New-York tribune., 1898-11-27
HISTORIC ENGLISH FEASTS.
BANQUETS THAT HAVE ACQUIRED
POLITICAL AND OTHER IMPORTANCE.

rbera is only one Lord Mayors Show. but the
Lord Mayors banquet has us co'1rpee' me- Suiiiba,I
oral of our provincial towns. The Huiloiiai' -
function has long had national lfnpor,anc. ~. w.
81 is only OF recent years that cHcu an an.
have brought into general notice Such hISloilc
nnnivorsaries as the Cutters Feast at Sheiheid.
the COlston Banquets at Bristol. ana the Oyslel
Feast at Colchester; while the Merchaht Dil''e,
at Edinburgh. and the Bean CluD Dnc'
Rirrinrham which can boast similar an
tiouity still lack the fame to be cameo TON
big headlines in the newspapers Inc I iol me- 60
have become celebrated from Lana Enu rret -
John o. Groats since public men OF lhe III -
rank wore persuaded to sit at the festVe poai ~
and. after dining. deliver their scus on sltat s,a
questions OF the day. In Sheftleld IL Is Iui'c
believed that "the banquet or the NoItH, do
n ia allied now eclipses that of the Lord Mayor
of London in the interest of It's oratory loI VIZ VIZ
commercial world. In the last four years Loru @
Rosebery the Duke Of Devonshre MT. bd.l"ui
and Sir Michael Hicks Beach have successNeiy
held the pos: Of honor and delivered addresses On
the most important topics OF trade ana linaice' IL
would Loo: as if the Cutters Feast WIN iea''e, 90
forth cccupy the same position in reference 10
such subjects as the Guildhall BarGuet mas 81
long enjoyed with reference to foreign affairs
both being recognized occasions ior an eApoSr
ZION of the policy Of the Government or the Gay
r,,v CUTTERS, COMPANY OF SHEFFIELD
II IS not uniting that it should be So the
Master Cutler, who gives the , a.itc''' ~, tba ut
the head Of an association Whlch Is ol 'Ilo u.
most imrortance to the trade and coninSlVe y,
the country The Cutters Company OF ohel'ieiu ~
tc mi te old some OF inc SoiI'l"''~'
of the CITY Of London: but unlike the latter II
continues 10 maintain the most intimate Co"-
nection with the industry whose nal'ie !, U.s. 90
1t may be said that some or our City Coii r.ts
nov 40 little else but dine. whereas the ! Nullel'
annual feast merely rounds OIL years oI soccu
service to Shefeld's staple trade NANNY TIL, ~
protecting the reputation or ltS pIouuN -. 49, ~
exact age of the company Is doupt,u' ot,. ~ ,',.
go, tyivon last November by the Master,
Maurice Rodgers who then entered upon nIs r
ycor or office (and died before ITS eXpiid'A'n( -
n
r wud has now been formally Installed a.
Master cutler 1t is recorded that IN the yed'
1924 in which the company was @ inco' PDi p' ~
the dinners cost 6s and the VINE ,os' Il, nT,hn No
sheffield Independent'-the bill amounted |.
onIy - 2s Cd. OF which nearly mar was 81, :
down for ale or punch ms oill I'm, i,,"Mca Hs set
curious contrast with the menus OF reoen' 800 ti
ond thejr catalogue of fine viands ana CholOe
wines The reign Of luxury prvpaoi! p,Si"' pvs
with this century for in lSOS the Mdstel ~
Sacidcd that considering the hardness OF the
t-noas the feast was an unjustlhaDle eXlra'd
ranca and the year was accordinSiy aHoWeu ~
1ass without the historic hospltahly' anu IN. M
fouov.ing wear the feast was held as Usual ~
charge OF los. eacH "oS "'' ~
p1n thase times the outlook would be black IN
deed before the Master Cutter wOuu 'iii1n mn 30
assuming his honorable office without Dldo;ns
several hundred of his fellow-citlZehS 10 M .r
sumptuous banquet But whiIe tne .. -
cutler is the host Of the occasion ne "a Tbrs
ceivas valuable help in preparing Tor IT, mus
em,,la contributions of game VIII come lloil' tIie
fine preserves Of the DukerleS suilou'iI'e,e ., p
choriola and there will probably De ihise Si'1S
~ fruii from the gardens Of personal irlehuS VI
~ Master Cutler The plate ana cutter! o"
the table usually come from his own WoihshoPo,
ara often specially made for the occas'un ~ o., o.,
Invariably form striking eNhiD.tIo.' ~ "a .;, the
g. u,bi.h sheffield is supreme. AT one time ue
sheffield women had feast TO thehsel,es vi
the day following that OF their loros anu nan,
TORS Their privileges now consist III pa :
fro chn
- Cutters Hall as soon as the speeches DeSih
and afterward following the MlstleaS ,,na
into the drawing-rOOm TO make tie aOI ,s,
op tho distinguished guests from Lohdoh' "oi,
|,ranco in the balcony is always the slgnal
far a most enthusiastic cheer from 'he uIhTi
many Of whom subsequently turh WIN de'et -
from the views Of prosy speaker ~ ."ons ~, ~
Yorkshire beauty The Cutters Han, IN which
tbe feast is always held. is not very ifilposils
structure From the street 1t JOCKS "Hdt ~ -
a fine piece Of patchwork. 1t was iirst QUIZ ~ !,
ISL altered and enlarged IN lS4, ana datas from
1eG, is Of noble dimensions and is lhey ueCo-
rated in the Italian style but by con common ro ~
sent Of all the orators at every ieas' ot - III -
the worst possible places in which 10 SPEAK.
THE COLCHESTER OYSTER FEAST.
OF the provincial banquets which in recent
wears have menaced the pre-eminence "l thdt
ANNUALLY given by the Lord Mayor or LONDON
tbo % chester oyster Feast is the only one
which is likewise of municipal character. IL
6 = c.uresque survival. indeed Of the 'merrle
Eneland' when municipal reform was YET IN
thnrrht Of and eating and 6rinking-which
Wtre then generally at the pupic eXpehse aP-
reared I'd be the most useful empoyneht LOT
Mayor ana Corporation. The oid iecoiuS ..
Cnlc,,, .er speak Of bewildering number OF
Ynuni..:al iunketings in The course OF the year
at all e which oysters-cwlng to the proHlnity
and fertility Of the River Colne-Were the chiei
Tea.,Irc There was a feast when the Mayo
and Corporation went in their barge to open the
Gsh.ri~s and another When they closed them.