Happy! - Oct 6 (Nottingham Goose)

Subject: Happy! - Oct 6 (Nottingham Goose)
From: Abby Sale
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 09:38 AM


Happy Goose Fair Day!

Annually on the 1st Thursday of Oct. for 3 days:

10/6 in 2005

It's the
Nottingham Goose Fair!
(since 1284 -- that's a while!)

          I met the king and the queen and a company of men
          A-walking behind and riding before;
          A stark naked drummer came marching along
          With his hands in his bosom always beating his drum.
  
                  "Fair Nottamun Town," Sharp English Folk Songs from Southern Appalachians,
                  collected in Kentucky 1917.

We're familiar with the beautiful Jean Ritchie family version, of course. She notes that in researching her family songs, she tracked down and collected the version of this mysterious magic song in Nottingham, England. On asking the meaning, she was told that if the meaning were all that clear, the magic would be lost.

Copyright © 2005, Abby Sale - all rights reserved
What are Happy's all about? See Notes and Index

Subject: RE: Happy! - Oct 6 (Nottingham Goose)
From: Sooz
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 10:55 AM

We used to get the Thursday off to go to the fair when we were at primary school.
Traditional eats include Brandy Snaps and Grantham Gingerbread.

Subject: RE: Happy! - Oct 6 (Nottingham Goose)
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 04:40 PM

The place will be seething with chavs of course, but I've never seen any trouble at Goose Fair. Poor Danielle Beccan wsa murdered walking home from the Friday night of the fair last year, but nothing to do with the chavs - just got in the way of inter-gang thuggery between St Annes and Sneinton. Let's hope it's another good one this year - and let's hope the tradition lives on for another few centuries.

Subject: RE: Happy! - Oct 6 (Nottingham Goose)
From: Bizibod
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 06:05 PM

Cock on a stick ,traditional "fairing",and you don't see those every day!