Carlisle Historical Pageant

Other names

  • The Carlisle Pageant '77

Pageant type

Jump to Summary

Performances

Place: Carlisle Castle (Carlisle) (Carlisle, Cumberland, England)

Year: 1977

Indoors/outdoors: Outdoors

Number of performances: 7

Notes

29 August–3 September 1977

Monday 29 August 1977, 8pm designated 'Civic Night'
Tuesday 39 August 1977, 8pm designated 'Great Fair Night'
Wednesday 31 August 1977, 8pm designated 'District Council Night'
Thursday 1 September 1977, 8pm designated 'County Night'
Friday 2 September 1977, 8pm designated 'Scottish Night'
Saturday 3 September 1977, 3pm and 8pm1 designated 'Army Night'2

There were two full dress rehearsals in the evening on Saturday and Sunday 27 and 28 August 1977. There is no note of these having an audience.

The pageant lasted for around two and a half hours.3

In the event, the planned Thursday evening performance was cancelled at the last minute because of heavy rain. The show was rescheduled to Saturday at 6pm; to allow this, the scheduled evening performance was moved to 9pm. Notice of this change was made on local radio as well as at ticket offices.4

Name of pageant master and other named staff

  • Pageant Master: Clarke, David
  • Assistant Pageant Master: Fraser, Norman
  • Master of Properties: Mr I. Sinclair
  • Designer of Properties: Mr J.T. Kirton
  • Designer and Mistress of Robes: Mrs C. McIntyre
  • Stage Managers: Mr P. McIntyre and Mr R.H. Watts
  • Wig and Make-up Artist: Mrs M.T. Longrigg, MABTH, MPhys
  • In Charge of Official Guests: Mrs J. Bredin
  • Master of Technology: Mr H. Gower
  • Master of Sound: Mr P. Harrison, BScEng
  • Master of Lighting: Mr B. Furness
  • Master of the Horses: Major T. Riley and Mr C. Francis
  • Master of Music: Mr A. Sievewright, MA, ARCO
  • Choreographers: Miss P. Allen, Miss D. Gaughy and Miss D. Vann
  • Plan and Model Maker: Mr J. Hawes
  • Army Recruiting Officer: Major H. Kier
  • Producers
  • Episode I (Hadrian): Mr F. Allason
  • Episode II (St Cuthbert): Canon D.T.I. Jenkins and Mr W. Lightfoot
  • Episode III (Rufus): Mr M. Wharton, MRCVS, DVSM, (Hon. Veterinary Surgeon)
  • Episode IV (Edward I): Mrs E. Sheffield
  • Episode V (Great Carel Fair): Mr D. Milstead, BEd (Hons)
  • Episode VI (Mary Queen of Scots): Mrs A.G. Carter
  • Episode VII (Kinmont Willie): Mr J. Wallace
  • Episode VIII (Bonnie Prince Charlie): Mr N. Fraser
  • Episode IX (Dance/Drama): Miss P. Allen, Miss D. Gaughy and Miss D. Vann
  • Episode X (Carlisle Canal): Mr D. Clarke
  • Episode XI (Carlisle Elections): Mr D. Milstead, BEd (Hons)
  • Episode XII (KORBR): Lt. Col. R.K. May.
  • Other named Staff
  • Episode I (Hadrian): Wardrobe Mistress Mrs J. Keneally5
  • Episode II (St Cuthbert): Wardrobe Mistresses Irene Roberts and Dorothy Taylor; Administrator Joan Ballantyne6
  • Episode III (Rufus): Wardrobe Mistress Mrs Betty Howe; Assistants: Mrs Peggy Davidson, Mrs Irene Winter and Mrs G. Shirt7
  • Episode IV (Edward I): Secretary Mrs Mary Saunders; Treasurer and Stage Manager Miss Mary Willis; Wardrobe Mistresses Mrs Joy Dinning and Miss Margaret Willis; Choreographer: Miss L. Vann8
  • Episode V (Great Carel Fair): Administrator Jane Milstead; Choreographers: Miss D. Gaughey (Maypole Dance) and Miss P. Allen (Country Dance)9
  • Episode VI (Mary Queen of Scots): Assistant Producers: Myles Carter and Biddy Petty; Wardrobe Mistresses: Penelope Jones and Pauline Pointer; Football Game Arranger: Adam Crouch; Falconer: Mr W. Hicks10
  • Episode VII (Kinmont Willie): Producer and Administrator Joe Wallace; Wardrobe Mistress Penelope Jones; Stage Manager Ian Francis; Choreographers Miss P. Allen and Miss D. Gaughy11
  • Episode VIII (Bonnie Prince Charlie): Wardrobe Mistresses Miss Marion MacDonald, Mrs M. Longrigg, Miss D. Cornthwaite and Patti Leith; Secretary Mrs J. Rickerby12
  • Episode IX (Dance/Drama): Wardrobe Mistress Miss B. Harrison13
  • Episode X (Carlisle Canal): Wardrobe Mistresses Christine Wright and Mrs Rhodes; Choreographers Miss P. Allen and Miss D. Gaughy14
  • Episode XI (Carlisle Elections): Co-producer Mr K. A. Rafferty; Wardrobe Mistress Mrs A. Rhodes; Episode Secretary Jane Milstead15
  • Episode XII (KORBR): Secretary Mrs M. Wield16
  • Trustees
  • Sir John Burgess, OBE, TD, DL, JP
  • Mr James Westoll, JP
  • Mr J.H. Harris, JP
  • Major T.R. Riley

Notes

The trustees named also sat on the Executive Committee.

Names of executive committee or equivalent

  • Chairman: Sir John Burgess, OBE, TD, DL, JP
  • Vice-Chairman: Mr J.H. Harris JP
  • Deputy: Lt. Col. R.K. May
  • Administrator: Miss J.M.A. Peel
  • Committee Secretary: Mr H.E. Wood, MBE
  • Box Office Secretary: Mrs L. Rickerby
  • Chairman of Finance: Mr RH Watts, FCIS, FCMA
  • Chairman of Publicity: Mr J.H. Maxwell, MBIM
  • Legal Advisor: Mr M. Carter, BA (Cantab)
  • Representing Great Fair: Lt. Col. J. Petty, MBE, MC
  • Representing Carlisle Corp.: Mr W. Hirst, LLB
  • Representing Carlisle City Council: Councillor W.S. Whitson
  • Representing DoE: Mr J.A. Griffiths
  • Front of House Manager: Mr H. Armstrong (Carlisle Rotary Club)
  • Treasurer: Mr J.D. Morton, ACA
  • Other members: Mr James Westoll, JP and Major T.R. Riley
  • Co-opted Members: Mrs M. Saunders and Miss M. Willis

Notes

The pageant master and all other named staff also sat on the executive committee meaning that the committee had around fifty members. Twelve members were female; the clear majority of the committee were male and five of these had military titles. With the exception of the Chairman, there were no knights or other members of the peerage included within the membership.

Names of script-writer(s) and other credited author(s)

  • Eagles, J.S.
  • McIntire, W.T.
  • Clarke, David
  • Rafferty, K.

Notes

The original 1928 pageant script by Mr J.S. Eagles and Mr W.T. McIntire was adapted; some episodes were cut and additional material provided elsewhere. The pageant master, David Clarke, wrote most of the new material.18 In the case of Episode XI on the Carlisle elections, the episode's producer, Mr K. Rafferty, provided the new material.19

Names of composers

  • Walton, William
  • Tallis, Thomas
  • Kodály, Zoltán
  • Poulenc, Francis
  • Berlioz, Hector
  • Boyce, William
  • Strauss, Johann
  • Alford, Kenneth J.

Musical arrangement was by Mr A. Sievewright

Numbers of performers

1000

Circa 1000 performers made up of men, women and children. A large number of horses took part in most of the episodes. A flock of goats and two dogs were included in Episode III and a variety of animals in Episode V; a falcon was seen in episode VI (Mary Queen of Scots).The figure of 'nearly 1000' is quoted in a variety of newspaper articles. However, the cast list provided in the Book of Words falls some way short of this number. The 1000 participants may have included some non-performing helpers such as animal trainers. It is clear from lists that many performers played in several episodes.

Financial information

Total expenditure: £21403

Total income: £23627

Surplus: £222422

Object of any funds raised

The Queen's Jubilee appeal.

Notes

£2000 was donated to the Queen's Jubilee appeal.23

Linked occasion

Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee year.

