Roddam School Centenary Pageant
Pageant type
Performances
Place: Roddam School (Roddam) (Roddam, Northumberland, England)
Year: 1950
Indoors/outdoors: Outdoors
Number of performances: 1
Notes
15 June 1950
The pageant took place on Thursday 15 June as part of a day of celebration in commemoration of the school's centenary.
Name of pageant master and other named staff
Pageant Master: Thornton, Miss
Notes
The school's head teacher—a Miss Thornton—produced the pageant. The school's 'managers' organised the event.
Names of executive committee or equivalent
n/a
Names of script-writer(s) and other credited author(s)
Notes
There is no note of a scriptwriter; this was probably the head teacher—Miss Thornton.
Names of composers
n/a
Notes
The music played was probably all traditional.
Numbers of performers
30 - 40The school had a roll of 30 pupils and all took part; some former pupils joined them.
Financial information
n/a
Object of any funds raised
Non Known
Notes
This event does not appear to have been aimed at fundraising; however, if a surplus was made it is presumed this benefited the school's funds.
Linked occasion
Centenary of the foundation of Roddam School.
Audience information
- Grandstand: No
- Grandstand capacity: n/a
- Total audience: 80 - 120
Notes
Prices of admission and seats: highest–lowest
It is unlikely this event was ticketed.
Associated events
Unspecified Centenary celebrations
Pageant outline
Episode I: Prehistoric Times
The children enact a scene depicting life in 'prehistoric times' in the area.
Episode II: Scottish Raid, 1385
A scene depicting 'local inhabitants preparing to repel a raid by the Scots in 1385'.
Episode III: The Opening of the School
'Mr and Mrs Roddam of that day' opening the school in 1850. The children wear original costumes preserved from this time.
Episode IV: School after 100 years
A display of singing and dancing involving traditional songs.
Key historical figures mentioned
n/a
Musical production
The children provided singing of traditional songs, particularly in episode IV, which included the song 'Bobby Shaftoe'. Music was likely recorded.
Newspaper coverage of pageant
Northumberland Gazette
Alnwick Mercury
Book of words
n/a
Other primary published materials
n/a
References in secondary literature
n/a
Archival holdings connected to pageant
n/a
Sources used in preparation of pageant
n/a
Summary
The owners of Roddam Hall had originally endowed the small rural school at Roddam in 1850; the pageant commemorated the centenary of this. Local press coverage states that the school had 30 pupils in 1950 and all took part in the pageant, which was directed by the head teacher. The article further states that one of the children taking part was the daughter of a former German prisoner of war, who had settled in the area.1 The current owner of Roddam Hall—Major G.C. Holderness Roddam—opened the pageant. Mrs Gilroy of 'Roddam Home Farm' baked a 'birthday cake'—indicating that this was still a working estate.2 The audience of around one hundred people all came from the surrounding area. The pageant had only four episodes and these were linked by narration briefly describing the 'the events which took place' in the intervening years. The second episode is typical of pageants in the northeast and was set while the famous Henry Hotspur was warden of the East Marches, although it is not known if Hotspur (Sir Henry Percy) featured in the action.
Footnotes
1. ^ 'Centenary Day Pageant Recalls School History', Northumberland Gazette, 16 June 1950, 3.
2. ^ Ibid.
How to cite this entry
Angela Bartie, Linda Fleming, Mark Freeman, Tom Hulme, Alex Hutton, Paul Readman, ‘Roddam School Centenary Pageant’, The Redress of the Past, http://www.historicalpageants.ac.uk/pageants/1440/