PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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The history of the Mayor and Corporation of Crabtree, a miniscule hamlet within the ancient parish of Eggbuckland, Devon, starts around 1834, when, so it is said, 'sundry sons of Crispin, aided and abetted by other gentry who frequented that ancient hostelry, the "Pack Horse", in Treville-street, tired of the monotony of the nightly meetings, and further imbued with a craving for excitement, lit on the happy idea of an annual outing on the first holiday in the Spring..' [1] They chose Good Friday to be the day and Crabtree to be the place 'in which to hold high revel'. In keeping with the spirit of the time, when local political meetings were rather more rowdy than they are today, that their high jinks should take the form of a mock Corporation, with a mock Mayor, a mock Recorder, 'and a general travesty of municipal proceedings'. [1] A large number of members were enrolled and they were all pledged to contribute one penny per week to the funds. So much was contributed that the fund provided for the journey from Plymouth to Crabtree and 'a dinner that would not have been thought meanly of at the table of the adjoining Lord of Morley'. [1] The younger citizens of Plymouth, who were not a party to this event, gathered in great numbers at the bottom of Treville Street on Good Fridays to cheer the Mayor and officers of the Corporation on their journey by coach and pair, preceded by the Town Brass Band, and followed by the remaining members of the Corporation on foot. The procession wound its way along Britonside (Bretonside), Exeter Street, Jubilee Street and Charles Place, all lined with an audience that on the one hand praised the Band and on the other poured scorn on the whole event. [1] At the Toll-gate that marked the start of the Embankment they were met by toll-keeper, who, of course, demanded the legal toll from the Mayor and his companions and a half-penny from all those who were walking. Needless to say this was very unpopular and it is said that much skirmishing and even free fighting took place. On one occasion, so the story goes, the assembly even stormed the gate, rendering the collection of tolls impossible. However, what those involved failed to take not account was that on the return journey, after the festivities, when they were all tired, walking alone or in pairs and the worst for drink, they could not show a ticket so the toll-keeper was then able to extract his dues. [1] When the party arrived at Lower Crabtree they were met by 'the ancient dame known as Granny Tipper', who presented them with a large bowl of fresh cockles, from the Laira sands. The party then moved on to Higher Crabtree and to the public house known as the "Rising Sun", at the rear of which was a large room known as the Crabtree Town Hall. Once settled in their chairs, the formal proceedings could now begin. [1] First the Recorder read out the names of the burgesses proposed to fill the post of Mayor. This was followed by the ballot to select the forthcoming Mayor and the passing of the robe and chain of office from the out-going Mayor to the new one. The new Mayor was then sworn in: 'I, ....., being this day fully and freely elected by the burgesses of the ancient cockle borough of Crabtree, do promise and vow to do all that in me lies for the benefit of the said Borough, and the preservation of all its time-honoured rights and privileges touching the catching and selling of cockles, so help me Bob'. [1] Then, to a fanfare from the Band, three men entered the Town Hall each carrying a monster bowl of cockles which they placed at the head, centre and foot of the main table for the benefit of the burgesses. After what ever entertainment the gathering requested and paid for, the Mayor made a speech, always satirical, poking ridicule at one of the neighbouring Boroughs, one of the most popular targets being Saltash, otherwise known as the "Oyster Borough". The doors of the Town Hall were then thrown open to all, including the wives and sweethearts of the burgesses. [1] The Corporation of Crabtree even offered the Freedom of the Borough to those who could furnish a one shilling piece. The lucky recipients of the Freedom, after having their character checked out, were enrolled at the following monthly meeting in the "Pack Horse". With the formalities at an end, 'merriment became the order of the day', with the air filled with jokes , songs and music of all descriptions. The crowd outside the "Rising Sun" were catered for by 'humble vendors of nuts or cake, of ginger-beer or lemonade'. [1] When the "Pack Horse" was pulled down the corporate regalia was transferred to Week Street but the name of the hostelry is not known. The regalia eventually became the property of the lessee of the Plymouth Theatre. Only the Great Cockle that was carried before the Mayor by the Cockle Bearer on a crimson velvet cushion embroidered with gold lace and tassels, is said to have survived into the next century. [1] On March 128th 1845 the Mayor of Crabtree, Mr Anthony Tutton, announced that the date of the election of the Chief Magistrate of the Borough would take place on Easter Monday, March 24th 1854, instead of Good Friday. The real reason for the change is not known but the Mayor stated in his announcement that it was because: 'the Astronomer Royal of Crabtree has discovered that the whole of the Almanacks are wrong this year in their calculations of Easter, the compilers having actually made Easter Sunday fall on the day of the full moon, whereas had they attended to the directions for finding Easter in the Book of Common Prayer, they would have seen that is a provision made for the case in question'. [1] Mrs Ann Tipper, the "Granny Tipper" mentioned above, died at Crabtree in 1850, at the age of around 83 years and Mr Anthony Tutton, the out-going Mayor of Crabtree in 1854, was at first a news agent in the High Street, Plymouth, and later a shoe maker while living at Saltram Place, Plympton Saint Mary, with Mr William Martin, the sexton. He died on December 10th 1881 at Underwood, Plympton, where he was a porter at the Union Workhouse. [2] Sources:
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