Whit Friday

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Whit Friday is the the name given to the first Friday after Pentecost or Whitsun in the eastern areas of Greater Manchester, England.^[1]^[2]

The day has a cultural significance in these areas as the date on which the annual Whit Walks are traditionally held. It is also the day on which the traditional annual Whit Friday Brass band contests are held in the towns and villages of Stalybridge and Mossley and in the villages of Saddleworth.

1 Whit walks
2 Brass band contests
- 2.1 Currently Held Contests
3 Other Traditions
4 References

[edit] Whit walks

A Procession of Witness of the congregations of local churches is a tradition in the area, with the church officers, clergy, children carrying baskets of flowers or ribbons attached to banners. Each Whit Friday, local churches or chapels in this region employed bands to lead traditional processions through the streets. Whit Friday was the "Scholars' Walk", or the Church's Annual Day when the girls would have a new dress and the boys would have new trousers and neighbours, friends and relatives would give a penny for their new clothes. ^[3]

[edit] Brass band contests

A brass band contest has been held in Stalybridge on Whit Friday since at least 1870.^{[citation needed]} On Whit Friday 1884, 6th June, two further unconnected events in Uppermill and Mossley were held,^[4] inadvertently launching an internationally renowned and unique brass band occasion - the Annual Whit Friday Band Contests. The Whit Friday contests are now firmly placed in the brass band calendar and attract thousands of people, whether musicians or spectators, to listen to brass band music. The bands' discipline, stamina, and organisational skills are tested to the limit. Each of the contests on the Whit Friday circuit is organised by a dedicated committee who organise their own contest prizes.

[edit] Currently Held Contests

The following localities held Brass Band contests on Whit Friday in 2007 ^[5]:

Stalybridge
Millbrook, Stalybridge
Carrbrook, Stalybridge ^[6]
Heyrod, Stalybridge
Stalybridge Celtic, Stalybridge

Upper Mossley
Micklehurst, Mossley

Dukinfield
Hurst Village, Ashton-Under-Lyne
Broadoak, Ashton-Under-Lyne
Denton
Droylsden

[edit] Other Traditions

In the 1800s, people stirred around 4.00 am to prepare for the day. Licensing laws did not exist, so the doors of pubs and coffee shops opened at 5.00 am and the day began. Pies were ordered days before Whit Friday as there was no time for cooking! Potato Pie or Tater Pie - a variation of Lancashire hotpot has become the traditional food of Whit Friday in these towns.