Continuing our month marking the 125th birthday of the Westwood Club, today we bring you the story of a rather unusual tradition.
On Friday 8th August, 1947, the Stratford-upon-Avon Herald carried this report:
“Passing through Stratford-on-Avon an excursion party from Westwood Heath Club headed for the Wye Valley, taking with them some cases of bottled beer. The suggestion had been previously made that barrels be taken, but it was ruled out on the score of awkward handling. They were, as the oldest members knew, living up to an old Westwood Heath tradition: for it is on record that on the occasion the Coronation of King Edward VII, there was, as part of the feast, a gallon of beer provided for every man and woman in the parish.
The provision of this astounding supply was bruited abroad and made copy even to the London newspapers. The ex-schoolmaster, Mr Neale, who corroborated the story in detail, said he remembered well a huge hogshead propped on bricks in the porch of Westwood Heath school – the excess of the Coronation drink supply, free to every passing villager to imbibe as he would. He added: “It was to the credit of everyone that not a single case happened of exceeding the limit either on the day itself or on the succeeding days when the barrels were being bottomed,” and “it took three days!”
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Newspaper accessed at www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
King Edward VII (Wikimedia commons)
Cecil Furmage Neale (courtesy of Andrew Starr)
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