Petuaria Press Issue 71, published January 2018.
This issue will not be distributed door-to-door. To get future editions sent direct to your email inbox subscribe NOW!
In this issue…
- Call for nominations for this year’s Petuaria Award
- Former resident remembers Roman themed gala at opening of Burrs field
- Cricket club enters its 125th year
- Christmas Tree Festival in pictures
Click the cover image to view PDF.
Memories from the Burrs’ Roman Gala of 1973
Sylvia Atkinson, who lived on Jefferson Drive in Brough in the 1970s, has written to the Petuaria Press with her reminiscences from when the Burrs Playing Field was officially opened. Sylvia and husband Len, a youth leader, were both on the committee of the Playing Field Association and helped to organise the celebrations. Sheila’s letter included press clippings of the time which are reproduced here along with the article texts.
Roman games open playing-field
There was a Roman theme at the opening of Elloughton and Brough playing fields at Welton Road, Brough, at the weekend. The opening has been delayed since the field was bought 10 years ago by archaelogical excavations. The celebrations included a Roman chariot race (pictured above) a competition to choose a Roman queen, (pictured left) and a fancy-dress parade (pictured right). The official opening ceremony was carrid out by Clive Sullivan, Great Britaiin Rugby League captain. The festivities began with a Roman procession from the Haven, Brough, and ended with Roman revels in the Village Hall.
Clive Sullivan judging the 1st Brough Company Boys’ Brigade, which was the best entry, at the official opening of Brough playing field.
Clive Sullivan opens Brough playing field
Elloughton and Brough playing field at Welton Road, Brough, was officially opend on Saturday by Clive Sullivan, Great Britain Rugby captain.
The opening has been delayed over the years by archaelogical excavations.
The opening celebrations were in Roman style with a chariot race around the village, an exhibition by Hull Museum, a Roman queen contest, mock battle and side shows.
The festivities began with a Roman proecession from the Haven, Brough, and were rounded off in the evening with Roman revels in the village hall, Brough.
Humberside Echoes by John Humber
‘Up Petuaria’ for the new playing field
Friends, Romans, countrymen: it’s all happening at Petuaria on Maius XIX…
In other words, on May 19 there will be a grand opening Roman Style, of the Elloughton and Brough playing field built on the site of the ancient garrison town.“Being on the site of Roman Brough, or Petuaria, we are doing everything in Roman style,” say the committee. “There is to be a chariot race around the village, an exhibition by the Hull Museum, a Roman Queen contest, children’s events, fancy dress, marching display, mock battle, exhibitions, miniature fairground, flower arranging demonstration, art exhibition, cake competitions, garden centre, refreshments and beer tent – to mention but a few of the attractions.”
What no orgy? Cecil B. de Mille would have been disappointed!
Well, even that may be laid on, for I read on: “To round the whole thing off, we are holding ‘Roman Revels’ in the evening in the village hall at Brough, where we are expecting the more ambitious of our revellers to be in Roman dress.”
Procession
The festivities will commence with a procession from the Haven at 2pm, and the museum exhibition in the church hall will be open from the Friday evening, when a talk will be given by Mr Terence Suthers, Hull Museums’ Assistant Keeper of Archaelology.
Object of the exercise, apart from gving the local inhabitants – and no doubt a good many visitors – a a jolly good Roman holiday, is to raise a few honest denarii (pennies to the British serfs) for the purchase of equipment for the playing field.
It is intended to develop this field as the social centre for the village. So it is to be hoped that the patrons and patricians will “render unto Caesar…”