Audience information

  • Grandstand: Yes
  • Grandstand capacity: 1500
  • Total audience: n/a

Notes

1500 spectators attended the first night of the pageant.24

Up to 3000 spectators could be accommodated at each performance.25 There were 'five double stands, each seating 302 people on bench seats, in ten tiers of benches'.26 In addition, the army provided 900 chairs.27 These were positioned in front of the stands. As a whole, the pageant was described as 'a box office success' with near full houses at most shows.28 There were '2500' bookable seats for each show.29 The remaining accommodation for a further 500 spectators was in a standing enclosure.30

Prices of admission and seats: highest–lowest

£3.00–50p

Seats: £3; £2; £1.50 and £131

There were no concessionary prices for children or OAPs. Grandstand tickets cost £3 and £2; other seats within the arena were cheaper at £1.50 and £1. Standing tickets cost 50 pence.32

Associated events

The pageant was Carlisle's contribution to the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebration. It was also a part of the city's traditional annual 'Great Fair'; this custom had fallen into abeyance but was revived in 1975. There was a church service on Sunday 28 August.

Pageant outline

Episode I. Hadrian and the Roman Wall

The 'Chronicler' introduces himself and the purpose the pageant with a short monologue:

I am the chronicler of events gone by that happened in this Border city of Carlisle. In a short while I shall recreate some of them before the mellow walls of the castle that you see before you. But you must all work with me...34

He then proceeds to introduce the first episode.35

This short episode contained 63 performers. The title roles were:

Luel, Headman of the British Settlement at Carlisle [played by Anthony Fenton]
Gwyneth, Archdruid of the Settlement [John MacMurray]
Suidas, a Decurion [Martin Reeves]
Hadrian, Emperor of Rome [Derek Hodgson]
Aulus Platorius Nepos, Hadrian's Legate [Edward Bell].36

The dramatic elements of the episode were largely unchanged from that performed in the 1928 and 1951 Carlisle pageants, except that the dialogue was no longer conducted in verse. The action began with the attempted sacrifice of 'a girl' who is dragged by Druids onto the arena. Gwyneth calls for the altar fire to be lit while Luel asks 'is there no other rite that will suffice?' Gwyneth turns 'like lightening' and declaims that 'the Gods crave naught for meat and drink save the flesh and blood of youth'. 37 This activity was interrupted by the sudden arrival of the Romans whereupon Gwyneth commands the girl is unbound and the altar removed. A Roman centurion addresses Luel and demands to know why the druids have taken off so quickly. He commands his soldiers to go after them and look for 'a girl with rope-marks on her wrist'.38 Luel is charged with overseeing human sacrifice and responds by calling for an appeal to be made to Caesar. The centurion then announces that Hadrian is coming later that day.

Trumpets were sounded to herald the arrival of Hadrian and Aulus Platorius Nepos. The centurion then explains that Luel is charged with human sacrifice at which point the soldiers return having captured the druids and the girl. Hadrian announces that the 'town is guilty' and commands that the 'Archdruid shall die tomorrow' and the town will be fined. Luel appeals saying that this punishment will stir revolt; but Hadrian states that he will hold back unrest and assaults by the Picts in the north, and 'establish the bound' of Rome's empire 'from Wallsend where the Tyne joins the sea to Bowness, where the Solway shallows end'.39

Hadrian then instructs his troops as to the size of the stones to be used to build the wall. A British woman afterwards cries out, 'a cheer for Rome and the wall, and the army of the wall'. Hadrian then takes his leave and announces that Aulus Platorius Nepos will be in charge in his absence and will oversee the building of the wall. Before going, Hadrian speaks with the girl who was to be sacrificed and gives her a gold necklace; she exclaims, 'O Caesar, I will wear it while I live, and it shall be buried with me'.40 The episode ends with the departure of Hadrian for Rome. The episode was sponsored by Border Television Limited.41

Episode II. St Cuthbert Comes to Carlisle

The Chronicler addresses the audience and introduces the episode: 'I must carry you forward now for more than five hundred years to the moment when holy Cuthbert visits Carlisle...' The episode has two parts. Taking part were 76 players made up of nuns, monks and citizens; named parts were as follows:

St Cuthbert [played by Harry Taylor]
Queen Irminburga [Irene Roberts]
Ethelfreda, sister of Ecgfrith and Abbess at Carlisle [Marjorie McVittie]
Herebert [William Lightfoot]
Eardulf, Bishop of Lindisfarne [James Eaton]
Eadred [John McVittie]
Novice [Robert Fell]
Horseman [Major John Whyte]
Chief Nun [Jocelyn Tattersall]
1st Citizen [Catherine Eaton]
2nd Citizen [Wendy Niven]
3rd Citizen [Edward Gay]
A Child [Jennifer Fell]

Part I. St Cuthbert at Carlisle, AD 685

The first scene opens with the Queen and the Abbess entering, accompanied by nuns. The two converse and the Queen remarks that there is no news of her husband (King Ecgfrith); she hopes to be comforted by the arrival of Bishop Cuthbert. Then Herebert, a hermit at Derwentwater, appears; he has also come seeking Cuthbert. At this, Cuthbert arrives on the scene; he is leading a child and they are followed by three 'chief citizens of Carlisle'.42 The citizens proudly point out the Roman wall, but Cuthbert states: 'Boast not yourselves, my children, of the glories on the past. Strive rather for the future... Mark this child... I decree that henceforth in Lugubalia there shall be a school...'43 The Queen requests Cuthbert's blessing and, at this, he has a vision in which he foresees that the King will die in battle, this news causes the Queen to faint. A horseman then arrives on the scene confirming the King's defeat and death. All leave the stage singing.

Part II. St Cuthbert at Carlisle, AD 875

The chronicler then outlines briefly the troubles experienced in the north of England by the invasion of the Danes. In the second scene, 200 years have passed. The Bishop of Lindisfarne is now Eardulf. It opens with the Bishop and the Abbot of Carlisle (Eadred), accompanied by seven monks bearing the body of Cuthbert in its coffin, being greeted by a 'white-haired novice of the Carlisle Monastery'.44 This happens because the Dane, Halfdene, has sacked Lindisfarne. The party who have taken charge of Cuthbert's remains have been wandering Northumbria for seven years seeking refuge. An order is given that a chapel will be built in Carlisle to honour Cuthbert whose remains are then taken to safety in Ireland. The drama ends with the departure of Eardulf, Eadred and a novice; all are singing as they leave the stage. This episode was sponsored the Midland Bank Limited.45

Episode III. Rufus Builds Carlisle Castle

The Chronicler recalls 'two centuries of constant gruelling strife, with Picts and Scots and Danes' until in 1093 William Rufus claimed Carlisle.46

Part I. Rufus Builds Carlisle Castle, AD 1093

This episode has two parts. The first is a connecting scene linking Episodes II and III. In this, two peasants, Elfric and Eacha, accompanied by two dogs and a small flock of goats, enter the arena. They discuss the invasion of Carlisle by the 'Normans' red king'.47 Then suddenly they spot soldiers on the horizon, identified as 'Dolfin's men'; at this the two depart.48 Dolfin who was 'Lord of the land of Carlisle as a fief of the Scottish crown' then takes the stage. He and his troops are in flight from the Normans and discuss holding on for their 'last fight'.49 Ranulf Le Meschyn and his Norman army then arrive and a fight ensues; Dolfin's company are driven from the field and at the conclusion of this struggle, William Rufus 'attended by Walter the Priest' and a company of Flemish craftsmen appear.50 King William orders the building of a castle at Carlisle so that 'the land of Carlisle shall be safe and wax fat as English ground.'51 Walter then raises the subject of building a church and the King gives his assent to this, and appoints Le Meschyn as the Earl of Carlisle. The scene ends with the Chronicler announcing that the castle was built using stone from the Roman walls, and, forty years later, the Norman King, Henry I arrives in Carlisle.

Part II. Carlisle and the Norman Kings, AD 1132

The second scene showed Le Meschyn and his priest, Walter, as old men. In discussion, it emerges that le Meschyn has inherited the Earldom of Chester and must forfeit Carlisle. King Henry and his Queen, Edith, then arrive with an entourage. Le Meschyn surrenders his Earldom of Carlisle to the King who accepts this. He creates the Bishopric of Carlisle and appoints Adelulf as its first bishop, gifts walrus tusks to the church (said to be still preserved) and provides for a settlement of Augustinian monks to serve the church (Black Canons). He divides the land of Carlisle into seven baronies. The king declares the town itself as his own personal demesne to be in the charge of a sheriff rather than a feudal lord and names it 'Civitas Carliolensis, the City of Carlisle as becomes a royal city'.52 The appointed Barons, the Canons and eminent members of the town then form a procession before the King and Queen.

