The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-11-11 00:00:00

HALLOWE'EN AT BALMORAL ---
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Hallowe'en was celebrated at Balmoral Castle, with
unusual ceremony, in the presence of her Majesty, the
l'rincePs Beatrice, the ladies and
_gentlemen of
Royal household, and a largegatherinE of the tenantry.
The leading features of the celebration were a torch-
light procession, the lighting of large bonfires, and the
burning in effigy of witches and warlocks. Upwards
of 150 torchbearers assembled at the castle as dark set
in, and separated into two parties, one band proceeding
to Invergelder, and the other remaining at Balmoral.
The torches were lighted at a quarter before six o'clock
and shortly after tbe Queen and Princess Beatrice
drove to Invergelder, followed by the Balmoral
party of torchbearers. The two parties then united
and returned in procession to the front of Balmoral
Castle, where refreshments were served to all, and
dancing was engaged in round a huge bonfire. Sud-
denly there appeared from the rear of the Castle a gro-
tesque apparition representing a witch with a train of
followers dressed like sprites who danced and geeticu.:
lated in all fashions. Then followed a warlock of
demoniac shape, who was succeeded by another war-
lock drawing a car, on which was seated the figure of
a witch, surrounded by other figures in the garb of
demons. The unearthly visitors having marched
several times round the burning pile, the principal
figure was taken from the car and tossed into the
flames amid the burning of blue lights and a display of
crackers and fireworks. The health of her Majeaty
the Queen was then pledged and drunk with Highland
honours by the assembled hundreds. Dancing was
then resumed, and was carried on till a late hour at
night.

t'Ri

In a leader noticing the above celebration, the
Daily Telegraph remarks :
"Yet, in spite of these strange innovations, there was one
old time-honoured custom characteristic of Hallowe'en, at
_Balmoral, that was not forgotten amidst the excitement of
the novel ceremonies and the weird burnt effaring The
health of her Majesty was pledged and drunk with' Highland
honours' by the 'assembled hundreds.' There could be no
doubt about the intense realism apparently of this part
of the proceedings; and as little doubt that, in thus
gracing with her presence an ancient national festival, her
Majesty was extending a wise and kindly courtesy to her
neighbours and dependents. For there is a great and
generous idea and a noble purpose associated with the
mere observance of Hallowe'en whiela endears any
recognition of the vigil to all warnahearted and brotherly
folks. It recalls to mind how in days of old on this night
master and servant met on common ground, and all class
distinctions were for once levelled and ignored if not for-
gotten. Nay it was at one time the practice for these dis-
tinctions to be reversed, for the laird and his lady and their
family to receive the servants as guests in their company
room, and not merely to treat them to the beet in the way of
viands and wine, but even to wait upon the happy serving
men and women. in their own persons. Autrea temps autre
meeurs It would scarcely do for the majesty of England
to till a beaded bumper for the worthiest of gillies, or
for a Princess of the blood Royal to carve with
with her own fair hands the fattest of haggis for faithfullest
of grooms. It would not be discreet for great personage*
nowadays to `dook for aiples' in the servants' hall, or join
their scullions in burning the 'wed-hoarded nuts,' whose
behaviour when passed in company through the ordeal of
fire was supposed on 'Hallow'ten ' to prefigure the love.
destiny of those who appealed to them as If they were Del-
phic oracles. Bat there are innocent gatherings, eccentric
merry-melding symbolical of common interests, instincts,
hopes, traditions, and "reverences," using the term in
Goethe's sense—festivals which are to the rugged individuality
of our provincial life even as bone of its bone and flesh
of its flesh recognition of which only binds more
closely the Sovereign and the people with the heartstrings
of mutual sympathy. Lovers of the simple past will,
perhaps, no,, look kindly on the modern innovations with
which the celebration of 'Hallowe'en 'at "Balmoral seems
to have been garnished. But the great and gratifying fact
Is that, in an age when picturesque popular festivals are
apt to be ignored or forgotten, the Queen, as the represen-
tative of our national Lire, has, in a prominent manner, done
her beet to keep green the memory of this, the most ancient
of them aIL"
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