Black Prince Sees The Winter Blues Away

One of my two favourite days of the year, Black Prince Day took over Millbrook and its less glamourous neighbours Kingsand and Cawsand on Bank Holiday Monday.

Last year, many of you will remember was a bit of a wash out; cue delighted smiles as the sun shone for most of the day whilst the men and women who dance the Morris did their stuff to banish the winter from our shores and welcome in the summer.

Dave Mashford, above, was moonlighting from his day job as organist at the crematorium by leading a gaggle of primary schoolers around the villages and playing accordion for their version of the Morris. The kids had been given strict instructions to "follow the top hat" so they wouldn't get lost. Oops, there were quite a few toppers in evidence and one or two smaller people did wander in slightly the wrong direction innocently following the wrong one, but no one was lost for long.

Here's another magnificent titfer, this time on the bonce of one of our one local Morris-Dancers-With-Attitude, The Wreckers.
The Wreckers did their thing with gusto throughout the day, reaching a loud (and messy) crescendo as they did their famed Tankard Dance (with full tankards) in Cawsand Square just before The Black Prince was ceremonially launched into the bay by some ratings from HMS Raleigh who gamely wetted their Number One uniforms in aid of Cornish tradition.

In typical Cornish style, the sun refused steadfastly to shine at the most important moment (ie when Black Prince sails into the bay taking winter with it and allowing summer in) and we got a spattering of rain. Ah well, it's been lovely weather since so the magic worked in the end.

A great day - hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did.