The episode had a large cast of around 100 performers grouped into town jury, Flemish craftsmen, monks, Saxon troopers, Norman Cavalry and foot soldiers, acolytes, pages and 'town and country folk' (the latter accompanied by a small flock of sheep). Named roles included the following:

The peasants Elfric and Eacha [played by Alison Hayes and Dulcie Frizell]
Dolfin [Peter S. D. Walker]
Hugo, Dolfin's Chaplain [Peter Fitzimmons]
Ranulf Le Meschyn [Trevor Batey]
King William Rufus [Philip A. Wharton]
Walter the Priest [Paul Phillips]
Baron of Gilisland [Gerald McIntosh]
Baron of Lyddale [Stephen Foulds]
Baron of Burgh [Glenn Tompkinson]
Adelulf, Biship of Carlisle, [Ronald C. Hayes]
William le Meschyn, Baron of Egremont [Christopher Routledge]
Waldeoff, Baron of Allardale [Ronald Bell]
Richard de Boyville, Baron of Kirklinton [Keith Jackson]
Forne, Baron of Greystoke [Alison Hayes]
Henry I [Gerald Davison]
Queen Edith [Shirley Fawkes].53

Notable in the list of cast names are the numbers of women playing male roles: the majority of the cavalry, town and country folk, and all of the Saxon troopers were female. Overall, in this episode, at least half of the cast were women. The episode was sponsored by A.P.V. Mitchell (Dryers) Limited.54

Episode IV. King Edward I in Carlisle, AD 1307

A large cast of around 200 players took part in this episode, which opens with the citizens of Carlisle, awaiting the arrival of King Edward I. The people cheer as the city's mayor welcomes Edward, his wife, Queen Margaret and daughter, Princess Joan. At this, Dougal MacDoual, Lord of Galloway, arrives on the scene bringing prisoners from Robert the Bruce's army. The King orders their execution and rewards MacDoual with a knighthood. The King then hears a petition asking that he grant a statute to Carlisle that none of his subjects there should pay tax to Rome; the King grants this. At which point, John Halton, the Bishop of Carlisle introduces a papal legate, Pedro D'Espangnol, who is accompanied by acolytes, chaplains and choristers. The news he brings is to 'curse, denounce and excommunicate that stained usurper of the Scottish crown'.55 The King announces his intention to go to war against the Scots but, having done so, feels faint. Queen Margaret asks the ladies of the court to dance in order to lighten the mood of the King. They perform a stately dance, after which all the men proceed to the cathedral leaving the King alone with his pages. He swears them to loyalty even in the event of his death. The cathedral bells ring indicating that the ritual to excommunicate Bruce has been completed; the King states:

I hear them ringing down the Bruce. To drown the slippered feet of shuffling death. They hammer like the anvil-strokes of God forging a mighty weapon for His hand. I am the hammer in the grip of God. The hammer of the Scots. So grave my tomb.56

The pages assist the King into armour and he mounts his horse, the pages leave and the King is then left alone in the arena. Trumpets are heard and the head of an army of soldiers appears; the soldiers shout 'long live the King'.57

Featured characters are as follows:

The Mayor of Carlisle [played by John Peel]
Edward I [Elliott Hall]
Constable of Carlisle [Steve Dryden]
Queen Margaret [Judith Carruthers]
Princess Joan, the king's daughter [Mavis Allison]
Dougal MacDoual [David Salmon]
The Bishop of Carlisle [Jim Saunders]
Pedro D'Espagnol [Laurie Snowden].58

The episode was sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland Limited.59

Episode V. The Great Carel Fair, AD 1400

This episode was new to the pageant: in previous versions, performed in 1928 and 1951, the pageant had ended with a scene set in the annual Carlisle fair in the eighteenth century. For the 1977 pageant, this scene was changed and moved to medieval times, thus making the origins of the fair fit the chronological narrative of the pageant. It was also likely placed here as a means to provide light relief from the sombre drama which had gone before. It begins with the Chronicler telling of the death of Edward I in 1307 and explaining that despite the hardships of this time, the fairs provided jollity for the people. The episode opens with a town crier [played by John Tindle] proclaiming the annual fair declared 'under the great seal of England'.60 A trumpet fanfare sounds and the crowds that then enter represent all who might have been seen at the fair, including 'merchants, traders, pedlars, chapmen, pilgrims, friars, priests, thieves, pick-pockets, beggars, fortune-tellers, soothsayers, shepherds, minstrels, monks, peasants, tumblers, jugglers, stilt-walkers, country lads and lasses, the sick and the diseased, knights and their ladies and animals as well'.61

The drama aimed at spectacle and contained dancing: including a Maypole dance and country dancing. The crowd scene contained around 100 performers and approximately 50 dancers. More than half of the performers in this episode were women. The episode was sponsored by Cumbrian Newspapers Group Limited.62

Episode VI. Mary Queen of Scots

This episode had always had prominent place in the Carlisle pageant; it was played in two scenes set a few days apart during May 1568 following Mary's defeat at the Battle of Langside and her flight across the border. It contained a large number of characters in speaking roles. In 1977, it featured more dialogue than most of the other episodes wherein David Clarke's adaptations meant that dialogue was often significantly cut.

Part I. Mary Queen of Scots, 18 May 1568

The first scene begins with the arrival at Carlisle of Mary and her entourage, together with Sir Richard Lowther and Lord and Lady Curwen who had accompanied her from her short stay at Workington. The scene instructions state that 'the Queen's dress is much stained after her voyage and her flight of ninety miles on horseback from Langside to Dundrennan Abbey' where she had embarked on a boat for England.63 Lord and Lady Curwen had played hosts to Mary in Workington. Mary thanks her hosts but says that she 'can so little repay' their hospitality. She offers the Curwens a portrait of herself and a 'wee curious Quaich', which is among her possessions. With this, she raises a toast saying, 'Luck to Workington'.64

Lord Herries, who came with Mary from Scotland asks Lowther where the Queen will stay in Carlisle and is shocked to learn that this will be at the castle where common criminals were held, but Mary replies that 'a castle keep is no new thing to me'.65 Herries encourages Mary to flee to France but Villeroy de Beaumont, the French Ambassador to the Scottish court who has accompanied Mary, states:

I will do what I can. But your Queen has run into an unbaited trap; and it is a bold cat that would filch a mouse from Queen Elizabeth.

At this the Queen is approached by a small child who offers her a posy and asks 'where is your crown?'66 Mary replies that it is 'Lost! Lost! Alas, too, where is my own child now? Far, far away, and in the hands of enemies.'67 The chronicler interjects here stating, 'ten days later poor Mary learns that she is indeed a prisoner...'68

Part II. Mary Queen of Scots, 20 May 1568

Scene II opens with Mary, attended by Sir Richard Lowther, Mary Seton and Lord Herries. They are watching a game of football played by local youths and are guarded by a troop of halberdiers. A messenger arrives on horseback and Mary's hopes are raised that he brings news of her freedom. The messenger indicates that his master, Lord Scrope, and another, Lord Knollys, are on their way. Mary states to Lowther that, 'it is eleven days since I wrote to my royal cousin' and asks if an answer has been delayed.69 Mary is told that she is now a prisoner. The scene ends in gloom with Mary and her followers moving in one direction and the English retinue in another.

