Harting Old Club
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Photographs taken at the 2007 Gathering
 Club Secretary Humphrey Sladden calls the roll |
 The band appears ready to move off |
 Nearly back at the church |
 A tradition dating back many years |
The Harting Old Club is a Friendly Society, dating back to at least 1800, but in probability at least another 75 years before that (Donnelly, 2000). Every Whit Monday the members parade outside St Gabriel's church at 11 o'clock where the secretary calls the roll. The club members then march up and down the high street to the accompaniment of a brass band[1]. In their hand they carry a peeled hazel stick, and on their lapel they wear a red, blue and white rosette.Following a short service the (all male) members retire to enjoy a feast[2].
Notes
- ^ In 1956 the British Council commissioned a study to show life in a typical English village: the resulting film shows that year's festivities.
- ^ Richard Jeffries, writing to The Times in 1872 gazed in wonderment at the 5 course banquet.
Bibliography
Donnelly,P Benefits and Beer 2000, Harting Old Club ISBN 0953861007
Johnson, F.C. A Hundred Years of Harting Life 1850-1950: a symposium (Harting Society, 1973)
Gordon, Rev. H.D, A History of Harting Reprinted by Frank Westwood, The Petersfield Bookshop, 1877, 1975, 090417204X.
Merrifield , R Whitsun Ceremonies of Harting- The Old Club Sussex County Magazine 1953 Vol XXVII p216
Moutray Read, D. H Hampshire Folklore Folklore, Vol. 22, No 3 (Sep. 30, 1911), pp. 292-329
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