October

I’ve been doing a series of blogs for awhile now on what to do during in a particular month if you missed out on that last minute cruise deal. Included have been some of the wackier days out/festivals that can be found around our dear old Island. This months entries are no different, (although the last one sounds like a Halloween rip off to me, although after writing this I’m sure I’m going to get a bunch of emails from people telling me it’s a century’s old tradition). Read on if you dare……………..

On the first Sunday of every month, (which checking my calendar means we’ve already missed this on; did anyone go? Was it any good?) is the Pearly King Harvest Festival. Held at Church of St Martin-in-the-Fields and it dates from around the 19th century. Apparently the Pearly Kings & Queens are a much-loved Cockney tradition that started when a young boy covered a suit with pearly buttons to attract attention and to raise money for the poor at charity events and fairs. Other boroughs were so impressed that they got their own Pearly King or Queen.
The tradition continues to thrive today and Pearly Kings and Queens can be seen in their full spectacle at the annual Pearly Kings and Queens Harvest Festival. The annual Harvest Festival Service at the church of St. Martin-in-the Fields offers a spectacular display of historical London in all its glory.

On the Second Sunday of every October the World Conker Championship are held in Ashton, Northamptonshire. I’m not going to go on about how to play conkers, (anyone over the age of about 25 should be able to tell you that) but for a complete copy of the rules click here.

Then on the fourth Thursday of October, apparently every year? The children of Southern England would carve their ‘Punkies’, (pumpkins) into Jack O'Lanterns. Once carved the children would go out in groups and march through the streets, singing traditional ‘punky’ songs, calling in at friendly houses and competing for best lantern with rival groups they meet. The streets would be lit with the light of the Punkies.
Today, in Hinton St George, Somerset, the children still carry candle-lanterns made from hollow out pumpkins through the streets in the evening.

Hmmmm, I’m going to need some convincing that this one is real and not some rip off of Halloween as celebrated by our colonial cousins.

Happy cruising.