In our town, Preston, Lancashire, it all happened on Avenham Park back then, a lovely large park with flatlands and big grassy slopes perfect for egg rolling.
The whole family would go along with hundreds of others and spend the day there. Toys were taken too and I even took my Kendo bamboo swords to play fight with my brothers with one year.
I have no footage of those special Easter Mondays on Avenham Park in the late Sixties and early seventies but luckily enough other people did film their happy times and some of it has found its way onto You Tube. Its a very old custom there, egg rolling, and there's even film from 1901 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fDqH15n2iU
Here's one family's very evocative film from my own childhood decade. Though not mine, my own family could well have been there that Monday, which is quite a touching thought for me, as those where the best years, when my parents were young and healthy and we were just kids, who's job was just having fun!
Did you/ do you have an Easter ritual like egg rolling readers?
Maybe Easter, or Whit Sunday at Myrtle Park in Bingley, West Yorks, we had 'Dwyle Flunking', 'Wellie Chucking' and a Fireworks display.
ReplyDeleteMish.
What was Dwyle Flunking Mish?
DeleteSorry Woodsy.
ReplyDeleteThought you would know this one.
It has various forms, but basically it's a pub 'sport' in which blindfolded individuals or teams compete to hit each other with beer soaked 'Dwyle', which in my area was Rhubarb sticks, either whilst standing in barrels, or whilst dancing. It can be carried out a bit like 'Musical Chairs'. When the music stops, or starts, you belt the other competitor(s) with the Dwyle.
The winner is whoever gets the most blows, or is still standing, by the end.
Mish.
P.S. The prize is usually...er...Beer !
Nope never heard of that Mish but it sounds like fun! Wet rhubarb probably hurts when youre whacked with it! ha ha
DeleteOh yes, I forgot. The 'blindfolds' can sometimes be buckets put over the heads of the participants (for protection).
ReplyDeleteMish.
Sounds like a good idea!
Delete