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The Revels

ARCHIVE YEARS CAN BE VIEWED HERE
The Revels is a yearly event held approximately on the third Saturday in June and takes place on The Green. The location is an area in front of Little Gillions, the main arena is the site of the original 'Old Boys' school cricket pitch.
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(© Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images ) Little Gillions c1900 is on the left when sheep safely grazed! http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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(© Wellcome Library, London. Wellcome Images ) Little Gillions c1900 - The Revels is held in front on The Green http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
This area of The Green was to become the setting where the village began celebrating May Day and  recorded in the Yorke Road school log book the children were given the day off. The celebrations eventually led to the older girls given extra time off from school to collect May blossom (hawthorn) in order to make garlands. A senior girl was chosen as a 'May Queen', and all the pupils paraded to The Green, and chosen pupils danced in traditional style around a maypole. This was to become a traditional event for many decades. The names of 'May Queens' were listed in the school log book from 1920-1946. It is not clear if they started before or continued from these dates.
The following girls were chosen as May Queens:
1920 Eileen Chater                                 1934 Phylis  Miles                         
1921 Kitty Coleman                                 1935 Margaret Hobbs             
1922 Dora Howard                                  1936 Doris Gibson                        
1923 Nellie Woods                                  1937 Betty Samuels                      
1924 Irene Swaine                                   1938 Vera Hull                      
1925 Margery Seabrook                          1939 Beryl Churchill                       
1926 Gwennil Monk                                 1940 Irene Meiklejohn                 
1927 Nancy Dimmock                             1941 Doreen Parker             
1928 Elsie Howard                                  1942 Hazel Miles                   
1929 Joyce Denton                                  1943 Irene Wilde                   
1930 Dorothy Woodbridge                     1944 Audrey Timberlake                   
1931 Mary Parry                                        1945 Ann Moult                                     
1932 Phyllis Turner                                  1946 Patricia Ramsey      
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Dancing around the Maypole on The Green date unknown possibly c1910. Little Gillions shown in the background
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Maypole dancing practice in the playground
The village began celebrating national events from as early as Queen Victoria's reign. During the 1930's large areas of original farmland were under development and house construction began on a large scale. This was a period when two important national celebrations occurred. These were the  1935 Jubilee of King George V and the Coronation of King IV in 1937.  The new residents very soon integrated with long established families when they produced celebrations for these on a very grand scale.
                              Please See  Celebrations Silver Jubilee  King George V 1935 and Coronation King George VI 1937
It was from these two particular events that in 1938 a group of residents discussed how to unite and combine all the existing and newly formed groups to the village into a society. This was achieved by, Chairman Major J E Payton, Hon. Treasurer, Miss May Barton- Smith,  Hon. Secretary, Mr. J.E. Allen. The idea was received with enthusiasm and the Croxley Green Society was formed in 1939. Initially there were twenty eight affiliated groups.
                              Please See  Croxley Green Society booklet (page 7)
The same year  as the society was founded Great Britain entered into WW2. As soon as the war ended and peace was declared residents had to come to terms with many dramatic changes but the village soon rallied and the task of celebrating with Peace Celebrations were held once more on The Green.
 
The Croxley Green Society  continued to flourish  and organised The Festival of Britain celebrations in 1951 and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
                              Please See  The Festival of Britain and The Coronation Queen Elizabeth II
The many changes that had occurred as a result of the war with the increase in households and schools resulted in a decision to replace the May Day celebrations.
 
It was decided to hold an event approximately the third Saturday in June and call it The Revels. Representatives from the affiliated groups were sought to arrange this and a separate committee was formed to organise the event. There has been very little change to the program over the years.
 
The day starts with many of the societies arriving to set up their stalls, eager to entertain as well as to increase their funds through a variety of activities.  The traditional parade leaves The Green with colourful decorated floats usually with a pre- decided theme. This will tour many of the immediate roads/streets later to return to The Green. A 'May Queen'  now a 'Princess', her attendants and a Page is chosen from the Junior schools.
 
During the afternoon events in the arena entertains the crowd, with a wide selection of  representatives - young and old to show off their skills including dancing around the maypole. This tradition was transferred to the Brownies.
 
The Croxley Green Society in recent years no longer meet, but the Revels Committee continue to organise the event. The popularity of The Revels is such that on a good 'British Summer's Day' the attendance is estimated  between 5-10,000 people. The event is still seen as a traditional village occasion and is looked upon as 'one not to be missed'  and brings in crowds from far and wide.
 
In recent years the finale, instead of a 'tug of war' is a unique game of 'Push Ball' between participating local Junior Schools.
 
If you have any memories of when you attended The Revels and / or photographs we would be pleased to include them on these pages. A brief description / date would be appreciated. You can contact us HERE

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Croxley Revels - May Queens

These photographs are presumed to have been taken pre World War 2. Can you help us identify the Queens and their attendants? Contact us HERE
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Dora Howard - 1922 Croxley Revels May Queen
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Croxley Revels May Queen pre WW2
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Croxley Revels May Queen pre WW2
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Croxley Revels May Queen pre WW2
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Croxley Revels May Queen pre WW2
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Croxley Revels May Queen pre WW2
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Croxley Revels May Queen pre WW2
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May Queen Doris Gibson in 1935
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The May Queen Doris Gibson rides in her father's coal lorry
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The website for The Croxley Revels can be viewed here www.croxleyrevels.co.uk
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CGHP are proud to be included on the Imperial War Museum "Mapping the Centenary" project website. You can see other projects HERE and our project HERE
© Ross Humphries
Clicking on a photo will open it in a new window to hopefully be viewable more easily​
Please contact us should you wish to contribute or have images you would like to share. Contact HERE
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