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The theme for the October issue of the parish magazine, Cross Keys, is ‘autumn frolics.’ The word frolic conjures up visions of gambolling youths and maidens, capering about and making merry and indeed it is defined thus in dictionaries where I also found the words ‘an outburst of fun.’ This reminded me of an occasion, associated with St. Peter’s, which could be described as that.
The Rev John Stead Patrick Fagan exchanged livings with the Rev Middleton Bone and was licensed to St. Peters on the 18th December 1906. April of the following year found him writing to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners stating that it was hoped to build a Parish Hall for St. Peter’s to be used for Sunday School, Guilds, Men’s Societies, Girls Clubs, etc. At present only a broken down iron building existed that was not worth repairing, a new granite built hall would cost £750 to £800. Would help be forthcoming? I do not know how the Commissioners replied but the Reverend Fagan was not wasting time. The Cornishman of June 27th 1907 advertised a fund raising Rummage Sale in the schoolroom on Friday, June 28th at 6 pm, followed by a concert at 8.30 pm after evensong. It also gave notice of a Pageant at the end of July for the same purpose. It was proposed that the sack of Newlyn by the Spaniards and the landing of Perkin Warbeck would form part of the programme.
The Cornishman reporter was rather cynical in his approach to the news writing, a week or so later under the heading ‘Land and Water Pageant’ –
Pageants seem to be becoming quite common. We have had galas and carnivals for so long we are weary of the sound of them. We have perhaps never really taken to ‘gala’ or to ‘carnival’, something too foreign about the sound – but Pageant – the very word conjures up Merrie England and all the storied past, the spacious, leisurely times of well beloved Elizabeth or the Professors of the penultimate Plantageant. But there are of course Pageants and Pageants, and the forthcoming one at Newlyn on August 9th, if not on such a large and historical scale as some of the up-country ones, will be, we are thinking, a glorious mummery anyhow. Newlyn folk of all sorts and sizes seem to be already full of it.
This last comment was certainly true, over a thousand persons put their names forward to take part in the Pageant, although organised by St. Peter’s the cause was considered a good one and so Wesleyans and Primitives, Bible Christians and the Salvation Army all gave their assistance. Initially there were five scenes from the early history of the locality planned: Phoenicians and Britons, King Arthur’s Knights, Perkin Warbeck and retinue, Don Diego de Brochero and Spanish troops and finally, Fairfax and troopers. Eventually it seemed that anyone who was able to make, borrow, hire or otherwise procure a costume that had some vague historical connection took part. Fishing boats were to be transformed into galleons and galleys and Lord St. Levan promised to allow his steam yacht, St. Michael, to take them in tow for a display opposite the promenade before the landing took place. The Cornishman commented ‘One grows fearful that some are going to too great an expense and a lot of silver and gold will have to be dropped in the boxes if the expenses are to be met.’
Preparations took only about four weeks and the great day, the 9th August dawned (of course!) to rain. As the newspaper report commented ‘the four galleons designed by Mr J. D. Mackenzie and constructed by Mr John Blewett looked very weird as they lay at anchor in Newlyn harbour, half hidden at times with dense clouds of drizzling rain which swept the place, but they made a gallant show with their fluttering pennants and high poops.’ Elsewhere on the beach gigs, etc. were being transformed into oddly shaped and picturesque craft. A wet morning gave way to a fine afternoon and, with the sunshine, strangely garbed figures began to throng the streets of the village. Thousands of spectators began to assemble on the promenade and along the route of the procession, the plan being that after the sea display the occupants of the boats would be landed at the North pier , where the ceremony of receiving Perkin Warbeck would take place, and then join the walking and mounted participants at the foot of Paul Hill. There is insufficient room here to give a full account of the spectacle; the Cornishman devoted three long columns of very small print (11th September 1907) to its account of the proceedings.
The decorated craft taking part in the sea display swept out of the harbour in tow of Lord St. Levan’s yacht and the ‘Nora’ and made stately progress across the Bay until abreast of the Battery Rocks where a circuit was made and the course retraced. A magnificent spectacle for the crowds assembled on the promenade.
Disembarked at the North pier, in a harbour thronged with fishing boats laden with crews and their families, the participants made their way up the pier under flower-bedecked arches to join the land procession. Led by mounted participants and decorated wagonettes, the procession made its way across the sea front, up Chapel Street, down Morrab Road and back to Newlyn. The newspaper account gives the names of as many participants as possible, artists and local residents, adults and children; not forgetting those who designed and made costumes and superintended the making of over 4,000 bunches of flowers used to make triumphal arches and etc. There I must end but if anyone would like to see a full account of the event please ask me for a copy.
The Cornishman, of course, had the last word ending their report with the news that the event had only raised ‘about £42.’ But what a glorious frolic! If anyone reading this has photographs of the event I should love to see them.
Margaret Perry
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