DropBy

This comes with thanks to Glenn F


It first happened 790 years ago...

The official woke up...

He ate an egg and heated some milk on the fire...

He checked on the livestock...

And then he walked over to the parish council and announced the news.

A hush went around the room...

After weeks of deliberation, it had been decided:

Manchester may hold...

An annual fair!

790 years later, this momentous occasion is still celebrated as people don red and white and fall out onto the streets of England to drink and be merry.

Meanwhile, in that same year of 1222, a few hours outside of London, the Council of Oxford meets.

In the morning they declare the 23rd April to be St George's Day.

It's documented accordingly and then the Council move on to discuss the launch of the sixth crusade and whether it's worth investigating different ways to spread the message of Christianity to the masses. 

Today ISN'T about celebrating Manchester's right to hold an annual fair...

It's St Georges Day, that's what today's all about!

It is indeed St Georges Day...

And as I was researching the other day, from a very rudimentary look around Google the only interesting thing I could find out that happened in 1222, which was the year St George's Day was first decided upon, was that Manchester was granted the right to hold an annual fair.

Made me laugh and thought it might you too.

It also made me laugh the lack of any real specific detail you can find about why we celebrate St George's Day.

It's all very vague.

But, far from being un-English, I will happily celebrate with the rest of my country-folk and will soon be off for a few tankards of ale..........