitation.

The Lord Mayor’s Show focuses on a grand street procession, involving mediaeval pageantry and carnival. Participants include representatives of the armed forces, charities, youth movements, businesses and Londoners from various communities. It is a colourful, entertaining celebration culminating in a grand fireworks display.

Traditional pursuits in November

 

Traditional pursuits in November

In the Devonshire town of Ottery St Mary, November 4^th will see the annual custom of Tar Barrels. This tradition is normally observed on 5^th November except when that date falls on a Sunday, as it does this year. In that case, the event takes place on the day before.

It is an ancient tradition associated with the burning of witches and became connected with Guy Fawkes after the failed plot to blow up King James in the House of Lords in 1605. Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators had a ghastly trial and execution.

The objective is to race through the streets of the town carrying lit wooden tar barrels on their backs. Originally, they were rolled until someone decided it would be more fun to carry them. Ottery St Mary is the only town in UK to carry lighted tar barrels.

Participants are known as Barrel Rollers and to be eligible must have been born in the town or own a business there. The event starts in the afternoon with small barrels and the sizes increase until the last huge barrel, known as the Midnight Barrel is rolled through to the town square around midnight.

Guy Fawkes’ Night, now more usually called Bonfire Night or Fireworks Night started as a celebration of the survival of King James. Now, bonfires are built across the British Isles, from small ones in back gardens to huge bonfires at community events. Often a guy, an effigy of Guy Fawkes himself, or of a currently unpopular personality, is placed atop the fire to be burnt. Fireworks remind onlookers of the power of gunpowder, though most don’t consider the history behind the practice. Often Roman Catholics do not have a guy, since Guido Fawkes was a Catholic, but may wish to have a bonfire and fireworks.

Children may still make a guy and peddle it round the streets, begging for ‘a penny for the guy.’

It’s rather a horrible custom at base, really. Taken at its most harmless, it is a chance to watch a big bonfire and fireworks and enjoy some casual refreshments.

It is a nightmare for wild animals and domestic animals kept outside and can be equally terrifying for household pets. Animal charities dread November 5^th, knowing they will be dealing with animals that have been cruelly abused with fireworks. There’s nothing more beastly than callous humans.