6 minute read
History
The information below is based on several articles from The Tavistock Gazette in May and June 1887. All quotes are from The Tavistock Gazette’s extensive report of the day printed 24 June 1887, unless otherwise stated.
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Tuesday 21 June 1887 was a gloriously sunny day, a day befitting Tavistock’s celebrations for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Bedford Square was decorated with streamers and several large fir trees, with flags and more streamers suspended from businesses and homes throughout the rest of the town. The day started with a procession from the Guildhall accompanied by the volunteer band and the borough mace-bearers, to the church, where there was a service thanking God for the long reign of Queen Victoria. As well as prayers, it included a hymn composed by the Bishop of Exeter. Afterwards, accompanied by a “merry peal of the church bells”, the dignitaries proceeded up West Street, down Russell Street to Plymouth Road and back to the Guildhall.
At 11 o’clock, the sports events started with races along Plymouth Road. There were so many onlookers it was hard, on occasions, to keep the course clear. There were six running events for the children, which were followed after lunch by adult sports, including a 3-mile cycle race, a half-mile wheelbarrow race and two donkey races which “created much amusement”. A greasy pole erected in the Guildhall square with a leg of mutton at the top provided further amusement for many people, until two brothers assisted each other to claim the prize later in the day. At 3 o’clock children assembled at their various Sunday Schools or the Board School on Plymouth Road and marched to Market Hall accompanied by bands where they received their jubilee medal. The hall was “very gaily decorated” with drapes and each corner had a picture of her Majesty. Evergreens and flags were arranged over the doorway while baskets of greenery hung from the ceiling. There was a profusion of bunting and tri-coloured rosettes everywhere. In a testimony to forward planning and military precision, tea started promptly at 4 o’clock when about 1,400 children sat down. Grace was followed by a serving of hot tea and fresh buns – buttered, jammed and creamed “toughs” (also called ‘tuffs’, a yeast based, semisweet bun*1.), with enough provided for children to take away and eat on the streets later in the day whilst they enjoyed the band music and the general
entertainment everywhere they went in the town.
In less than a quarter of an hour after the children left, Market Hall was cleared by a multitude of willing helpers and re-laid for the adults’ tea. It was open to all adult residents who lived within the parish, with the organising committee planning for up to 2,000
Queen Victoria by Alexander Bessano 1887
Queen Victoria by Alexander Bessano 1887 people, requiring around 60 carvers and 120 waiters, with 1,600 attending on the day. Each visitor was asked to bring their own cutlery and was shown to the next available seat, with some tables having three sets of visitors. Rich and poor, young and old sat next to each other, with some tables having navvies and gypsies sitting next to aldermen and shop owners, all showing grace and politeness. The day finished with a firework display on the moor with traps ferrying people up there to see the bonfires. At 9.50pm, a royal salute of 21 shells was fired from the summit of Whitchurch Down, close to the main bonfire – a 50-foot-high construction. This was followed by a flight of rockets which acted as a signal for people to light their bonfires – about 60 in the area, including on Mount Edgecumbe, Brent Tor and Kit Hill, all visible to the onlookers. After this a multitude of different coloured fireworks were set off on the down and the bonfires kept the sky alight until well after midnight.
Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter 1843
At 11 o’clock, the town hall opened its door for about 150 of the more hardy Tavistock folk for a dance which lasted until dawn. Refreshments were provided by the Temperance Hotel, with packets of tea handed out to people still in the streets as well as those dancing. The residents of The Union Workhouse also celebrated the Queen’s Jubilee. On a normal day, the men would be breaking rocks ready for road building and the women would be plucking oakum (picking bits out of old ropes, which is where the term ‘money for old rope’ comes from) if they were not working in the bakery or infirmary. Producing 140 loaves per week, it was the workhouse’s responsibility to provide bread for the paupers living at home across the different union parishes. All normal work was suspended for the day. Those not working in the infirmary or bakery helped to cook the celebration lunch and decorate the men’s and
Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee Service, Westminster Abbey
women’s dining rooms with greenery. Lunch was served at 12 o’clock and consisted of roast beef, vegetables and plum pudding. After a lot of debate, and a vote of 15-9, it was agreed that one pint of beer was allowed for any adult who wished it. This was not universally approved of, with at least one letter being sent to The Tavistock Gazette to express the sender’s disapproval that people may become tempted by the “intoxicating liquors” that were likely to be the root of all their problems *2. As a special treat to all the residents, the guardians allowed the matron to buy extras, such as sweets, tobacco, snuff, tea, sugar, oranges and sweetmeats, supplemented with strawberries donated by some of the town’s ladies. Although the workhouse was an ‘open’ house, with people able to go out for an afternoon with permission, it was felt that it would be better if the few ablebodied people stayed with the older residents and watched the fireworks from the workhouse, as there was good visibility from the top of Bannawell Street to Whitchurch Down.
Tavistock, assisted by glorious weather, put on a fitting and joyous celebration for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, one that rich or poor, young or old, were able to join in and feel part of.
Nicola Gurr Tavistock Heritage Trust – Research Group
If you have any family histories of celebrating Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, or indeed the Diamond Jubilee, or have one of the medals mentioned, the author would be really interested to hear from you at nicola.gurr@ gmail.com
1. Parlby, G. (2021) ‘The story of the Tavy Tuff and the Birth of the Cream Tea’, Tavy/Moor Links August/September 2021 2. Anon (1887) Correspondence – The Jubilee Dinner at the Tavistock Workhouse, Tavistock Gazette, 17 June 1887
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