THIS MONTH’S COVER May Day is one of those colourful Festivals that should be brought back into community life: it is an ancient indigenous festival, and communal dressing-up for May processions, crowning of Queens (and Kings) and maypole dances really do make bring people together in most positive ways (those villagers in the film “The Wicker Man” excepted!). In Oxford the Choristers of Magdalen College greet May Day from the top of their chapel tower (The Bridge May 2014); in Hastings there is a Festival dedicated to “Jack-‘o-the-Green” (the pre- Christian ‘green man’) - a perambulating pyramid of foliage, or ‘Heavy Plant crossing’. In London May Day was a chimney sweeps’ holiday, and they roamed the streets collecting largesse with their ‘Jack’ accompanied by his Fool and an entourage of ‘Jack’s Bogeys’: colourfully dressed sweeps in what used to be called ‘black face’, daubing all and sundry with soot. The cover shows a typical village May Day procession of the kind that was all but swept away by two world wars: the children of the village have gathered May branches at first light, woven them into garlands and returned to the village with them. It was painted in 1930 by Cicely Mary Barker, better known for her “Flower Fairy” books from 1923 onwards: like Agnes Gardner King and her ‘Trustworthy Band’ of Wroxham boys (The Bridge March 2017), Cicely Barker’s child models were the pupils of her sister’s kindergarten. More than one generation of British children grew up with her meticulous, beautiful watercolours. Now they represent an innocent, thoughtful, more caring way of life swept away by experiments in social engineering and other modern horrors.
Nick Walmsley FORTHCOMING EVENTS
CHRIS CROWTHER, author of the extremely successful, ranger Jack Fellows books, will be at Horning PostOffice on Saturday 5th May from 11am - 1pmto sign books and chat to his fans! A selection of his books will be on sale including his new children’s book “ Time Cruiser”.
HORNING ART EXHIBITION in Horning St Benet’s Hall, 10 am to 5.30 pm Saturday May 12th to Sunday May 20th. Come and see paintings, cards, wood turning items. All welcome.
HORNING CINEMA AT THE VILLAGE HALL Friday 11th
May screening “MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS” (2017) starring
Kenneth Branagh, Penelope Cruz and Willem Dafoe. The train accidentally gets stopped because of a small avalanche. Little did Hercule Poirot know that a person on the train was capable of committing murder. Running time 109 mins. Cert. 12A. Doors open 7.00 for 7.30 start. Tickets £5, accompanied Child (16 and under) £1, on sale at Tidings Newsagents, Lower Street Horning and on the door (if unsold). Telephone 01692-630434. Free Tea/Coffee. Ice Cream and nibbles available to purchase or bring your own. Friday 8TH
June screening “BATTLE OF BRITAIN” in commemoration of the RAF. Inputs by 15th Please
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