[81] Lounger’s Common Place Book
Vol. I.--11.
[Illustration: ~March Fair, at Brough, Westmoreland.~]
_For the Table Book_
This fair is held always on the second Thursday in March: it is a good
one for cattle; and, in consequence of the great show, the inhabitants
are obliged to shut up their windows; for the cattle and the drivers are
stationed in all parts of the town, and few except the jobbers venture
out during the time of selling.
From five to six o’clock the preceding evening, carts, chiefly belonging
to Yorkshire clothiers, begin to arrive, and continue coming in until
the morning, when, at about eight or nine, the cattle fair begins, and
lasts till three in the afternoon. Previously to any article being sold,
the fair is proclaimed in a manner depicted tolerably well in the
preceding sketch. At ten, two individuals, named Matthew Horn and John
Deighton, having furnished themselves with a fiddle and clarinet, walk
through the different avenues of the town three times, playing, as they
walk, chiefly “God save the King;” at the end of this, some verses are
repeated, which I have not the pleasure of recollecting; but I well
remember, that thereby the venders are authorized to commence selling.
After it is reported through the different stalls that “they’ve walked
the fair,” business usually commences in a very brisk manner.
Mat. Horn has the best cake booth in the fair, and takes a considerable
deal more money than any “spice wife,” (as women are called who attend
to these dainties.) Jack Deighton is a shoemaker, and a tolerably good
musician. Coals are also brought for sale, which, with cattle, mainly
constitute the morning fair.
At the close of the cattle fair, the town is swept clean, and lasses
walk about with their “_sweethearts_,” and the fair puts on another
appearance. “Cheap John’s here the day,” with his knives, combs,
bracelets, &c. &c. The “great Tom Mathews,” with his gallanty show,
generally contrives to pick up a pretty bit of money by his droll ways.
Then “Here’s spice Harry, gingerbread, Harry--Harry--Harry!” from
Richmond, with his five-and-twenty lumps of gingerbread for sixpence.
Harry stands in a cart, with his boxes of “spice” beside him, attracting
the general attention of the whole fair, (though he is seldomer here
than at Brough-hill fair.) There are a few shows, viz. Scott’s sleight
of hand, horse performances, &c. &c.; and, considering the size of the
town, it has really a very merry-spent fair. At six o’clock dancing
begins in nearly all the public-houses, and lasts the whole of “a merry
neet.”
Jack Deighton mostly plays at the greatest dance, namely, at the Swan
inn; and his companion, Horn, at one of the others; the dances are
merely jigs, three reels, and four reels, and country dances, and _no
more_ than three sets can dance at a time. It is a matter of course to
give the fiddler a penny or two-pence each dance; sometimes however
another set slips in after the tune’s begun, and thus trick the player.
By this time nearly all the stalls are cleared away, and the “merry
neet” is the only place to resort to for amusement. The fiddle and
clarinet are to be heard every where; and it is astonishing what money
is taken by the fiddlers. Some of the “spice wives,” too, stop till the
next morning, and go round with their cakes at intervals, which they
often sell more of than before.
At this festival at Brough, the husbandmen have holiday, and many get so
tipsy that they are frequently turned off from their masters. Several of
the “spice wives” move away in the afternoon to Kirby Stephen, where
there is a very large fair, better suited to their trade, for it
commences on the day ensuing. Unfortunately, I was never present at the
proclamation. From what I saw, I presume it is in consequence of a
charter, and that these people offer their services that the
fair-keepers may commence selling their articles sooner. I never heard
of their being paid for their trouble. They are constantly attended by a
crowd of people, who get on the carts and booths, and, at the end, set
up a load “huzza!”