Bazaar and Fancy Fair in Ivybridge 1861

On Friday 9th August 1861 a Bazaar and Fancy Fair was hosted by John Widdicombe at Torrhill, a substantial property with adjoining grounds on the outskirts of Ivybridge.

The well-publicised 2 day event in Ivybridge was organised to raise funds for the 4th Devon Mounted Rifles, a volunteer Light Horse corps based in Modbury. Having been a volunteer himself, Mr Widdecombe was more than happy to lend his support. The enthusiasm for the volunteer movement resulted from Britain’s fear of a French invasion prompted by deteriorating Anglo-French relations. There were many Rifle and Mounted Rifle Volunteer Corps composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular Army in time of need, essentially the green shoots of the Territorial Army. The 4th (Modbury) Devonshire Mounted Rifle Volunteers (DMRV) were raised on 20 April 1860 and were led by Captain John Bulteel. Although many of these volunteers up and down the country had to supply their own weapons, an application was made to the Government from Modbury for the men to be supplied with Short Enfield muzzle loading rifle-muskets and bayonet but owing to the great demand from the regular army they were supplied with Long Enfields (Pattern 1853 Enfields).

Often the busiest stall at a Fancy Fair was the refreshment stall and as quoted in a publication in 1880 ‘the holders should be chosen with much care, or but indifferent results will ensue’. They were always sited in a prominent location as they usually ‘proved very remunerative’.

The sale of ‘fancy articles’ was held in a large marquee with stalls presided over by Lady Elizabeth Bulteel. She was the mother of Captain John Bulteel and wife of the late John Crocker Bulteel of Fleet House, a former Whig MP for South Devon (1832-1834) and the Sheriff of Devon in 1841. Whilst there were a number of ladies from the local gentry many of the helpers appeared to have family members serving in the voluntary corps. The stalls contained a wide assortment of articles and according to the newspaper report ‘a tolerably large amount of business was done’. In the same tent were two large revolving stereoscopes which were ‘much patronised by the youngsters’. Employing a pair of stereocards incorporating two flat images, a stereoscope would merge the two images to create the illusion of depth. Other tents showed poultry, flowers, fruit and vegetables.

As the bazaar was in aid of a volunteer rifle corps it was deemed appropriate to have a rifle range. This apparently was located at one end of the ground and ‘entirely out of danger’. Other attractions on the day included a ‘rather unusual tent in which fortunes were told’ whilst ‘two very smartly dressed Aunt Sally representatives proved as attractive as remunerative’ with throws costing a penny. Originally the Aunt Sally target practice game comprised of a modelled head of an old woman with a clay pipe in her mouth and the object was to throw sticks at the head in order to break the pipe. We perhaps better remember the character from the popular Worzel Gummidge television series. Several running and jumping competitions took place during the day for the children whilst the Band of the Devon Mounted Rifles in their smart grey uniforms ‘greatly enlivened the proceedings’.

Of the numerous raffles which took place, the stand out one had a first prize of a donkey. With tickets costing 1 shilling the animal was won on the day by none other than the host, John Widdicombe. He kindly placed it back into the raffle for the following day, permitting the sale of a further 30 tickets. Just before the draw on the Saturday it was documented that the donkey was tested for its speed and ‘afforded considerable amusement by the ease with which its unseated its riders in which accomplishment its was nearly equal to the clown’s donkey’.

At six o’clock on the Saturday a dense fog set in and the bazaar was brought to a close. A reported sum of just over £140 was raised on the Friday alone and one would assume a similar amount was collected the following day.

Dress to impress

The 1860s was the age of the cage crinoline. Women wore fitted bodices with a variety of sleeve styles and a full length wide skirt. There was also a trend for skirts paired with blouses for casual daytime wear, especially for young women. Hats were worn at the centre of the head, and were generally low-crowned often featuring a wide or narrow brim.

Menswear by contrast was marked by an oversized appearance, with loosely-cut jackets and wide, tubular trousers. Facial hair was fashionable including trim beards, moustaches, and frequently, long side-whiskers we all know as ‘muttonchops’. The silk top hat remained the predominant choice although the rounded bowler hat was more frequently seen and flat-crowned straws were worn in summer.

Boys wore long trousers and a variety of jackets. Knickerbockers, trousers that buckled below the knee, had been introduced for young boys whilst the sailor suit, with its distinctive square collar and V-neck opening, was also a common choice for small boys.

Young girls were often dressed as miniature adults, their dresses shortened to reveal their pantalettes. Girls’ dresses could feature all the pleats and trims of adult fashions.

The Lady’s Bazaar & Fancy Fair Book published in 1880 gave advice for stall holders regarding suitable attire for the day:

‘The dress of the stallholder should always be as neat and simple as possible. Heavy materials, profuse trimmings, trains, and fringes encumber and harass the wearer, making her hot, tired, and dusty; the fringes catch in everything, the trains are continually in the way, and the thickness of the dress makes the whole business weary work’.