School Feasts

The Wimbush diaries from 1872 to make regular references to the annual school feast usually in June or July. This is generally attended by 130 or so children and involves the distribution and/or consumption of considerable quantities of bread, eg in 1877, 30 lbs bread at 6d = 15.0 [15 shillings = 75p] and 45 lbs at 4d = 15.0. The Brass Band is often mentioned, adults are also involved, about 70 on one occasion, and there could be a village party in the evening.

In the early 1890s, when there were two schools in Terrington, there was a joint feast 'our own and Lady Carlisle’s'. In 1889 the feast included 33 Leeds children, making about 165 in total.

There are also mentions of school feasts at Ganthorpe School, at Castle Howard and at Wiganthorpe. For the 1897 School feast at Wiganthorpe, Samuel mentions that two boys from Terrington school were there, indicating that perhaps this feast was organised by the Fitzwilliams for Scackelton School. Could such an occasion be the subject of the photo of a group of children at Wiganthorpe Hall?

There is one mention of a winter school feast, in December 1872, when Mrs Howard held a feast in the School Room for 109 children.'