Ratby Celebrations & Crow Pie

Article by Michael Ball and Sue Boud

The Coronation events described in the last issue of The Local were just a few of the many celebrations in Ratby during the Victorian era and beyond. Few of these events were recorded, but the village occasionally made local newspaper headlines.

One national event celebrated widely in the country was the relief of the town of Mafeking at the end of Britain’s last Colonial War that we know today as the Boer War. Lieutenant Baden Powell was in charge of the defence in the besieged town, and he later went on to found the Scout Movement.

Both Ratby and Kirby Muxloe had been affected by the war, and wanted to mark its ending. In Kirby the local Land Society proposed that four roads be named in celebration. Ladysmith Road and Pretoria Road were the outcome of this plan.

Ratby villagers were overjoyed to hear that seven Ratby men had survived the siege. The Reverend Whittingham Ingram arranged a great celebration feast and village bonfire. The bonfire and fireworks were held on Woodmen Hill and so were also visible in Kirby and Glenfield.

Crow Pie

Newcomers to Ratby may be unaware that ‘Crow Pie’ was once a nickname for the village, celebrating the crow pies that were eaten at the May hiring fairs, or Statute Fairs. These were held close to the Plough Inn, hence the name of the footpath ‘The Stattie’ or Statute path.

The Crow Pie Festival was held for many years following a revival after the end of the First World War. The Crow Pie Carnival featured decorated floats created by village organisations on parade through the village, led by our very own Ratby Band.

During the 1930s one man set out to record these events. His name was George Weston. He and his father were modern day entrepreneurs, having established the Majestic Cinema and Dance Hall in the village. On Saturday nights Ratby folk were treated to two houses of the current top films of the day. At the neighbouring Dance Hall music was often provided by the owner of the village newsagents, Winston Stevenson, with his band The Melody Boys.

George Weston recorded the Crow Pie Carnivals with his cine camera. Many of these films are archived at the Record Office in Wigston. He also recorded events in Markfield, and these can be viewed on that village’s Local History Website.

The Leicester Mercury and Chronicle of Saturday 13th May 1876 described a Crow Pie Feast in Ratby which was held on the previous Monday, and was well attended:

‘The Sober Men’s Sick Club held their anniversary at Mr Simpson’s Bull’s Head and proceeded to the Church where an appropriate sermon was preached by Rev’d Wyggestone Howard. They then returned to the Inn when upwards of 120 sat down to a most excellent dinner presided over by the Curate who was supported by Mr Wright, Markfield and several of the principal farmers in the neighbourhood.’

We are not told whether they actually ate crow pie! As always we welcome your memories and recollections of Crow Pie Carnivals and the Ratby fairs. We want to hear your stories as we will return to this topic in a future article.

Michael Ball and Sue Boud. ( Ratby Local History research group ) sueboud@hotmail.com 0116 2394873

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