(_For the Mirror._)
(Stirbitch Fair, as our correspondent observes, was once the Leipsic or
Frankfurt of England. He has appended to his "Account" a ground plan of
the fair, which we regret we have not room to insert; the gaps or spaces
in which, serve to show how much this commercial carnival (for such it
might be termed) has deteriorated; for the remaining booths were built
on the same site as during the former splendour of the fair. Our
correspondent accounts for this "decay, by the facilities of roads and
navigable canals for the conveyance of goods;" the shopkeepers, &c,
"being able to get from London and the manufacturing districts, every
article direct, at a small expense, the fair-keepers find no market for
their goods, as heretofore." His paper is, however, a curious
matter-of-fact description of Stirbitch, "sixty years since." We have
been compelled to reject all but one verse of the "Chaunt," on account
of some local allusions, the justice of which we do not deny, but which
are scarcely delicate enough for our pages.
Stirbitch is still a festival of considerable extent, although it has
lost so much of its commercial importance. There are but few fortnight
fairs left: Portsmouth, we _recollect_, lasts 14 days, and there is
a fair held on some fine downs in Dorsetshire, which extends to that
period.)
Stirbitch Fair is held in a large field near Barnwell, about two miles
from Cambridge, covering a space of ground upwards of two miles in
circumference. It commences on the 16th day of September, and continues
till the beginning of October, for the sale of all kinds of manufactured
and other goods, and likewise for horses.
The etymology of the name of this fair has been much disputed. A silly
tradition has been handed down, of a pedlar who travelled from the north
to this fair, where, being very weary, he fell asleep at the only inn in
the place. A person coming into the room where he lay, the pedlar's dog
growled and woke his master, who called out, "Stir, bitch"; when the dog
seized the man by the throat, which proved to be the master of the inn,
who, to get released from the gripe of the dog, confessed his intention
was, with the aid of the ferryman who rowed him over from Chesterton,
to rob the pedlar; from which circumstance the fair ever after obtained
the name of _Stirbitch_. But a more reasonable derivation might be
found in the known custom of holding a festival on the anniversary of
the dedication of any religious foundation. There is a small and very
ancient chapel, or oratory, of Saxon architecture, still standing in
the field where the fair is kept; but to what saint dedicated, is not
recorded. I know not if a St. Ower is to be found in the calendar; if
there is, it will, by adding "wijk," or "wych," a district or boundary,
be no great stretch of invention to account for a transition from "St.
Ower wijch" to _Stirbitch_; or perhaps from a rivulet which empties
itself into the Cam at Quy-water, small streams, in some counties, being
called "stours."
Leaving this argument, however, at the road-side chapel, we must proceed
to the fair, where the "busy hum of men" announced the approach of the
mayor and corporate body to make proclamation. First are,
Mr. Samuel Saul, the beadle, and his
assistant, in full costume, with their
staves tipped with silver, bearing
the arms of the Corporation.
Next followed two trumpeters, in gowns,
on horseback.
Sackbut and clarionets.
The mace.
The Worshipful the Mayor, in a scarlet gown.
The Vicar of Barnwell, (formerly the
Abbot,) and other of the Clergy
and Collegians.
The Corporate Body, two and two.
The Deputy Beadle.
All the train, as above, on horseback,
robed in full costume.
Then followed Gentlemen and Ladies in
their carriages and on horseback,
invited by the Mayor to the grand
dinner given on the occasion.
The proclamation was read, (heads uncovered,) first at the upper end
of the fair, next in the Mead where the pottery and coal fair were
held, and last at a little inn near the horse fair, in which place a
"Pied-poudre" court was held during the fair, for deciding disputes
between buyers and sellers, and for punishing abuses and breaches of the
peace in a summary way--stocks and a whipping-post being placed before
the door for that purpose. Here the mayor and the cavalcade partook of
some refreshment.
Should the harvest be backward, and the corn not off the ground, the
booths, nevertheless, are erected, the farmers being, as they admit,
more than indemnified for their losses in that case, by the immense
quantity of litter, offal, and soil left on the ground after the
standings and booths are cleared away; besides which, they seize on
every thing left upon the land after a fixed day. This has sometimes
occurred, and the forfeiture of the goods and chattels so seized has
been recognised judicially as a fine for the trespass. This local
custom, sanctioned by usage from time immemorial, is without appeal.
The booths were from 15 to 20 feet wide by 25 to 30 feet deep; they were
set out in two apartments, the one behind, about 10 feet wide, serving
for bed-room, dining-room, parlour, and dressing-room, The bedstead
was of _four posts and a lath bottom_, on which was laid a truss of
clean, dry straw, serving as a palliasse, with bed and bedding. The
front was fitted up with counters and shelves. The stubble was well
trodden into the ground; over which were laid sawdust and boards behind
and before the counters, to secure the feet from damp. The shutters, of
the space allowed for the windows, were fixed with hinges, and when let
down, rested upon brackets, serving as showboards for goods. The booths
were constructed of new boards, with gutters for carrying the rain off,
and covered with stout hair cloth, with which also a covering was made
to an arcade in front, about 10 feet wide. Under this the company
walked, protected from rain or the heat of the sun.