Around 180 performers took part in the episode. Many were part of groups with non-speaking roles including a number of cadets of the King's Own Royal Border regiment who played castle guards. Just under half of the episode's players were women in roles such as the 'Queen's Attendants', although some played male roles such as 'Gentlemen of Cumberland'. There were a large number of speaking parts, chief among these were:

Mary Queen of Scots [played by Jennifer Carter]
Lady Lowther [Vera Bell]
Sir Richard Lowther [Dickin Carter]
Sir Henry Curwen [Bruce Jones]
Lady Curwen [Julie Drobczyk]
Lord Scrope [Mark Glaister]
Villeroy de Beaumont [John Snowden]
Lord Herries [David Bowcock and David Smith]
Mary Seton [Diana Robinson]
Lord Boyd [Roger Wykes]
Lord Livingstone [Robert Hull]
Sir Francis Knollys [John Newberry]
Daughter to Sir Richard and Lady Lowther [Carole Macwhinney].70

The episode was sponsored by Radio Rentals Limited.71

Episode VII. The Escape of Kinmont Willie

The Chronicler announces:

As the tragic Queen passes from our stage, let me take you on now... It is mid-April, 1596, and the city gates are about to be closed for the night... I will show you an exploit so daring in its boldness that its fame still rings throughout the Border country...72

In the first of three scenes, 'citizens and their wives and lads and lasses of the city' are walking outside the walls of the city at dusk; a youth calls for a dance.73 When the dancing finishes the mayor and the town guard usher people home in preparation to close the gates. There is then a call to hold the gates and a group of Musgraves arrive with a prisoner: this is the notorious reiver, Kinmont Willie. The deputy-warden, Salkeld, arrives and takes Willie to the castle declaring him a 'rank reiver'.74 As the crowd retreat within the gates, a couple meet: Jock Elliot and Willie's daughter, Lizzie Armstrong. Lizzie entreats Jock not to be found within Carlisle and gives him a ring, stating, ''tis a pledge from bauld Buccleuch. He will e'en come to his aid'.75

In scene II, there is a meeting between the Laird of Buccleuch (the Scottish Warden) and Lord Scrope (Warden of Carlisle Castle); the two are sworn enemies. Buccleuch demands the return of Kinmont Willie and Scrope refuses. Lizzie, having been hiding in the town, suddenly appears, throws herself at the feet of the English warden and pleads for clemency for her father, but to no avail. Lady Scrope also appeals to her husband to let Willie go in order to improve relations between the English and Scots; she too is unsuccessful. Jock then appears and tries to reassure Lizzie that Buccleuch will come to the rescue.

Buccleuch and his men (including Walter of Netherby and Scott of Harden) are seen at dawn in the final (third) scene; they carry ladders and tools. Jock appears and relays information to Buccleuch about the whereabouts of Willie. Jock is from a family (the Elliots) who are enemies of Willie's family (the Armstrongs) but is rewarded for his help by being granted permission by Willie to marry Lizzie. Willie and his rescuers scale the city wall and take off on horses. Scrope in pursuit fails to catch up with them, but he captures Jock. Lady Scrope again intervenes and this time her husband grants her wish stating: '[t]his is a weary world, and yet I love a brave deed, and this was a gallant deed.'76

Of note in this episode is that two members of the aristocracy played their forbears in some of the performances. Principal roles included:

Kinmont Willie [played by Richard Beckett]
Deputy Warden Salkeld [Ian Nicholson]
Jock Elliot[John Thomson]
Lizzie Armstrong [Patricia Dodd]
Buccleuch [the Earl of Dalkieth and George Hilton]
Lord Scrope [Neil Hayes]
Lady Scrope [Caroline Carruthers]
Scott of Harden [Lord Polwarth and Ian Boustead]

Together with those in other smaller parts and numbers of performers in crowd scenes, this episode had a total of around 100 players. The episode was sponsored by the Royal Bank of Scotland Limited.77

Episode VIII. Bonnie Prince Charlie and the '45

The Chronicler reminds the audience that in the eighteenth century Carlisle was a city with less military importance than previously, since the Border had largely been subdued. As introduction to the episode, he points out, however, that when news arrived of the onward march of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, opinions in Carlisle were conflicted.

Part 1 of the episode opens on to a scene with townspeople milling around. Jimmy, a drunken Scotsman is in the stocks for brawling, although he claims that he has done no more than drunk the health of the Prince. Other drinkers tease him, but in a friendly way. Thomas Pattinson, the Deputy-Mayor of Carlisle appears and pompously reproaches the drinkers for doing nothing to help defend their town. Dr Waugh, the Chancellor of Carlisle then comes upon the scene; he and Pattinson begin quarrelling over the irresponsibility of each other in the face of the coming crisis. Pattinson threatens to report Waugh to the Commander of the garrison, Colonel Durand, who at that moment appears in person accompanied by his officers. The militia state that the city must surrender to the Jacobites; and, while this conversation ensues, the crowd of onlookers 'surge to meet the Highlanders' and one of the soldiers releases Jimmy from the stocks.78The Highlanders march into the town followed by the Prince on horseback. A French Officer in his company announces that the Prince has been given lodgings in 'de 'ouse of Monsieur Ighmore in de rue d'Angleterre—de English Street'.79

In the second scene, the Prince has left Carlisle and Jimmy has joined the departing Jacobite rebels. A crowd of townsfolk are gathered when Jimmy appears back onto the scene clearly disheartened by his experience and declaring himself henceforth a loyal Hanoverian. He also delivers the news that the Jacobites have fled Derby. Onto this picture, the retreating Jacobite army then appears, causing great alarm until the artillery fire of Cumberland's army is heard. A white flag is then seen flying over the castle; the Jacobites are led off to their fate. The scene ends with a young Scottish girl spotting her lover among the prisoners. She cries:

Aye, they'll kill thee, they'll kill thee, and tha' head wi' its bonny yellow curls will moulder on Carel Yetts [Carlisle Gates], but I’ll watch o'er thee, I'll watch o'er thee...80

Highland pipers appeared in this episode and were played by fourteen members of the Hawick Pipe band; in addition, were seven pipers from the Lockerbie British Legion Pipe Band. Women played a number of male roles, and notably, a young woman called Corrine Paton played Prince Charles. Fourteen youngsters took part as 'children of the town'.81 In addition to the musicians and child players, there were a further 100 performers.

Principal roles were as follows:

Jimmy Dixon [played by Andrew Baker]
Thomas Pattinson [Mike Notman]
Dr Waugh [Maurice Payn]
Colonel Durand [Frank Graham]
French Officer [Hassan Hussein]
The Duke of Cumberland [Jeremy Hands]
Scottish Girl [Tina Graham].82

The Crown and Mitre Hotel sponsored the episode.83

Episode IX. Dance/Drama. Marriage of Sir Walter Scott

This was a short episode providing an interlude of music and dance. There was a brief introduction given by the Chronicler explaining the scene, but it is unclear if there was any further dialogue; if there was some, it was probably minimal. It re-enacted the marriage of Scott to Margaret Charlotte Carpenter who was then resident in the city; their marriage took place at St Mary's Church on Christmas Eve, 1797. The drama is recorded in black and white photographs within the pageant Book of Words and includes the betrothal reputed to have taken place at the 'popping stone' at Gilsland near Carlisle, the wedding ceremony, a ball afterwards, and the couple's departure in a vintage landau from Carlisle en route to Edinburgh.84 The players included:

Sir Walter Scott [played by Stephen Kelly]
Charlotte Carpenter [Wendy Jefferson]
Jane Nicholson, Charlotte's companion [Susan Greenwood]
Adam Ferguson, Scott's friend [John T. Thomson]
Captain John Scott, Walter's brother [Colin Roberts]
Mr J. Brown, Minister at the service, [Thomas M. Proudfoot]

In addition were around 50 'Attendants'; women played most of these parts.85 Rickerby Limited sponsored the episode.86

Episode X. The Opening of Carlisle Canal

This was a new episode written and produced by the pageant master, David Clarke. The Chronicler introduces the subject of the episode:

An event took place in March 1823 that was to symbolise the spirit of the gradually developing industrial world—the opening of the Carlisle Canal.87

The action following this involves an elderly man and his granddaughter and takes place as the Mayor of the city is about to perform the opening ceremony. The old man is wheeled to the side of the canal in order to see this new wonder and is incredulous that ships could be sailed into Carlisle. At this a man who has fallen in the water is heard calling for help; a rope is thrown down and he is rescued which elicits cheers from the waiting crowd. The Mayor then makes a short speech, declaiming that 'today the vision of our engineer, William Chapman, bears fruit...Our prime objective is to bring cheaper coal for you...'88

Three boats then 'spring into place in the Canal, the ‘Robert Burns’, the ‘Irishman’ and the ‘Rosina’'.89 Music is played by a brass band, including the tune of Rule Britannia. The crowds disperse but a group of dancers return and perform a waltz, evidently meant to signify the ball that took place following the opening ceremony.

Around 100 players took part including four dancers (two men and two women). The majority of this number were female, although some may have been playing male roles. Among the crowd, weavers were represented and several performers carried the banners of local guilds. United Biscuits Limited sponsored the episode.90

Episode XI. The Carlisle Elections

The Chronicler tells the audience that the Carlisle Canal was to last for only eleven years before being drained to make way for the railway; but before this change occurred there had been a notorious parliamentary election held in 1826. The area where unrest took place between the Tory candidate, Sir Philip Musgrave, and local weavers was called Shaddongate; the Chronicler explains that Sir Philip was visiting weavers, and there answered questions about the Corn Laws and universal suffrage, when a group of angry workers barred his path as he tried to leave. The mob 'chants slogans, utters threats, throws stones, and eventually succeeds in making Sir Philip retreat' to within a nearby house.91 The Mayor, William Hodgson, reads the Riot Act. This infuriates the crowd further and the Mayor is forced to join Sir Philip behind his barricade. The County Magistrate, Richard Ferguson, then arrives accompanied by troops who fire on the mob. After confrontation between the two sides, Sir Philip is rescued but a further struggle takes place before the Mayor is freed and escorted back to the city. The episode ends with a focus on the casualties, and voices from the crowd meanwhile record the three fatalities.

