The Lockdown Diaries

Day Thirty Six

Unite and unite and lets us all unite, for summer is i-cumen today

I lived in Cornwall for a decade in the 80’s and took part in many of its old traditions, such as hurling the Silver Ball in St Columb Major; singing around the Midsummer Bonfire atop Castle an Dinas; attending Helford’s Furry (Floral) Dance on 8^th May; and consuming with great pleasure the authentic Cornish pasty on every occasion.

And every year, the boys and l went to Padstow to take part in the ‘Obby ‘Oss celebrations on 1^st May

In 2020, most of these wonderful event have been cancelled and just after midnight on 30^th April, when May Day traditionally begins, there will be silence in that lovely old fishing town.

It will also be a huge disappointment to the 40,000 who come from every corner of the world, to watch the dipping, diving antics of the ‘Oss.

May Day begins at the Golden Lion Inn with midnight singing to the landlord.

At 8am, Padstow’s children, leading their ‘Obby ‘Osses are followed by The Blue Ribbon ‘Oss (added in 1919 as a temperance ‘oss, now Peace ‘Oss).

An hour later, ‘Old ‘Oss appears and led by teasers, who dance around the ‘oss, cavorts through the crowds to the sound of the traditional tune.

The 'Oss tries to catch a maiden and tradition has it that if you're caught, you'll be pregnant within the year. Some maidens will rush towards the 'Oss, hoping to be caught. Others, to much laughter, run away.

The Master of Ceremonies, with top hat and decorated stick , leads the two parades to the accompaniment of a band with accordions and drums.

The traditional May Daysong is an integral part of the festival and pamphlets of the words used to be given out so visitors could sing along. Now, with 40,000 spectators that’s no longer possible.

You can hear it here:

https://padstowobbyoss.wordpress.com/music/

Only those whose families have lived in Padstow for at least two generations can take part in the actual 'Obby 'Oss procession but anyone can follow and join the singing as they make their way round the narrow streets towards the Maypole.

The celebrations continue all day with fairground rides and games for children and every shop and restaurant in Padstow, including Rick Stein’s, offering something special.

During the 1837 celebrations, some young rowdies fired pistols into the air, no doubt forgetting, in those crowded streets, that ‘what goes up (like a bullet) must come down (possibly on someone’s head).

At dusk, around 9:30 pm, the ceremony to return the ‘Osses to their stables begins.

Both teams sing the ‘Farewell Song’.

"I go where duty calls me,

I go what ere befalls me,

Farewell Farewell, my own true love."

That isn’t the end of the festival. The tourists go back to their hotels and everyone else returns to the pub, orders another pasty and a glass of something fizzy and talks and laughs well into the next day.

Good days, great memories.