The proclamation being made, the clamour and din from the trumpets,
drums, gongs, and other noisy instruments, began. The road from
Cambridge was actually covered with post-chaises, hackney-coaches from
London, gigs, and carts, which brought visiters to the fair from
Jesus-lane, in Cambridge, at sixpence each. As soon as you passed the
village of Barnwell, your attention was attracted by flags streaming
from the show-booths, suttling-booths, &c.; whilst your ears were
stunned with the "harsh discord" of a thousand Stentorian bawlers, and
the clang of jarring instruments of music. The show-booths were the
first on entering the fair, being situated on the north side of the high
road. Here were three companies of players, viz. the Norwich company, a
very large booth; Mrs. Baker's, whose clown, Lewy Owen, was "a fellow of
infinite jest and merriment;" and Bailey's. The latter had formerly been
a merchant, and was the compiler of a Directory which bore his name, and
was a work of some celebrity and great utility. Fronting these were the
fruit and gingerbread stands. On the opposite side of the road stood the
cheese fair, attended by dealers from all parts, and where many tons'
weight changed hands in a few days, some for the London market, by the
factors from thence; and such cheeses as were brought from Gloucester,
Cheshire, and Wiltshire, and not made elsewhere, were purchased by the
dealers and farmers of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. Opposite the cheese
fair, on the north side of the road, stood the small chapel, which was
then used as a warehouse for wool, hops, seed, and leather[3]. Here were
the wool-staplers, hop-factors, leather-sellers, and seedsmen. The range
of booths in the front were for glovers, leather-breeches makers,
saddlers, and other dealers in leather. Opposite to this, at the end of
the line of show-booths, Garlick-row commenced; the first range being
occupied by hardwaremen, silversmiths, jewellers, and fine ironmongery.
The next range was the row of mercers and linen-drapers, where a draper
from Holborn had a stock of not less than 5,000_l_. value. The next
range of booths was occupied by stuff-merchants, hosiers, lacemen,
milliners, and furriers; here one vender has been known to receive from
1,000_l_. to 1,200_l_. for Norwich and Yorkshire goods. A lace-dealer
from Tavistock-street likewise attended here with a stock of 2,000_l_.
value, together with many other respectable tradesmen, with goods
according to the London fashion. Then followed the ladies and gentlemen's
shoe-makers, hatters, and perfumers; and next to the inn was an
extensive store of oils, colours, and pickles, kept by an oilman from
Limehouse, whose returns were seldom less than 2,000_l_. during the
fair; and the father of the writer of this article, who attended the
fair during forty years, usually brought away from 1,200_l_. to
1,500_l_. for goods sold and paid for on the spot, exclusive of those
sold on credit to respectable dealers, farmers, and gentry. On the
outside of the inn were temporary stables for baiting the horses
belonging to the visiters. The carriages were drawn up in the fields
in a line with the stables or standings for the horses.
Next was the oyster fair; the oysters from Lynn, called the Lynn
channel, were the size of a horse's hoof, and were opened with a pair of
pincers. At the bottom, in the Mead, next the river, was the coal fair;
opposite which were the pottery and fine Staffordshire wares. Returning
to and opposite the oyster fair was the horse fair, held on the Friday
in the week after the proclamation. The show of beautiful animals here
was, perhaps, unrivalled by any fair in the empire; the choicest hunters
and racers from Yorkshire, muscular and bony draught-horses from Suffolk
and every other breeding county, drew together dealers and gentlemen
from all quarters, so that many hundreds of valuable animals changed
masters in the space of twelve hours. Higher up was Dockrell's
coffee-house and tavern, spacious and well stored with excellent
accommodations. About 200 yards onward was Ironmonger-row, where the
dealers from Sheffield, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and other parts,
kept large stocks of all sorts of iron and tin wares, agricultural
implements, and tools of every description. About 20 yards from them,
westward, and bordering on the road, were slop-sellers, dealers in
haubergs, wagoners' frocks, and other habiliments for ploughmen; and
next, the Hatters'-row. Behind Garlick-row, next the show booths, stood
the basket fair, where were sold rakes for haymakers, scythe-hafts, and
other implements of husbandry, of which one dealer has been known to
sell a wagon-load or two.
Having now made the promenade of the fair, let us step into one of
the suttling booths. The principal booth was the Robin Hood, behind
Garlick-row, which was fitted up with a good sized kitchen, detached
from a long room and parlour. Here were tables covered with baize, and
settles of common boards covered with matting. The roof covering was of
hair cloth, the same as the shops, but not boarded.
When a new-comer or fresh man arrived to keep the fair, he was required
to submit to the ceremony of christening, as it was called, which was
performed as follows:--On the night following the horse-fair day, which
was the principal day of the whole fair, a select party occupied the
parlour of the Robin Hood, or some other suttling booth, to which the
novice was introduced, as desirous of being admitted a member, and of
being initiated. He was then required to choose two of the company as
sponsors, and being placed in an arm-chair, his shoes were taken off,
and his head uncovered. The officiator, vested in a cantab's gown and
cap, with a book in one hand and a bell in the other, with a verger on
each side, robed, and holding staves (alias broomsticks) and candles,
preceded by the suttler, bearing a bowl of punch, entered the parlour,
and demanded "If there was an infidel present?" Being answered, "Yes,"
he asked, "What did he require?" Answer. "To be initiated." _Q._
"Where are the oddfathers?" _R._ "Here we are." He then proceeded
as follows:--
(_Plain chant_.)
"Over thy head I ring this bell,
[_Rings the bell_,
Because thou art an infidel,
And such I know thee by thy smell.