This episode featured the voice of the Chronicler who gave an overview of the drama being enacted and its context, brief speeches by main characters, including that of the Mayor, action sequences between the main characters, the weavers and the soldiers, and a great deal of crowd noise. It is unclear whether the chanting and voices of protest by the mob were recorded or performed live. Around 300 performers took part; those with speaking roles included:

Magistrate Richard Ferguson [played by Kevin A. Rafferty, pageant co-producer]
Mayor William Hodgson [Laurie Angus]
Sir Philip Musgrave [Peter Ledger]
Captain Gardiner, commander of the detachment [Robert Ripon].92

The episode was sponsored by Smith and Co., Electrical Engineers.93

Episode XII. The History of the King's Own Royal Border Regiment

In this episode, the Chronicler provides the narrative which highlights key parts of the regiment's history. At intervals, as the story alights on a new aspect of the history, soldiers and cadets parade in the uniform of that time, and the regimental band plays a variety of tunes which synchronised in some way with the tale being told. Those aspects highlighted in the monologue delivered stretch from 1703 to 1959 with a brief mention at the end of the regiment's recent overseas deployments.

This narrative begins with the arrival of the regiment in Carlisle in 1703; during this speech, the company parades wearing uniforms as worn in battle against the French in 1745 and against the Scots at Culloden in 1746. This activity is accompanied by the tunes 'Espana' and 'Highland Laddie'.94 This is followed by commentary on the withdrawal of troops form America during the revolution and their later activity in the West Indies against the French. The tune 'Dixie' is played.95 The narrative then moves to 1808 and recalls Waterloo and also features a battle against the French near a village in Spain called Arroyo Dos Molinos in 1811. The Chronicler states that uniforms worn by the soldiers then parading are those that the regiment's drummers would have worn in 1811, and that the drums being played are those captured from the French at the battle and still kept in the regimental museum. The regimental band plays 'Sembre et Meuse' and the 'Marseillaise'.96

The Chronicler then moves on to the reign of Victoria and outlines the regiment's role in securing various parts of the empire. The soldiers wore nineteenth-century costume and the tunes played are the 'Russian National Anthem' and 'La Lique'.97 The Boer War is next recalled; for this, troops appear parading in khaki to the tune 'Sarie Marais'.98 The narrative then moves to 1914 and the Chronicler highlights that many Cumbrians joined the regiment as volunteers:

Cumbrians were quick to answer the call in 1914. Thousands of Cumbrians enlisted in the King's Own and The Border Regiment, their County regiments. Battles like Ypres, Gallipoli, the Somme, Passchendaele became household names in the counties. Hardly a cottage, house or manor that did not mourn a close relative amongst the 6600 men of the regiment killed in that awful carnage. Through memorials in towns and villages throughout the counties from Workington to Alston, from Longtown to Appleby, their names live on. To those who returned from the battlefields to the quiet fells of their county, there was a glow of pride at the gallantry shown by those who wore the cap badge of the King's Own or The Border Regiments, and who never forget the comradeship engendered in those awful days.99

There is no note in the Book of Words of any music being played during this part of the scene. The Chronicler then moves on to tell of the regiment's part in the Second World War listing many famous place names and battles associated with these; the tune 'Roll Out the Barrel' is played. He ends by stating that 'There will be those in the audience tonight to whom these places bring back memories...'100 The final part of this roll call of army history covered the establishment of the Commonwealth and the current role of the regiment in various parts of the World, including as NATO forces in Germany and as part of the military force stationed in Northern Ireland. The amalgamation of the King's Own Royal Regiment and The Border regiment in 1959 was noted. There is no note of the music played during this parade of the modern regiment. However, the chronicler goes on to announce 'the regimental march of the King's Own Royal Border Regiment'. This was played to three tunes that were historically significant to the regiment: 'Dye Ken John Peel', 'The Lass o' Gorne' and 'The Corn Riggs a' Bonny'.101 This final parade formed the finale of the pageant during which twenty cadets carried torches.102 At some point or points during the performance, it is unclear where exactly, soldiers abseiled down the castle walls.103 And, at the finale of the episode, a lone bugler performed 'standing erect under the spotlight high under the captain's tower'.104 The episode was sponsored by Cavaghan and Gray Limited.105

Key historical figures mentioned

  • Hadrian [Traianus Hadrianus] (AD 76–138) Roman emperor
  • Platorius Nepos, Aulus (fl. 119–c.125) Roman governor of Britain
  • Cuthbert [St Cuthbert] (c.635–687) bishop of Lindisfarne
  • William II [known as William Rufus] (c.1060–1100) king of England
  • Ranulf (I) [Ranulf le Meschin], third earl of Chester (d. 1129) magnate
  • Henry I (1068/9–1135) king of England and lord of Normandy
  • Matilda [Edith, Mold, Matilda of Scotland] (1080–1118) queen of England, first consort of Henry I
  • Edward I (1239–1307) king of England and lord of Ireland, and duke of Aquitaine
  • Margaret [Margaret of France] (1279?–1318) queen of England
  • Joan [Joan of Acre], countess of Hertford and Gloucester (1272–1307) princess
  • Mary [Mary Stewart] (1542–1587) queen of Scots
  • Lowther, Sir Richard (1532–1608) landowner and soldier
  • Curwen, Sir Henry (c.1528–1596) gentry
  • Scrope, Henry, ninth Baron Scrope of Bolton (1533/4–1592) soldier
  • Knollys, Sir Francis (1511/12–1596) politician
  • Maxwell, John, fourth Lord Herries of Terregles (c.1512–1583) nobleman
  • Armstrong, William, of Kinmont (fl. 1569–1603) border reiver
  • Scott, Walter, of Harden (c.1550–1629?) landowner and border reiver
  • Charles Edward [Charles Edward Stuart; styled Charles III; known as the Young Pretender, Bonnie Prince Charlie] (1720–1788) Jacobite claimant to the English, Scottish, and Irish thrones
  • William Augustus, Prince, duke of Cumberland (1721–1765) army officer
  • Scott, Sir Walter (1771–1832) poet and novelist

Musical production

Most of the music was pre-recorded. However, there was a choir of female voices in Episode II (St Cuthbert), and the Hawick Pipe Band and the Lockerbie British Legion Pipe Band played live music in Episode VIII. The regimental band of the King's Own Royal Border Regiment played live music throughout Episode XII.
The music used is detailed in the pageant Book of Words, which was published after the event. However, it is not very clearly outlined and there is some vagueness over many of the items used. Some music may have been original and composed by the arranger, Sievewright. As far as it is clear that music by particular composers was used, this has been listed. Most of the music played was recorded with the exception of choral pieces and that played by regimental and pipe bands within some of the episodes.

Musical arrangement was by Mr A. Sievewright. Details of music used as follows:
Introduction:
Incidental music from Richard III (W. Walton).
Episode I (Hadrian):

  • 'Music of Africa'. Drums and percussion

Episode II (St Cuthbert):

  • 'Magnificat' (T. Tallis). Plainsong and faux-bourdon by women's voices of the Abbey Singers.
  • 'Night in the Mountains (Kodaly).
  • 'Music for Feast of Christmas'

Episode III (Rufus):
  • 'Tanzmusic' 
  • 'Music of the late Middle Ages' (?).
Episode IV (Edward I):
  • Medieval instrumental music played ensemble; music by various composers including Walton and Poulenc.
Episode V (Great Fair):
  • 'Henry V' (Walton).
  • Medieval Dances from Oryx 1509
  • Suite Francaise (Poulenc).
  • Storm effects and music (from the 1977 Guildford pageant tape).
Episode VI: (Mary Queen of Scots):
  • Suite Francaise (Poulenc).
  • Hamlet (Walton).
  • 'Film music'.
  • Various fanfares by the band of the King's Own Royal Border Regiment.
Episode VII (Kinmont Willie):
  • 'Tanzmusic' (dance music).
  • Symphonie Fantastique (Berlioz).
  • Suite Francaise. Oboe solo (Poulenc).
  • 'Medieval instrumental music'.
Episode VIII (Bonnie Prince Charlie):
  • Live music by Hawick Pipe Band and Lockerbie Royal British Legion Pipe Band.
  • 'Guns, bells and battle effects' sounds.
Episode IX (Dance/Drama):
  • Music from the Symphonies (William Boyce): No. 4 in F, 1st movement; No. 5 in D, 1st movement trumpet introduction; and No. 4 in F, 2nd and 3rd movements.
Episode X (Carlisle Canal):
  • Waltz (J. Strauss) [unspecified].
  • 'A Life on the Ocean Wave', played by a brass band.
Episode XI (Carlisle Elections):
  • Symphonie Fantastique (Berlioz).
  • 'Drum Roll'.
Episode XII (History of Border Regiment):
  • At some performances 'Standard of St George' (Alford), otherwise live music played by regimental band.

