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Ox roasting at Stratford-upon-Avon Mop Fair
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Ox roasting at Stratford-upon-Avon Mop Fair
Scene showing an ox being roasted at the Stratford upon Avon annual Mop Fair, Warwickshire. Farm workers, labourers, servants and some craftsmen would work for their employer from October to October. At the end of the employment they would attend the Mop Fair dressed in their Sunday best clothes and carrying an item signifying their trade. A servant with no particular skills would carry a mop head hence the term Mop Fair. Employers would move amongst them discussing experience and terms, and once agreement was reached the employer would give the employee a small token of money and the employee would wear bright ribbons to indicate that they had been hired. The stalls at the fair sold food and drink, while others offered games to play.
circa 1911
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Media ID 7245495
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10573786
Annual Avon Beef Custom Fairs Meat Overalls Roast Roasted Roasting Serving Stall Stalls Stratford Tradition Warwickshire Basting
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EDITORS COMMENTS
A Traditional Scene from Stratford-upon-Avon Mop Fair, Warwickshire, circa 1911: A Time-Honored Custom of Employment and Community Gathering This evocative photograph captures the essence of Stratford-upon-Avon Mop Fair, an annual tradition that marked the end of the harvest season in Warwickshire, England. The scene unfolds before us with an ox roasting on a spit, surrounded by a bustling crowd of people dressed in their Sunday best clothes. The Mop Fair was a time-honored custom where farm workers, laborers, servants, and craftsmen, having completed their employment from October to October, would attend the fair dressed in their finest attire and carrying an item signifying their trade. A servant with no particular skills would carry a mop head, hence the term 'Mop Fair.' Employers would move amongst them, discussing experience and terms, and once agreement was reached, the employer would give the employee a small token of money and the employee would wear bright ribbons to indicate that they had been hired. The fair was not only a place for employment but also a social gathering where people from all walks of life came together to enjoy food, drink, and games. The stalls at the fair sold a variety of items, including roasted meat, such as this ox, which was a favorite among the crowd. The children and men can be seen enjoying the festivities, their faces filled with excitement and anticipation. The overall atmosphere of the Mop Fair was one of community, tradition, and celebration. It was a time when people came together to mark the end of the harvest season and to look forward to the promise of a new year. This photograph captures the spirit of that time, offering us a glimpse into a bygone era.
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