THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.
1802. During the performance at the theatre in the fair, 27th Sept., a
cry of “fire” arose in different parts of the house, which was greatly
crowded. Although the manager and performers assured the audience that
the alarm was without foundation, and tried every persuasion to obtain
order, a general rush took place. Some threw themselves over from the
upper boxes into the pit; others were trampled upon and bruised on the
stairs. In the end three girls and a boy were taken up dead, and many
others were more or less seriously injured. It was supposed the cry
was got up for the purposes of robbery; one hundred guineas reward was
offered for the offenders, but they escaped detection.
1827. In Hone’s “Year Book” is given a graphic account of this fair
as it had existed within the memory of the writer, whose “personal
recollections of more than sixty years ago,” are embodied therein; from
which I condense the following, as giving a view of its later, but not
last stage:
The first booths, on the north side of the road were occupied by the
customary shows of wild beasts and wild men, conjurors, tumblers and
rope-dancers. Mr. Baker’s company of “comedians” was respectable; and
Lewy Owen the clown, a young man of good family, who had abandoned
himself to this way of life, full of eccentric wit and grimace,
continually excited broad grins. The late Mrs. Inchbald was a performer
at this fair. There was a large theatrical booth, occupied by a
respectable company of comedians from Norwich, under the management of
Mr. Bailey, formerly a merchant of London. He was a portly good-looking
man, of gentlemanly manners and address, the compiler of the Directory
bearing his name—a work of much merit, containing besides the names
of residents in the several towns, concise yet correct topographical
description of the places: the book has now become very scarce. Other
show booths, occupied by giants and dwarfs, savage beasts and other
savages, extended with stunning din along this noisy line. In front of
these were the fruit and gingerbread stalls.... On the south side of the
road opposite to these booths was the cheese fair. Dealers from various
parts took their stands there, and many tons weight were disposed of.
Such as were fit for the London market were bought by the cheese factors
from thence; and cheese from Cheshire, Wilts, and Gloster by the gentry
and farmers and dealers from Suffolk, Norfolk, and adjoining counties;
large quantities of Cottenham and cream cheeses being brought by farmers
from those counties for sale. Opposite to the east end of the cheese
fair, on the north side of the road stands an ancient chapel or oratory,
no doubt erected for the devout dealers and others resorting to this
fair, and for such pious travellers as passed or repassed the ferry to
Chesterton [various references have been made to it; still standing,
1882]. At and nigh to this spot were the wool-fair and the hop-fair.
Large stores of sack-cloths, waggon-tilts, and such like were near
the skin, leather sellers’ and glovers’ row, where the finer articles
of leather and leather gloves were sold. Little edifices of general
convenience were numerous.
At the end of the show-booths and facing the row began the principal
range of booths, called Garlick-row. This range of shops was well
constructed. Each booth consisted of two rooms; the back room separated
from the shop by a boarded partition served for a bed chamber and other
domestic purposes, from which a door opened into a field. A range of
booths was generally appropriated to furniture sellers, ironmongers,
silversmiths, jewellers, japanners and fine cutlery dealers. Another
range to silk-mercers, dealers in muslin, toys and millinery. Yet
another to dealers in Norwich and Yorkshire manufactures, mercery, lace,
hose, fine made shoes, boots, clogs and patterns (_sic_). While dealers
in fashionable wares from London, as furs, fans, toys, &c. occupied
a distinct group. A further group was devoted to oilmen, dealers in
pickles, and preserves, one of whom—Mr. Green from Limehouse—kept a most
important store here. His returns were from £1,500 to £2,000 during the
fair. The father of the writer from whom I am quoting “kept the fair” for
forty years and upwards, “and usually brought home £1,000 or more for
goods sold and paid for, besides selling to half that amount on credit
to reputable dealers and farmers.” At the end of this row stood the
dealers in glass-ware, looking-glasses and small articles of mahogany
furniture. The Inn—the King’s Arms, I believe—was the common resort of
the horse-dealers. Here sat the _Pied-poudre_ court, having a pair of
stocks and a whipping-post in front, and a strong room underneath. Close
adjoining northward was the oyster fair. The oysters brought from Lynn
were very large, about the size of a horse’s hoof, and were opened with
pincers; the more delicate from Colchester and Whitstable were very
small. In the meadow adjoining were the coal fair, pottery fair and
Staffordshire dealers. The greater part of these articles were delivered
from on board vessels which drew up close to the bank of the river.
