50 years ago
Cover: 1959
Marjory Ellis turned her thoughts to Easter customs, and came across an unusual one in an old letter, dated 1799 and written by “a person of great respectability”.
“Dear Sir,” the letter read, “Having been a witness lately to . . . a very curious custom at Shrewsbury, I take the liberty of mentioning it in the hope that . . . you may be able to give me some account of the origin of it.
“I was sitting alone last Easter Tuesday at breakfast at the Talbot at [Market Street] Shrewsbury, when I was surprised by the entrance of all the female servants of the house, handing in an armchair decorated with ribbons of different colours. I asked them what they wanted. Their answer was they came to heave me.
“It was the custom of the place on that morning, and they hoped I would take a seat in the chair. It was impossible not to comply with a request very modestly made and to a set of nymphs in their best apparel and several of them under 20.
“The group then lifted me from the ground, turned the chair about and I had the felicity of a salute from each. I told them I supposed there was a fee due, and was answered in the affirmative.”
On Easter Monday the men ‘heaved’ the women in the same manner, and it seems that the custom was held to typify the Resurrection. Unsurprisingly, this ‘horseplay’ was frowned on by the authorities.
Cover: 2009
Aside from the articles you can browse on this website, the print magazine contains a wealth of fascinating feature pieces and regular items to keep you entertained and informed. This month, you can also read about:
Enter stage left . . . Whitchurch Little Theatre Group has collected its free bus pass but continues to drive drama forward in the north Shropshire town. Neil Thomas hears of 60 years of stagecraft
Alfred the great . . . It’s also six decades since Alfred Morris struck up a friendship with Bob Freeman – an acquaintance that’s lately been renewed. Alfred tells Shirley Tart about his colourful life
Pictures of A Shropshire Lad . . . A beautiful new book of photographs by Gareth B Thomas captures scenes described in the verses. We offer a preview
Sunny side up . . . Sunnycroft, the fascinating Victorian/ Edwardian National Trust villa in Wellington has scooped an award for its splendid tearoom, and is looking forward to opening for the new season. Shirley Tart takes a tour of inspection
Ski boots and green roots . . . Teenage columnist Hannah Coles dips her toes into work experience and finds the water’s fine – so come on in!
Saints above . . . St Alkmund’s Church in the centre of Shrewsbury is undergoing a costly, but impressive, revamp. Andy Richardson scales the heights to check on progress
Competition . . . Win a Play in the Park dining occasion, with dinner at Weston Park and tickets to A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Kelly Johnstone and Corrie Swaffield model gowns at Adcote Girls’ School’s fashion show, recorded in our Out and About section this month.
Out and about . . . Shirley Tart’s social diary and a selection of your social events preserved for posterity by our photographers
Food and drink . . . This month’s food news; Neil Thomas breaks bread at Mad Jack’s in the county town, while Andy Richardson makes a return to Koo in Ludlow
Fashion and beauty . . . Floral flair on the high street; Rebecca Lawrence on beauty; Neil Thomas on a new children’s clothing website based in the county; Nathan Rous rolls up his sleeves
Gardening . . . We talk to a woman with designs on your garden
Antiques . . . Nick Fletcher takes a nostalgic browse on the bookshelves, as he considers the enduring appeal of Enid Blyton
Travel . . . Neil Thomas enjoys a night in the cells in Oxford; Andy Richardson discovers the riches of the Ile de Ré on France’s Atlantic coastline
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