Lord Mayor’s Day at Bovey Tracey: Formerly Mayor’s Monday which usually falls on the first Monday in May was a day of great festivity and rejoicing. It was universal in the parish. Every farmer and his son or sons, as the case might be, were expected to attend on horseback, and as true allegiants accompany the Lord Mayor in beating the boundaries of the parish. The custom evidently originated many hundred years ago and up to last year it has been observed annually. Of late years, however, it has been held only to witness the declining state of its own existence. A few of the freeholders of the parish have struggled hard, but in vain, in carrying out the oath they took in the year, when smacking their lips on the magic stone on Bovey Heath, they swore never to abandon any of the observances of their forefathers … (ended by land enclosure) … (dinner held, attended by – list) … J. Pinsent … (toasts and speeches).
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GROxxxx xxxxx