(from the Bexhill Chronicle – 23rd June 1900)
In Hooe, as in most places throughout the country, celebrations were held some time after the capture of Pretoria; in Hooe this was on Wednesday, 20th June 1900 and the Bexhill Chronicle reported it, on the following Saturday. The article was written in one continuous paragraph, which was difficult to read so, to make it easier, I have broken it up into what I think are reasonable paragraphs.
"PRETORIA DAY CELEBRATION AT HOOE."
"Grand Procession and Effigy Burning""
"Hooe village, and indeed the parish generally, was en fete on Wednesday evening, when the occupation of Pretoria was celebrated in most patriotic fashion.""
"The weather was beautifully fine, with a fresh breeze. From numerous points in the pleasant landscape, flags fluttered from barn and cottage roofs, and especially from poles thrust up through trees."
"As the village was approached, there was evidenced an air of expectancy of something out of the common, prompted and justified by uniformed horsemen who here and there pranced about the roads."
"The house of Mr. J. Smith, butcher, at the head of the village, bore a long banner on the front inscribed "God save the Queen," besides sundry flags. Mrs. Smith exerted herself most patriotically and effectively on the occasion, making a pole banner for carrying in the procession, with a double inscription, "Long Live our Noble Queen," and "God Save our Queen", one on each side, the letters very neatly formed of leaves, sewn on the canvas. "
"The principal excitement centred round the "Red Lion," which had its banner "God Save the Queen," and where the scene between six and seven o′clock was of the most animated description. Men on horseback and afoot mustered from all directions, and seemed mightily amused oftentimes by each other′s appearance in military or other guise. "
"Among the throng were to be seen an admiral (Mr. George Vitler), volunteer (Mr. Tom Moore), clown (Harold Smith), nurses (Misses B. Smith, H. and L. Morris, and Lizzie Vitler), cyclists, in costume and leading decorated machines (Miss Ella Smith, Miss Jane Taylor, and Miss Lois Martin, and Mr. J. Thomas), policemen (Mr. R. Martin and Mr. A. Freeman), blue-jackets (Messrs. Howard Smith, Brett (2), and Noakes), mounted police superintendent (Mr. J. Barton), grey or khaki coated horsemen (Messrs. G. Sargent, R. Pilbeam, S. Pilbeam, J. Russell, R. Ockenden, W. Corke, Alec Dawes, L. Pont, and Mark Pont (the last two dark uniforms), police-superintendent (Mr. Arthur Vitler), driver of ammunition waggon (Mr B. Taylor), grenadiers (Messers Vitler (2), trooper West Kent Yeomanry (Mr Edmund Brand), naval officer (Mr Trayton Dawes), ambulance driver (Mr W. Munn), highlanders (Messers Tom Lewis and Tom Lewis Jnr), pensioner (Mr Albert Grant), nigger (Harry Moore), khaki "boys" (Messers Roland Smith, H. Sergeant, F. Stevens). All wore badges, some of red, white, and blue ribbon, and the mounted men, portrait medallions of war generals, provided by Mr F. Tatton who himself, as commander-in-chief, wore an imposing line of these portraits of his official prototypes across the left breast of his nicely fitting khaki suit. Before this gentleman mounted and headed the procession, a group of himself and other principal personages was photographed, and should produce a very effective picture, and one to be long preserved with interest in the parish."
"About seven o'clock, the procession was duly marshalled into order along the highway, and headed by some dozen members of the Ninfield artillery band, under bandmaster Wright, marched away in the direction of Miss Elphick's residence, which was first visited."
"After the commander-in-chief and his aide-de-camp, came red coated soldiers looking not unlike sappers, and then the model 4.7 naval gun, "Shooting Joe," painted khaki, together with its limber, the whole neatly contrived from a large pump and sundry wheels and covered orange box, which latter had two real shells fastened to its front. The gun was drawn by blue jackets, duly officered, and made a really good show. It was further christened "Lady Smith," evidently a partially concealed compliment the lady on whose husband's premises the model was manufactured. "
"A khaki tilted ammunition waggon followed, and then the band playing a martial air."
"A cavalcade of over a dozen horsemen followed, including fantastically dressed Negro dispatch rider (Mr W. Lewis). Then came an effigy of President Kruger, labelled "Chase me, Bobs", and drawn by W. Sargent, in high hat and white frock, and others."
"The "enemy" had placed at his feet a brown paper covered parcel marked "£998,000,000", and looked down from out of his mask with a strange air of indifference to the proceedings."
"A troop of khaki "boys" came next, some with rifles, and even bayonets, preceding the ambulance van, with nurses, the red Geneva cross upon white cover and also borne by the driver and the nurses."
"The four, decorated cycles followed; and then an effigy of ex-President Steyn, under a gallows, to which the victim′s head was attached by loose dangling rope, his escort consisting of several men in white frocks and blacked faces, together with the Chapman (Mr Faircloth)."
"The banner "Long Live our Noble Queen" followed, and then the somewhat repulsive effigy of Dr Leyds, prostrate in a barrow drawn by boys and attended by others with flags."
"The rear was brought up by a large red and white (Jubilee) banner, borne on the van of Mr A. Grant, other vans in the procession being led by Messers Dodson Bros, and Pont."
"The show was further supplemented by boys carrying Chinese lanterns, which later added a pleasing illumination."
"The route followed during the evening, embraced Mr J. E. of Brand′s, Grove Farm, the Vicarage (Rev C. Routh), Mr Hayward's, Miss Hewitt's, and Mr Peel's."
"As the darkness drew on, coloured fires were ignited, producing a very weird effect. Finally the effigies were burned at "The Common," and some fireworks were set off."
"The collecting boxes were well worked, and eventually contained £4 10s, which will be devoted to the Indian Famine Relief Fund."
This was, obviously, written before the days of the iniquitous "Political Correctness"! It also shows how, really not all that long ago, people knew how to get together to enjoy themselves and how the whole village joined in, not only in the organisation of the events but in playing their part in making the amusements and playing the fool. I remember, as a child and a teenager, similar street parties and village carnivals or demonstrations (the word meant something quite different then), back in the 1940s and the 1950s. For some reason, it all seemed to stop sometime in the 1960s when television, holidays abroad, and cars became more commonplace.
Life was more serious then because people were poorer but they had time for each other and neighbours helped neighbours with the important things and there was a feeling of "community".
What is also very striking is how very proud the villagers were to be British/English and they showed it. Again this is something we seem to have completely lost.
