A hundred years ago, during Spring 1914, Hertford was gripped with Pageant fever. This event will be marked in June 2014 by the publication of a book called Hertford’s Grand Pageant 1914. It has been written in association with Hertford Museum by Philip Sheail, a Museum Friend and Volunteer.
Some 600 people took part in the Pageant while many more were engaged in making costumes and props. It was held in the grounds of Hertford Castle every afternoon during the week of June 29 1914, just a few weeks before the outbreak of the First World War.
The Pageant celebrated the founding of the town in the year 914 by the Saxon King Edward the Elder. At that time it was quite the fashion for historic towns in England to celebrate their millenary and most of them did so by staging a pageant which depicted key moments in the town’s history. In Hertford’s case it included the famous Synod of 673, the founding of the town by Edward the Elder, the Siege of Hertford Castle during the reign of King John, the dissolution of Hertford Priory during the reign of Henry VIII and the royal visit to the castle by Elizabeth I in 1561.
A programme for the launch and publication of Hertford’s Grand Pageant 1914 has been drawn up by Philip Sheail and Jean Riddell. They intend to launch the book at St John’s Hall, Hertford (behind All Saints’ Church) on Sunday, 1 June 2014, between 3pm and 6pm. Much of the music used in the Pageant was composed specially for the occasion by James Gregory, organist and choirmaster at All Saints’ Church. The launch will include a performance of this music by the Mimram Singers. This will be the first time the music has been heard since 1914.
All the profits from the sale of the book will be donated to Hertford Museum.
Philip Sheail
