Though Queen Victoria celebrated many jubilees in her long reign it was the 1887 and 1897 ones that inspired the greatest public celebrations. Small village though it was Hurley threw itself into the celebrations.
For both jubilees Sir Gilbert Clayton East of Hall Place, Lord Of The Manor of Hurley headed the village committees charged with organising events and his wife Eleanor was also heavily involved in preparations. They provided a barn at Hall Place Farm in 1887 in which 400 adult villagers rich and poor sat down to a dinner together. The children of Hurley later that day had a celebratory tea in the barn. For the babies a bun to chew! Catering was provided by Robert Rodwell of the Bell of whom a little more here.
Elderly or unwell residents had presents delivered to their door. Later in the day a band played while the adult men in the village enjoyed races on bicycles, tricycles, ponies, donkeys, and on their own two feet plus a sack race. For the women there was a spoon and ball race, potato race and a tub race (rolling a tub??). Competitive children got barely a look in in this programme. We think of Victorians as straight backed and po-faced, all careful dignity but they loved an opportunity to play silly games and laugh with each other. If you are scratching your head as to how grown ups managed a tricycle race- over a mile no less- remember that tricycles were then only for grown ups and not that much less common than early bicycles. Prizes for winning the races were either Jubilee commemorative medals or money.
The men of the village had the chance to represent Hurley in a tug-of-war completion against the hamlet of Knowl Hill. Neighbourly rivalry must have been acute as the rope snapped under the strain and a replacement had to be found. Knowl Hill the victor!
There was of course also a church service of thanksgiving at St Marys. The next year Sir Gilbert and Lady East had a new clock installed in the church to celebrate the completion of the 50th year of Victoria's reign.
The day ended with a firing of cannon and a fireworks display.
Ten years later the village met once more in the schoolroom to decide how to celebrate the next jubilee. This time a barn near the church was used for a public dinner for the grown ups while the schoolroom served refreshments to the children. Once again a band played while the people of Hurley engaged in sports. Foot races, cricket and quoits this time round.
The village ladies used flowers to spell out "God Save The Queen" and to form a crown, both for display in the church during a special jubilee celebration service.
Researched and written by Charlotte Day.
For more Hurley content see this index.
To see how nearby Great Marlow celebrated the 1887 Jubilee see here and other royal celebrations here.
© Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use my research for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog.
See Berkshire Chronicle 26th June 1897.
Reading Mercury 7th January 1888 and 25th June 1887.
https://books.google.com/books/about/The_county_families_of_the_United_Kingdo.html?id=TuHIDwAAQBAJ
Research of Aidan O'Brien.
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