Newspaper coverage of pageant

The Cumberland News

The Carlisle Evening News and Star

Book of words

The Carlisle Pageant '77: The Making of a Pageant. Compiled by Lynn Elliot, Research by Josephine M.A. Peel, Photographs by William G. Walker and James L. Turner. Carlisle, 1977.

Price: £3.50.

Other primary published materials

  • Carlisle Historical Pageant: A Thrilling Tapestry of 2000 Years of Border History Unfolded in Twelve Exciting Episodes, Carlisle Castle Aug 29–Sep 3 1977, Souvenir Programme (Carlisle,1977).
  • 55000 copies of a publicity leaflet were produced and distributed.109

References in secondary literature

  • Simpson, Roger. 'Arthurian Pageants in the Twentieth Century'. Arthuriana 18, no. 1 (2008): 63-87

Archival holdings connected to pageant

  • Vintage copies of pageant ephemera are widely available online, and Tullie House museum holds a copy of the Book of Words and the pageant programme.
  • Publicly accessible archival material is held at the following:
  • The British Library holds a copy of the souvenir programme. General Reference Collection YD.2005.b.899.
  • The Cumbrian Record Office and Archive Centre holds a large collection of material including correspondence, committee minutes, cast lists, scripts, photographs, a variety of ephemera such as car stickers and posters, copies of a publicity leaflet, the souvenir programme and the Book of Words. These are held in a variety of files with the reference: DB/20—Cumbrian Newspapers Limited of Carlisle. They are searchable online at the Cumbrian Archive Centre Catalogue, CASCAT.

Sources used in preparation of pageant

  • Scripts for previous versions of the pageant.

It is clear also that items such as the marriage of Walter Scott (Episode IX) must have involved reference to secondary biographical works, but it is not obvious which might have been consulted.

The Tale of Kinmont Willie enacted in Episode VII is included in Walter Scott's Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border (first published 1802) and this most likely influenced the interpretation included in the pageant of this traditional ballad. It also appeared in the volumes of English and Scottish Ballads edited by Francis James Child (1847–8).

Summary

In his preface to the pageant Book of Words, Sir John Burgess, who was chair of the pageant's executive committee, stated that 'the Carlisle Historical Pageants of 1928, 1951 and 1977 have themselves now become part of the city's history'.110 The event in 1977 was part of Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee celebrations, thus making this a hat trick for Carlisle, which had always held its pageants in association with other events: in 1928, the pageant had accompanied a 'Civic Week' extravaganza, and in 1951 it had been part of the Festival of Britain. In this context, Sir John further speculated that this pattern would go on and these experiences with pageants ensure that 'when the Queen's Golden Jubilee is celebrated, another generation will find it useful when planning the Carlisle Historical pageant of 2002'.111 His prediction proved wrong in that respect. Yet his assertion about the importance of these large-scale pageants within the local past was certainly a valid one. Even in the 1970s, at the nadir of historical pageantry in the UK, the 1977 pageant was, like its predecessors, a box-office success and involved thousands of local people very much in the traditional spirit of the movement. For it is clear that in 1977 Carlisle still loved its pageant and rejoiced in its undertaking. Moreover, consciousness of the accomplishments of 1928 and 1951 almost certainly contributed to this level of enthusiasm within the city.

Other elements that made the 1977 pageant a triumph were the thoroughness applied to the organisation of the event, which is lovingly if somewhat laboriously detailed in the pageant Book of Words, and the inspiration provided by the professional pageant master, David Clarke, then at the height of his powers. Despite the fact that the usual pageant nemesis—the weather—did not prove clement during pageant week (and, indeed, one performance had to be abandoned at the last minute because of heavy rain), this pageant turned in a profit and was judged to have been 'a dream which came true'.112 For all of its pageants, Carlisle took the commercial viability of the event very seriously; widespread advance publicity had always been a hallmark. In the case of 1977, an avalanche of car stickers, posters and promotional leaflets ensured that, with a week to go before opening, almost 6000 tickets had been sold across all seven of the performances, which served to create the necessary momentum.113 No figures have come to light regarding the total ticket sales, but following a reasonably good house of around 1500 spectators on the opening night, sales rapidly increased and the local press reported that most shows were near sell-outs of the 2500 bookable seats for each performance. This especially applied to the show which had to be cancelled because of the rainy weather (the deluge arrived on Thursday, the evening of the fourth performance). Yet it is clear from commentary on this misfortune that it was the potentially very damaging financial implications of this cancellation, as well as high 'pageant spirit' among the cast and audience, that compelled a third show to be slotted into the final day of pageant week. This must have been an especially arduous day for the performers; however, it is clear that in this northern, industrial city culture and commerce were not easily divorced.

From the beginning, and perhaps unusually at this late date, the Carlisle '77 venture was financed by guarantors and donations rather than being a local government-led initiative, and this move seems to have been influenced to some extent by the example of previous pageants.114 When Sir John Burgess, who had been appointed in 1976 to take charge of Cumbria's efforts for the Queen's Jubilee Appeal, first mooted the idea of a pageant, the accounts holding funds remaining from the previous pageants had recently and coincidentally been wound up.115 Both of these events had been similarly successfully financed. Local industrialists as well as individuals were approached and in 1977, possibly due to the high profile of Burgess as a local businessman, the results were favourable with many high profile organisations pledging support, including the Royal Bank of Scotland and United Biscuits Ltd. A full year before the pageant, permission was also given by the Department of the Environment to use Carlisle Castle as the venue, in preference to Bitts Park, which had been the location of both previous pageants. The Castle was the historical base for the local Cumbrian regiment. Whether this fact influenced the choice of the castle over the park or the involvement of the army followed the selection of its base as the pageant venue is a chicken-and-egg question. However, it was certainly decided early on that the pageant would display the history of the regiment and its importance within the local context of Cumbria. Officers of the King's Own Royal Border Regiment were involved in pageant preparation and administration from late 1976, and this was an event planned, literally as well as metaphorically, with military precision. From the start, a firm financial footing was a key element of planning; and the assistance of the military was equally a large part of the whole organisation of the event.

The appointment of David Clarke, already well known as a producer of such civic ventures, was also confirmed well before the pageant, and he made his first visit to Carlisle in January 1977. In that same year, he was also to produce a Jubilee Pageant at Guildford, so this was a busy time for him. It was possible that he accepted the job with awareness that this had been an extremely successful pageant in the past and believing that for its third outing much of the groundwork had been done. The committee had been energetic in obtaining guarantors and, by February 1977, the pageant fund had reached £17500, only £2500 short of the total figure estimated to be required.116 Those involved had already obtained permission for using the castle as an arena, the army was organising grandstands and providing players, and it had been decided to reuse the original pageant script which had delivered success on previous occasions. Organisers made this decision based on what seemed like sound advice given by a native of Carlisle, the well-known author George MacDonald Fraser.117 When Clarke arrived and consulted the script, however, he quickly formed a contrary opinion, pronouncing that when 'he read it for the first time his heart sank'.118 However, it does not seem to have been in his nature to admit defeat, and he quickly set about re-inventing the Carlisle pageant to reflect the production values of the late twentieth century, and even while he was fully engaged at Guildford, he found the means to pull off success in Carlisle. Amateur co-producers appointed to oversee each episode provided production assistance. From comments made by Clarke, this was not his preferred method of working, but he was lavish in his praise of the work done by his 'sub-producers' as he termed them, and stated that 'they brought a sense of professionalism' to the task.119 This admission that professional input was critical illustrates how much the world of historical pageantry had changed by the 1970s.

