Annual Gallery

Longest Day at Stonehenge, Wiltshire

People gathering at Stonehenge, Wiltshire on the longest day of the year, on or near 21 June 1912. This photograph shows a daybreak pilgrimage by members of The Universal Bond of the Sons of Men, or Church of the Universal Bond. This was a religious group founded in Britain in the early 20th century by George W MacGregor Reid, promoting socialist revolution, anti-imperialism and sun worship. By 1912 Reid was becoming attracted to Druidism, especially as Stonehenge was at the time regarded as a solar temple. His church began holding rituals there, and this continued until the site was given to the state in 1918. When the growing Stonehenge free festival caused the monument to be closed at midsummer in 1985, the Church faded into obscurity but has maintained a presence at the reopened solstice festivities since 2000

© Mary Evans Picture Library

Opening of the Colchester Oyster Fishery

Ceremonial scene at the opening of the annual Colchester Oyster Fishery. On the first Friday of September the Mayor of Colchester, the Town Clerk, and the Town Sergeant go out on an oyster dredger into the Pyefleet Channel of the Colne estuary off Mersea Island, in full civic regalia. The Mayor dredges and consumes the first oyster of the season. He and his guests then proceed to an oyster lunch to celebrate the opening of the fishery. The ceremony dates back to medieval times

© Mary Evans Picture Library

Ox roasting at Stratford-upon-Avon Mop Fair

Scene showing an ox being roasted at the Stratford upon Avon annual Mop Fair, Warwickshire. Farm workers, labourers, servants and some craftsmen would work for their employer from October to October. At the end of the employment they would attend the Mop Fair dressed in their Sunday best clothes and carrying an item signifying their trade. A servant with no particular skills would carry a mop head hence the term Mop Fair. Employers would move amongst them discussing experience and terms, and once agreement was reached the employer would give the employee a small token of money and the employee would wear bright ribbons to indicate that they had been hired. The stalls at the fair sold food and drink, while others offered games to play.
circa 1911

© Mary Evans Picture Library/The Pete Frost Collection