Opposite to the oyster fair was a close wherein the horse fair was kept.
The show of beautiful animals in that place was perhaps unrivalled,
unless in Yorkshire. The finest racers and hunters from Yorkshire, the
most brawny and muscular draught horses from Suffolk, and from every
other country famous for breeding horses animated the scene. This horse
fair drew together a great concourse of gentry, farmers and dealers from
all parts of the neighbouring counties, and scores of valuable animals
changed masters in the space of a few hours. The horse fair was held on
the first Friday after the fair was proclaimed.
Higher up, and about fifty yards from the road was Ironmongers’ row,
with booths occupied by manufactures from Sheffield, Birmingham,
Wolverhampton, and other parts; and dealers in agricultural tools, nails,
hatchets, saws, and such like implements. About twenty yards nearer the
road were woollen drapers; and further on, and opposite to Garlick-row
westward, were booths for slop sellers, and dealers in haubergs, or
waggoners’ frocks, jackets, half-boots, and such like habiliments for
robust ploughmen and farm labourers. Then followed the hatters’ row,
close to which was a very respectable coffee-house and tavern, fitted up
with neat tables covered with green baize, having glazed sash-windows
and a boarded floor, kept by the proprietor of Dochrell’s coffee-house
in Cambridge, famed for excellent milk punch. There were also a number
of suttling booths where plain and substantial dinners were served up in
a neat comfortable style, well cooked and moderately charged, “except on
the horse fair and Michaelmas days, when an extra sixpence was generally
tackt to the tail of the goose.”
Shoemaker row was at the end of Garlick-row and consisted of ten or
twelve booths. The basket fair, Tunbridge ware fair, and broom fair, were
behind nearly at the top. In the basket fair were to be had all kinds of
hampers, baskets and basket work; hay rakes, scythe-hafts, pitchfork and
spade-handles, and other implements of husbandry, waggon loads of which
were piled up there. In the Tunbridge ware section were malt, shovels,
churns, cheese-presses and other wooden ware.
The circuit of the fair at the period to which this account relates was
estimated at three miles. A list of many of the principal London dealers
who attended this fair is appended to this account. Vide Hone’s “Year
Book,” 1841 ed. col. 1539-48. A rough plan or chart of the fair is there
given.
1828. The formal opening of the fair is described in Wall-Gunning, “The
ceremonies observed in the senate-house of the University of Cambridge.”
Camb. pp. 129-31.
1842. The practice—the origin of which I have not been able to trace—of
the Proctors of the University giving entertainments at the Midsummer and
Sturbridge fairs was this year discontinued by a Grace passed 2nd July.
1855. The University, for the last time, “called the fair” on 18th Sept.
this year. The following form was used on the occasion—very much modified
from that of 1548.
_Proclamation of the Fair, by the University._—Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! All
persons are desired to keep silence while Proclamation of this Fair is
being made.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert, Chancellor of this University Doth
in the name of our Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria strictly charge and
command:
That all persons who shall repair to this Fair or the precincts thereof
Do keep Her Majesty’s peace, and make no affrays or outcries whereby any
gathering together of people be made, nor that they wear any weapons upon
pain of imprisonment and loss of their weapons and further correction as
shall be thought fit by the Officers of the said University.
That all unhonest women, all vagrant and unruly persons avoid and
withdraw themselves from this Fair and the precincts thereof immediately
after this proclamation, that Her Majesty’s Subjects may be quieter, and
good rule the better maintained upon pain of imprisonment and further
correction at the discretion of the Officers of this University.
That all Bakers baking bread to sell at this Fair or the precincts of the
same Do bake and sell good and wholesome bread, and of such goodness as
the law doth require, upon pain of the Statute in that behalf provided.
[Bale (“Declaration of Bonner’s Articles,” fo. 21 b, about 1550),
mentions the Baker-Boyes crye, as he sat between his Bread-Panners at the
fair, “Buy and beare away; steal and runne awaye,” &c.]
That all persons who sell Ale or Beer within this Fair or the precincts
of the same Do sell by no other measures than by Gallon, Pottle, Quart,
Pint, and half-pint, sized and sealed according to the Standard of this
University upon pain and penalty of the Statute in that behalf provided,
and that every such Victualler and seller of Ale and Beer have a sign at
his door upon pain of Three Shillings and four pence.
