Imagine a world 400 years ago where children were used as chimney
sweeps. The pay was low, it was a dirty trade and there was little
reward for the men who did the job and even less for children.
Medway’s annual Sweeps Festival recreates the joy and laughter
enjoyed by the chimney sweeps at their traditional holiday: the one time
of the year the sweeps could leave the soot behind and have some fun.
The sweeps’ holiday was traditionally held on 1 May each year. Locally,
they used to mark the occasion by staging a procession through the
streets of Rochester.
Their fun continued with the Jack-in-the-Green ceremony, a seven-foot
character that they used to waken at dawn on Blue Bell Hill, Chatham.
The Jack-in-the-Green would walk with the chimney sweeps in their
parade. When the Climbing Boys’ Act 1868 made it illegal to employ young
boys to carry out the trade, the traditional procession gradually began
to fade. The final May celebration was held in the early 1900s.
The modern day Rochester Sweeps Festival is a colourful mix of music,
dancing and entertainment with more than 60 Morris sides and
entertainers celebrating throughout the three-day festival.
The festival was revived in 1981 by local businessman Gordon Newton, a
keen historian. He decided it was time to bring it back and over the
years he has helped develop the festival into what it is today – an
extravaganza of traditional Britain.
Gordon researched the Sweeps’ tradition and organised a small parade,
involving local Morris teams. In time, Medway Council took over
organisation of the festival but Gordon remained actively involved.
Today he is festival producer and plays melodeon for several Morris
teams.
Doug Hudson is the festival’s music director, a role he has held for
many years. Doug is lead singer with the Hot Rats and well known on the
local and national folk scene. He was involved in a folk club at Medway
Little Theatre in the 1970s and now arranges a programme for Medway Folk
Cellar and Folk at the Brook, two local clubs whose performers can be
found in the brochures for the Brook and Central Theatres and on the
theatre booking website.
Through Gordon’s vision and hard work, Doug’s musical ability and the
council’s help, the Rochester Sweeps Festival has become the largest
May Day celebration of its kind in the country.
The Sweeps Festival is special because the centre of Rochester truly
opens its arms and embraces the three-day event. You don’t have to know
much about Morris dancing to enjoy the festival because it has more than
enough atmosphere to go round.
Saturday, 5 May; Sunday, 6 May; Monday, 7 May 2012.
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