folk dancing in the sweeps festival rochester 2006
May Day was originally the only real holiday of the year for chimney sweeps and the boys who cleaned the chimneys. It was a cruel way to clean chimneys which is why it was discouraged and eventually outlawed by The Climbing Boys Act of 1868. The festival died out but was revived by a Morris dance enthusiast about 27 years ago.
Fantastic morris dancing!
cocodimol 4 years ago