Knutsford Royal May Day: Story of the 160-year-old tradition

This year it is planned for Saturday, May 4. Last year it broke with tradition due to the King’s Coronation and occurred on the second Saturday.

There was no May Day in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid outbreak.

Funding for May Day is largely by donation, and each year, it is a struggle to ensure 'the show goes ahead' with much effort and dedication from the organisers.

It first took place in 1864 when the May Queen was Annie Sarah Pollitt, aged 14, the daughter of the licensee at the Lord Eldon pub.

Interestingly, Annie married Edwin Jackson in 1870. Although she started married life running a pub called the Crown Inn in Dukinfield, she later moved to the Feathers in Knutsford, located just next door to the Lord Eldon.

There are many rumours that Annie haunts the Lord Eldon, with reports of flickering lights, moving objects, a white apparition, and unidentified cold draughts.

King Street in Knutsford from 1910 to 1920 (Image: Rose Hurley)

She was crowned as May Queen by the Rev Robert Clowes, and the crown bearer was Master T Mullin.

A procession marched from King Street, eventually finishing on the Heath, which included many school children, tradesmen’s children representing each trade, and animals, plus a band from the 15th Cheshire Rifle Volunteers.

To keep with tradition, even now, horses, rather than motors, pull a lot of the vehicles used.

Bunting decorates the town’s streets, and nowadays, a team of volunteers brave the heights to place the flags high on hooks so as not to get caught by passing vehicles.

A fair and Morris dancing takes place on the Heath, and many attendees wear fancy dress with historical and elaborate outfits.

Since 1884, a Sedan chair has been used to transport the May Queen through the procession.

The Feathers and The Lord Eldon on the left (Image: Rose Hurley)

The original Sedan Chair used in the procession was formerly owned by Lady Jane Stanley, a sister to a former Earl of Derby.

There were no footpaths in the streets then, only hard cobbles. 

Lady Jane felt the discomfort of those cobbles, so she left a sum of money to provide a footpath to the town.

Another tradition that still takes place is the ‘sanding’ of the streets. It is a unique custom where coloured sand decorates the pavements, portraying mottos, symbols, and pictures.

Members of the same family have undertaken it for many years. Sanding was performed in Knutsford long before May Day was introduced to celebrate weddings.

A man applying the sand for Sanding the Streets (Image: Rose Hurley)

It is believed that King Canute started the custom 900 years ago when he sat down to shake sand from his shoes just as a wedding party were passing by. He wished them much luck in their marriage as the sand scattered across their path.

The title of 'Royal' was bestowed on the town’s event in 1884 by the then Prince and Princess of Wales (to become King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1901), and the townspeople are rightly proud of its title.

In 1914, there was a 50-year jubilee celebration of the start of the May Day festival.

There was a grand procession from the Town Hall, with the May Queen being crowned at the Heath.

Knutsford Heath (Image: Rose Hurley)

There was spectacular pageantry and exhibitions of dancing. The St Joseph’s Industrial School Pipers and Dancers gave a variety of entertainment in the arena until the procession arrived.

On the following day, the Foden’s Band entertained the crowds with many attractions on the ground. Annie Jackson (née Pollitt), the first May Queen, also took part in the celebrations.

Special trains were laid on with reduced fares from many local stations. Annie died aged 78 and is buried in St John the Baptist Churchyard in Knutsford.

Coming up soon, this year’s Knutsford Royal May Day is well worth a visit; arrive early due to the crowds and traffic, and join the townsfolk in their annual celebrations.

Editor's note: This will be the final 'Looking Back' article from Rose and Paul Hurley. The Guardian would like to thank Rose and Paul for their contributions and help over these past few years, and we wish them well with their future projects.

We are hoping to launch a new feature in which our reporters chat to our readers from Mid Cheshire about their memories of all manner of topics. If you would like to be involved, please register your interest with our content editor by emailing matt.simpson@newsquest.co.uk.