Certainly, Clarke was correct about the script; that first used in 1928 was old-fashioned. Much of it written in 'dull verse', it had, in Clarke's opinion, far too much dialogue and did not cover a sufficiently wide range of periods.120 Clarke therefore decided to update it himself by cutting the dialogue, changing much of the verse into prose and inserting five new episodes as well as cutting others entirely. This meant that, although the pageant began, as it had in 1928, with the arrival of Hadrian and his would-be governor, Aulus Platorius Nepos, it now ended in the twentieth century as opposed to the mid-eighteenth. With little time at his disposal, however, the new episodes, some of which were written by Clarke himself, were mostly short and action packed rather than complex pieces of writing. Indeed, Clarke's re-write is notable for the brevity it produced in each episode and the simplification of a great deal of the dialogue. Yet despite serious trimming, many of the stories told were altered little in terms of narrative content from those told several decades earlier. From St Cuthbert in Episode II, the arrival of the Norman Kings in Episode III, King Edward on the eve of Bannockburn in Episode IV through to Mary Queen of Scots in Episode VI and local anti-hero, Kinmont Willie, in Episode VII, the tales remained essentially the same. What the re-writing did achieve was to make the overall account provided in the pageant have much more 'movement, flow and pace'. Clarke anticipated that a 1970s audience would almost certainly have little patience with the stodgy, slow and ponderous verse of the original. Similarly, 'Father Time' who had presided over the drama in both 1928 and 1951, was found to be out of time. He was replaced by Clarke with the more anonymous figure of the 'Chronicler' who in voiceover delivered short and pithy summaries of the action that had taken place in each episode and brief introductions to what was to come as each episode accumulated the history of Carlisle. New episodes included a recreation of the medieval fair in Carlisle, a 'dance/drama' around the marriage in Carlisle of the celebrated author Sir Walter Scott, the opening of the Carlisle Canal—a short-lived facility that was nevertheless significant in the development of industry in the city—and an action-packed re-enactment of riots around a notorious election in 1826. The whole show was bookended by the regular soldiers, volunteers and cadets of the local regiment: they opened the pageant with a march to the rousing tune of 'John Peel'; and a tattoo displaying the history of the regiment from 'Redcoats to khaki and from Crimea to Ulster' was the closing episode in the pageant.121

Assistance by the armed forces had always been a feature at Carlisle’s pageants, and in the past pageant committees had been replete with ex-military men; but in 1977 this was even more to the fore and had contemporary implications. The close involvement of the army at this sensitive time when the troubles in Northern Ireland showed no signs of resolution meant that security at this pageant was taken very seriously. There was a plan in place to deal with bomb scares. It was noted in the Book of Words that only those with close involvement in its organisation knew the pageant's telephone number at the castle; and every night when the show closed, the whole arena was emptied within twenty minutes.122 The British public were, of course, well used to such precautions in the mid-1970s and their co-operation was never in doubt. Yet the high level of involvement of the King's Own Royal Border Regiment was almost certainly used as a public relations exercise, since, as the troubles wore on, public opinion had become divided over the presence and use of British troops in Northern Ireland. Given that this was a Queen's Jubilee celebration, it had been hoped that there would be a visit by a member of the royal family. When this proved not to be the case, disappointment was naturally expressed. Yet, there may also have been some unspoken relief, since the attendance of a royal would have necessitated an even higher level of security. Overall, of the three pageants Carlisle hosted, this was the least influenced by royalty or the upper classes. However, perhaps unexpectedly, this aspect of pageant tradition was kept alive with the performance of Lord Polwarth and the Earl of Dalkieth in the Kinmont Willie episode where each played the part of their Scottish ancestors—Scott of Harden and the 'Bold Buccleuch' respectively. Neither played in all the performances, and although their appearance attracted some publicity, this was not on a large scale and it is unlikely they did much to increase the success of the event. Instead, the original vision of making this a 'people's pageant', held outdoors and mainly run and performed by amateurs in the time-long tradition of historical pageantry, was maintained.123

On the issue of tradition, Carlisle did manage successfully to blend much of the best of pageant practises with up-to-date methods. The Chronicler's voice and the small amount of dialogue provided by the players were produced live by a collection of actors housed in a soundproof studio overlooking the arena. Staff from Border Television were involved with this and with producing pre-recorded, realistic sound effects, and all was delivered via 'a four channel sound system'.124 Clarke took the view that any dialogue delivered had to be crystal clear and was an advocate of this type of technology.125 Similarly, although Carlisle Castle provided a much smaller venue than Bitts Park, and the size of the cast and crew was a full quarter smaller than that which had taken part in 1928 and an astounding fifth of the size of the 1951 cast when 5000 had taken a role in the pageant, modern technology was applied to stage direction. This made use of a two-way system between the pageant master in the studio, the marshals at each entrance, and all of the areas undertaking costume changes, make-up and props in different parts of the castle. In addition, the very latest in lighting techniques were used, again bringing in expertise from Border Television. The 'Master of Lighting' declared that the pageant would make use of enough 'pyrotechnics to shoot a small war film!'126 All of these efforts do seem to have paid off in terms of creating a visually arresting pageant, with the smaller cast more than filling the more contained arena of the castle.

As is evident from the photographs provided in the Book of Words, some of them presented in colour, a huge effort was also made over the costumes. This was in contrast to the pageant's previous outing in 1951 when post-war rationing had still been in place. A senior lecturer in dress design at Carlisle College, Caroline McIntyre, took charge of costumes in January 1977, and contemporary commentary makes clear that for some of the main parts she chose to hire from theatrical costumiers. Nevertheless, she did design at least half of the costumes herself, and these were still made by amateurs, although sometimes local textile manufacturers allowed use of their machinery for cutting out when normal production was not in progress.127 Before the official opening, the local press confidently predicted that within the context of the 'warm tones' of the castle, the colourful costumes would capture the 'spirit and mood of each period'.128 The music added further to the atmosphere, and this too had been revamped and modernised. Following precedent, the music had been either composed or selected and arranged by the conductor of Carlisle Cathedral: this had been undertaken Dr F.W. Wadely in both 1928 and 1951 (when he was still in post). For the third outing of the pageant, the cathedral's Director of Music was Andrew Sievewright, and he rose to the challenge. Some of his selections appear novel. They reflected his beliefs that over the period: 'far reaching musical developments, not only in the field of electronics but in research into old music and instruments', meant that the pageant audience used to 'TV incidental music from Henry VIII to Dr Who... could find the Mendelssohnian style of the previous score a bit lacking in historical atmosphere'.129 Thus, electronic music made its way into the pageant, as did the music of African drums. All of this was taken from existing recordings. Live music was performed, however, by the regimental band and by some pipe bands from just over the English border in Lockerbie and Hawick.

In all of the pageants in the city, the status of Carlisle as a frontier town with friction always on the horizon loomed large. In everything from the Roman episode where there was the threat of troubles from the Picts in the north to that of Kinmont Willie, the infamous Border reiver, Carlisle's geographical position was integral to its history. Yet the message of each pageant had undoubtedly been that these were the troubles of yesteryear. The involvement of musicians from Scotland, the easy inclusion of Sir Walter Scott in an episode, and the designation of the Friday night performance as 'Scottish night', all underlined that the past was in the past. Even the Jacobite episode used humour to underplay any lingering tensions: Carlisle's own local politicians were lampooned in equal measure with 'Jimmy', the drunken Scottish Jacobite supporter who, in any case, soon switches sides to become 'a loyal Hanoverian'. If contemporary tensions in the Union existed in terms of the problems of Ulster, these too were not denied, but, equally, they were not over-emphasised in a running commentary that was generally pro-unionist institutions such as royalty and the army. The Border regiment's presence in Ulster was not ignored within the roll call of its history delivered by the Chronicler in Episode XII, when he summarised the recent activities of its troops:

In West Africa, in Aden where C Company was the last British unit to leave that colony, in Cyprus and of course in Northern Ireland where its record has been second to none.130

This particular episode also underlined that overt British patriotism was still a hallmark of Carlisle pageantry. The martial music, the flag waving, the parading and the spectacle presented by British youth all came together in the final episode to produce a good example of the 'action packed' event accompanied by 'stirring music' that pageant advertisements had promised.131 It succeeded in bringing the story of Carlisle further into the very recent past. The involvement of the military was judged to have been successful, and it provided one other benefit in that it somewhat equalised the gender balance of the pageant! For a great many episodes, more women than men had come forward, and women had taken on many male roles, including that of Bonnie Prince Charlie. A problem in attracting men to take part in the pageant had been encountered before in Carlisle but this was particularly acute in 1977. While the committee had viewed this situation with some dismay in the early days of recruitment, to his credit, David Clarke appears to have taken the matter in his stride and women were cast in the roles of Saxon troopers and rioting weavers without any apparent problem.