That all persons who sell by weights and measures any kinds of Victuals,
Wares, or Merchandize, that their weights and their measures be sized
and sealed, and be in all respects according to the Standard of this
University upon pain of the Statute in that behalf provided.
That all Vintners do sell good and wholesome wines without mixing or
imposition, and that their wine Pots be sized and sealed according to the
Standard of this University upon pain of three shillings and four pence
for every offence.
That no persons in this Fair Do suffer, keep or maintain any unlawful
gaming in their houses or grounds, upon pain of the Statute in that
behalf provided.
That no person receive into his house or booth any person of ill life
and conversation or suspected of the same, upon pain of imprisonment
and further correction as shall be thought fit by the Officers of this
University.
That no person whatsoever sell or offer to put to sale any kind of wares
upon the Sunday upon pain of imprisonment and further punishment by law
provided: And that no person upon the said day, especially in the time of
service or sermon, receive any persons into their houses or booths, and
there suffer them to remain idle or drinking upon such pain and penalty
as shall be inflicted upon them by the officers of this University.
If there be any that will sue for any wares, Debts, Injuries or
Trespasses, or think themselves wronged in any of the premises, let
them make complaint to the Chancellor’s Commissary of this University
who will hold and keep Court at the Great Tiled Booth on — next, the
— instant at — o’clock to the intent that Justice may be administered
according to the Charters and Privileges of this University.
God save the Queen.
[Copied from the book of Formulæ in the University Registry. ALFRED
ROGERS, April 28, 1882.]
1882. The fair still lingers on. Its commercial greatness has long since
passed away—ebbed out of existence by slow degrees, resulting from many
social and other changes, rather than from any one marked cause. But,
as may be expected after six and a half centuries (at least) of notable
existence, it dies hard. Three of its features still remain. The horse
fair, always famous, was this year greater than for some time past. The
onion fair is still associated with Garlick row, while hurdles, gates,
and implements of wood are still prominent. Thus traditions cling. In
“Æsop Dress’d”—a rare collection of fables by J. Mandeville (4to. 1704,
p. 9; should be 33), there appeared the following:
“An ass of stupid memory
Confes’d, that going to _Stourbridge Fair_,
His back most brok with wooden ware.”
The old associations are, however, rapidly crumbling away.
The fair is still proclaimed by the mayor at the old time of commencing;
but the fair is not now held until a fortnight later and only lasts three
days. There are points in the Proclamation worthy of note.
_Proclamation of Sturbridge Fair by the Mayor of Cambridge._—Oyez! Oyez!
Oyez! Mr. Mayor doth strictly charge and command all manner of persons to
keep silence whilst the Fair of Sturbridge is publicly proclaimed. God
save the Queen.
Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! Our most Gracious Sovereign Lady Victoria by the
Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen
Defender of the faith by Mr. Mayor of the Borough of Cambridge Her
Majesty’s Lieutenant of the said Borough one of Her Majesty’s Justices
of the Peace for the Borough and County of Cambridge and chief Governor
of this Fair Doth strictly charge and command that all Merchants and
other persons that be repaired or shall or will repair to this Fair of
Sturbridge beginning on the feast of St. Bartholomew the Apostle (old
style) and continuing until the fourteenth day next after the feast of
the exaltation of the Holy Cross (old style) do keep Her Majesty’s Peace.
That all idle and evil disposed persons within this Fair depart the same
forthwith.
That no Merchant put to sale or offer to sell any wares or merchandize
but in the usual and accustomed places for their several wares and
merchandizes appointed.
That Victuallers Tiplers and other persons buy no goods or merchandize
of any wayfaring man or other person who shall bring the same to their
booths or houses to sell but only of such as shall be known unto them
to be of honest conversation whom they shall be always able to have
forthcoming upon demand.
That all Merchants and other persons within this fair cease from shewing
or selling any wares or merchandizes and from all labour and travel on
the Lord’s day.
And lastly Mr. Mayor giveth to understand that if any Merchant or other
person will sue or complain touching any cause or matter done and
committed within this Fair or the liberties thereof and here determinable
let him repair to the place accustomed and there according to the law of
the land the same cause or matter shall be heard and determined. God save
the Queen.
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