Shrovetide highlights
A PANDEMIC may have prevented play of Shrovetide football this year, but it is still appropriate to look at some of the anniversaries.
There are some interesting ones, too. I hope that you like what follows.
The Foot and Mouth outbreak in 2001 at Rocester saw a lockdown which included Mayfield but the cancellation of play that year meant that no one could point a finger at the game.
In 1891, it was the first time a painted ball was used, albeit some what plainer than the wonderfully painted balls of today.
The following year saw the first guest invited to lunch with the committee. A far cry from the lunches today when around 500 people sit down for a three course meal.
This year it is 120 years since the police erected a barrier across Compton Bridge to prevent play extending into Dig and Church Streets (in 1901).
A little earlier, in 1888, the ball was run to Dovedale. Another ball was turned up, but the earlier ball came back to town which resulted in two balls in play at once.
This was repeated, i.e. two in play at once on Wednesday 1896.
In 1890 was the last time a ball was goaled by the turner up: Charles Coxon.
In 1892 (on the Wednesday) the ball was kicked to pieces and the following year on the Tuesday it was cut in two.
The last year of the century saw the Tuesday ball being kicked to pieces again and the last time the Committee Secretary goaled a ball.
The first year of the new century saw the railway opening to Buxton. It created a threat to life for players in the tunnel when the afternoon down train from Buxton reached it.
This actually happened one year, but Tissington Station had been alerted to the position and informed the driver before he left for Ashbourne.
The only death during play occurred in 1906 on the Tuesday, when William Tunnicliff jumped into the mill pool at Clifton and
became stuck in the mud and drowned. The following year, the balls were turned up (one on each day) by brothers, JC and W Prince.
In 1916, Ashbourne lads played Shrovetide football on the same day in the same snowy conditions: in Ashbourne and with an Ashbourne ball on the Somme.
In 1918, the Ashbourne men were about 12 miles behind the front and resting.
The ball was played by 500-600 soldiers, creating alarm amongst local villagers who for some time did not realise what was happening.
In 1922, a ball was accepted from the town by Princess Mary, the Princess Royal, as a wedding gift, having been taken by a friend, The Marquis of Hartington, son of the Duke of Devonshire.
The following year, 1923, he turned up the Tuesday ball. The following year, 1924, his father the 9th Duke of Devonshire, only recently resigned as Secretary of State for the Colonies, turned up the ball.
In 1928, Princess Mary’s brother, Edward, Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII, turned up the ball. His greatnephew, Prince Charles, also Prince of Wales, also turned up the ball in 2003.
In 1922, as a result of the ball being accepted by Princess Mary, the committee added the word Royal to its title.
Perhaps this will be worth celebrating next year.