The enjoinment of local enterprise, local people and local history was also still very much a feature of the Carlisle Pageant in 1977; and, like its predecessors, it took place alongside other municipal events. The annual Carlisle Great Fair had been re-instituted after a lengthy lapse in 1975; this involved an 'olde worlde market' in the centre of the city, clearly alluding to the traditional function of the fair, a series of concerts, demonstrations and exhibitions, and in 1977 a fairground with rides and attractions was held in Bitts Park near the castle. The pageant was widely seen as the highlight of the 1977 event.132 This echoed the situation that had occurred in 1928 when the historical pageant had been such a success that it had largely eclipsed the event that had brought it into being, in that case, the Carlisle Civic Week. One commentator in the local press in 1977 stated that for 1978, 'without a Pageant to act as a star attraction' the fair might struggle, for 'the pageant was something out of the ordinary. It drew people into the city and, while they were here, they took in the Great Fair as well'.133

In making such a success of their pageant, the city of Carlisle had a rich tradition to draw on, not only in terms of a colourful local history but also, as pageant committee chairman, Sir John Burgess, claimed, in terms of its own record for holding successful pageants. In a letter to the local paper following the end of the pageant, he stated:

I cannot do better than paraphrase some of the words used by my predecessor Canon Saunders 49 years ago: ‘From the beginning the pageant committee was determined to keep in view the fostering of a family feeling free from all modern diversions in politics and religion... It will bequeath also a legacy of happy memories of the way in which all sorts and conditions of people in Carlisle and the countryside around joined together to show unselfish unity of spirit for the common good.’134

He declared the event a 'triumph' and evoked wartime Blitz spirit, saying: 'more than one person told me... It was like the war years. Everyone mucked in with a spirit of fun and dedication'.135 The Carlisle pageant of 1977 also made a profit; £2000 was given to the Queen's Jubilee Fund for good causes. If it is something of a surprise that such an event managed to pull off this level of success in the strife-worn 1970s, it was because this pageant brought together the best of what was traditional in historical pageantry and combined this with up-to-date production under David Clarke. This pageant master appeared never to lose sight of the expectations of a modern audience and performed a small miracle in presenting the past with every modern twist then available.

Footnotes

  1. ^ Advertisement in the Carlisle Evening News and Star, 16 August 1977, 17 and elsewhere.
  2. ^ The designations given to individual performances were reflected in the VIP guests invited for each. The matinee performance on Saturday afternoon had no special designation but did host a selection of local politicians.
  3. ^ 'Pageant Will Find a Place in the City's History', Carlisle Evening News and Star, 30 August 1977, 10.
  4. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 179.
  5. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 15.
  6. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 25.
  7. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 43.
  8. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 63.
  9. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 81.
  10. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 85.
  11. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 105.
  12. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 117.
  13. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 133.
  14. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 141.
  15. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 147.
  16. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 155.
  17. ^ Carlisle Historical Pageant: A Thrilling Tapestry of 2,000 years of Border History Unfolded in Twelve Exciting Episodes, Carlisle Castle Aug 29–Sep 3 1977, Souvenir Programme (Carlisle, 1977), 2.
  18. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 183.
  19. ^ 'A City's Gesture to Jubilee Fund', Carlisle Evening News and Star, 24 August 1977, 12.
  20. ^ See, for example, 'Brian Lights the Way for a History Lesson', Carlisle Evening News and Star, 24 August 1977, 12.
  21. ^ 'Pageantry of the City's Long History', Cumberland News, 2 September 1977, 8.
  22. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 182.
  23. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 182.
  24. ^ Carlisle Evening News and Star, 30 August 1977, 10.
  25. ^ 'The Week a City Pulled Together', Cumberland News, 9 September 1977, 3.
  26. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 14.
  27. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 172.
  28. ^ 'Cash Tills Tot up the Success', Cumberland News, 2 September 1977, 1.
  29. ^ 'Pageant Set to Make City History', Cumberland News, 26 August 1977, 1.
  30. ^ 'Where to Get Those Tickets', Carlisle Evening News and Star, 24 August 1977, 12.
  31. ^ Advertisement, Carlisle Evening News and Star, 16 August 1977, 17 and elsewhere.
  32. ^ Carlisle Evening News and Star, 24 August 1977, 12.
  33. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 175.
  34. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 15.
  35. ^ The part of the Chronicler was taken by the Border television announcer, Clive Champney. See The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 176.
  36. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 15.
  37. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 17.
  38. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 18.
  39. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 18.
  40. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 20. The gift of the necklace alludes to the archaeological discovery of a Roman necklace in Carlisle in 1925.
  41. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 193.
  42. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 29.
  43. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 29.
  44. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 34.
  45. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 193.
  46. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 43.
  47. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 45.
  48. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 47.
  49. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 47.
  50. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 47.
  51. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 49.
  52. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 54.
  53. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 43.
  54. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 193.
  55. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 68.
  56. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 69.
  57. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 69.
  58. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 63.
  59. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 193.
  60. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 82.
  61. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 82.
  62. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 193.
  63. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 87.
  64. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 88.
  65. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 88.
  66. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 88.
  67. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 91.
  68. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 91.
  69. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 93.
  70. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 85.
  71. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 193.
  72. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 105.
  73. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 107.
  74. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 108.
  75. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 110.
  76. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 115.
  77. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 193.
  78. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 123.
  79. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 125; this refers to Highmore House, a residence then in English Street in the centre of Carlisle.
  80. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 128.
  81. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 117.
  82. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 117.
  83. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 193.
  84. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 135–140.
  85. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 133.
  86. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 193.
  87. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 141.
  88. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 143.
  89. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 143.
  90. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 193.
  91. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 149.
  92. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 147.
  93. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 193.
  94. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 157.
  95. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 157.
  96. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 157.
  97. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 158.
  98. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 158
  99. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 158.
  100. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 160.
  101. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 160.
  102. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 178.
  103. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 178.
  104. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 178.
  105. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 193.
  106. ^ 'A Message from the Man at the Helm', Cumberland News, 19 August 1977, 6.
  107. ^ 'Pageantry of the City's Long History', Cumberland News, 2 September 1977, 8.
  108. ^ Unless otherwise specified, all music listed in The Carlisle Pageant '77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 180.
  109. ^ Evening News and Star, 24 August 1977, 12.
  110. ^ The Carlisle Pageant ‘77: The Making of a Pageant, Complied by Lynn Elliott (Carlisle, 1977), 3.
  111. ^ Ibid., 3.
  112. ^ Ibid., 7.
  113. ^ Carlisle Evening News and Star, 24 August 1977, 12.
  114. ^ The Book of Words infers that the City Council had declined to act as guarantors; see The Carlisle Pageant '77, 9.
  115. ^ Ibid., 7. Burgess was chairman of both Border Television and Cumbrian Newspapers Ltd.
  116. ^ The Carlisle Pageant '77, 11. This sum included a £2000 grant made by Carlisle City Council; see The Carlisle Pageant '77, 9 .
  117. ^ Ibid., 9.
  118. ^ Ibid., 182.
  119. ^ Ibid., 183.
  120. ^ Ibid., 183.
  121. ^ The Cumberland News, 2 September 1977, 8.
  122. ^ The Carlisle Pageant '77, 176.
  123. ^ Ibid., 7. The term 'people's pageant' appears in the Book of Words as a quotation. This most likely originated in publicity used to encourage people to audition.
  124. ^ Ibid., 177.
  125. ^ Ibid., 183.
  126. ^ Evening News and Star, 24 August 1977, 12.
  127. ^ The Carlisle Pageant '77, 13.
  128. ^ 'A Message from the Man at the Helm', Cumberland News, 19 August 1977, 6.
  129. ^ Sievewright, quoted in The Carlisle Pageant '77, 10.
  130. ^ Ibid., 160.
  131. ^ These terms were part of the newspaper advertisement for the pageant, which was widely placed in the local press.
  132. ^ Cumberland News, 2 September 1977, 8.
  133. ^ 'The Fair's Problem is Success', Cumberland News, 9 September 1977, 3.
  134. ^ 'Hard Work: Secret of the Pageant', Evening News and Star, 5 September 1977, 10.
  135. ^ 'The Week a City Pulled Together', Cumberland News, 9 September 1977, 3. The Carlisle Pageant '77, 14.

How to cite this entry

Angela Bartie, Linda Fleming, Mark Freeman, Tom Hulme, Alex Hutton, Paul Readman, ‘Carlisle Historical Pageant’, The Redress of the Past, http://www.historicalpageants.ac.uk/pageants/1025/