OX-ROASTING FESTIVAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1047, 11 August 1930, Page 14

OX-ROASTING FESTIVAL

KNIFE TWO FEET LONG Scenes reminiscent of Elizabethan England were witnessed lately at Coalpit Heath, Gloucestershire, when 5 000 people from Bristol and elsewhere’assembled on the village green for an ox-roasting festival. A huge fire was lit before dawn, and Mr. F. Tyler, of Stratford-on-Avon who proudly claims that he Is England’s champion ox-roaster—began to make preparations for his IGOth feast. The beast was a heifer, which the champion declared was the finest specimen he had ever encountered in his 40 years’ experience of wholesale culinary. About G a.m. a thunderstorm temporarily interrupted the proceedings, but by noon everything ■was ready for the feast. Mr. F. G. Stone, president of the gala committee, auctioned the first cut to Mr. G. Rogers, amusement caterer, of Chipping Sodbury, who thus paid £4 11s for his lunch. Tj ler, looking in his picturesque garb like a Druid priest at some sacrificial rite, stated that lie regarded ox-roasting almost as part of his daily round. His knife, which was 2ft long, was reputed to have been used by Royalty at Loch Leven, in Scotland, half a century ago. During the day 500 21b loaves, half a hundredweight of salt, half a hundredweight of butter, aud 281 b of mustard, were consumed at the feast, the proceeds of which were in aid of Bristol Hospital. Ambulance men were present in case of emergency, but digestions in the west are souud, and there were no casualties.