Chimney Sweep Festival script of the event in English. A colorful chimney sweep festival in the UK. The hard life of a chimney sweep

"And unclean chimney sweeps - shame and disgrace," - that's, perhaps, all that comes to the mind of a modern person when mentioning representatives of this ancient profession. Meanwhile, the appearance and customs of mysterious people, literally laundering their money from soot, gave rise to many cultural responses. Chimney sweeps still live and work near us - and, of course, they are in the glorious traditions of England. Moreover: once a year they arrange a grandiose festival there!

"Twelve months in a year; but the most cheerful - May!", - so believed the careless robber Robin Hood. It is on the first of May, on the day of the so-called Jack-in-the-Green, that the streets of the city of Rochester, in Kent, are flooded with violent colors and cheerful exclamations: the chimney sweeps' holiday begins.

In fact, such festivals have existed for a long time. Even the old Dickens described these merry festivities in his "Essays of Boz" - but sadly stated that they were completely different: you don’t meet real chimney sweeps on the streets at all; they are depicted by bricklayers, scavengers and other elements alien to the furnace business. Since then, there have been no more grimy cleaners, and in 1900 they stopped gathering altogether, and the festival somehow sunk into oblivion. But in 1980, in the old and venerable city of Rochester, it was decided to revive the tradition.

But now no one would complain about the fact that more than just chimney sweeps come to the festival. Revelers of all classes and professions gather from England and neighboring countries to look at people and show themselves: after all, now this is a festival of folk costumes. A variety of outfits, dances and songs, orchestras of English folk instruments, from bagpipes to banjos - and, of course, fun drinking parties - that is the main essence of the festival today. And, what is especially gratifying, it is the costumed "chimney sweeps" that set the main note of the whole festival: mysterious, even mystical people in black bowlers and with grubby faces - but with a white-toothed smile and a carefree soul.

We always associate England with fog, many street lamps and a fireplace where firewood crackles! And here in the imagination there are pictures from the movie about the detective Sherlock Holmes, who, together with Dr. Watson, solve crimes, sitting by the fireplace.

In those days, the profession of a chimney sweep was very popular - all black and grimy, cleaning chimneys. With the development of modern heating systems, the need for the services of people in this profession has become unnecessary. But today in England chimney sweeps are treated with reverence and respect. Officially, 600 chimney sweeps are registered in the country, and today they clean chimneys.

There was a legend in England that chimney sweeps were the lost children of the rich people of the country, who had a difficult test of cleaning soot. Having passed which, chimney sweeps will find their family and happiness. It is considered a good omen to meet a chimney sweep in the English streets. They are even invited to weddings, so that they would give young people a happy and long life together!

That is why, every year in May, the Rochester chimney sweeps festival is held in England. Every year, crowds of tourists come here to watch this bright and unusual show, which lasts three days.

In terms of entertainment and brightness, this festival is in no way inferior to the holiday, or.

The celebration begins on the grounds of Rochester Castle. It is the tallest castle in England and was built during the Middle Ages. In those days, the castle was of particular importance in protecting the city and developing trade relations.

The most important event during the festival is a colorful procession along the main street of the city with songs and dances. This is not an ordinary procession and has a strictly defined structure. At first, the “my lord” passes, followed by the “green Jacks” - people dressed all in green with flowers and bright ribbons. These are symbols of spring, which people meet and rejoice in the renewal of nature.

And only after them do the jesters and dancing clowns rush to make them laugh. They tumble, sing songs and "infect" others with their positive.

Behind them solemnly come the lords and ladies. They are dressed in traditional chimney sweep clothes and a mandatory attribute is soot on their faces. And the more soot-stained the suit looks, the better next year will be!

There are so many chimney sweeps at this holiday that they made a separate parade for them, which stretches for many kilometers!

And the audience wants to touch the chimney sweep for good luck. And if you also tear off a button from him and pinch off a few bristles from a brush, then luck will never leave you.

Closes the procession of "milady", which collects symbolic donations to support the profession of chimney sweeps. Any person who chooses his own character can take part in this procession.

In addition to the procession and parade, various games are held at the festival and dancing around the May pole is a must.

It is known from history that small homeless children became chimney sweeps. Often at the age of four they climbed into the pipes, and clean them from soot. Therefore, children are not forgotten at the festival and separate entertainments and sweets are prepared for them.

When you travel around England in May, be sure to go to Rochester for the Chimney Sweep Festival. Maybe, touching a soot-stained person, happiness awaits you?

For many years in England, in Rochester, the Chimney Sweep Festival has been held on May 1st. From ancient times to the present day, the profession of chimney sweeps has been the most mysterious. In the history of its existence, it has acquired the most incredible, but bright beliefs. For example, if you meet a chimney sweep in the morning, then the whole day will go well. And if you touch a chimney sweep, or get a few hairs from his brush, then luck will accompany you all year. If you dreamed of a chimney sweep, then something good is guaranteed to happen to you. In order for happiness to never leave the house, chimney sweeps were invited to the wedding as a living happy omen.

There was a belief among the people that the chimney sweeps were once the lost children of noble dukes and peers. Then, in some fabulous way, they returned to their families and entered into rights to titles and wealth.

In ancient times, people practically did not clean chimneys. This caused frequent fires. Therefore, the government decided on the mandatory cleaning of chimneys. At the moment, there may be about 600 people in this unusual profession all over England. Basically, they can be found in residential areas, where houses with stove heating have been preserved.

The Chimney Sweep Festival opens with a procession of dancing. Leading the column "my lord". He is followed by "Jack-in-the-Greens" - this is a boy whose costume is decorated with branches and foliage. It symbolizes spring and forests. Teenagers dressed as clowns dance and tumble ahead of the procession. Next come the lords and ladies. Closes the procession collecting the "treasury" "Milady".

And although the Chimney Sweep Festival is held in England, Denmark is the birthplace of this unusual profession. The first mention of chimney sweeps dates back to 1639. This is a document that refers to the employment of the Lithuanian Goodman Olsen to clean the chimneys of the Copenhagen royal castle of Christian IV. After that, for some time, chimney sweeps were not mentioned anywhere else until 1728, when the floor of the capital of Denmark almost burned down in a terrible conflagration. This sad event prompted the authorities to make a decision to declare the profession of a chimney sweep permanent. The first public professional chimney sweep in Denmark was master Andreas Nieschke from Selesia in 1731. By decree of King Christian VII of February 11, 1778, the first chimney sweep workshop in history was created in Denmark. In addition, a kind of professional training class for chimney sweeps was also created here. Every year the profession of chimney sweeps gained wide popularity. Its representatives have become respected and desired.

It should be noted that in 1917 the Danish Institute of Technology opened specialized training courses for chimney sweeps. In 1974, a school for chimney sweeps was opened in Tender, Jutland. Her training lasted four years. In addition to direct cleaning techniques, the children are taught the basics of ventilation and heating, as well as natural sciences, mathematics and economics.

But the fate of the chimney sweeps of Old England is not as rosy as that of the Danish guild workers. The fate of English chimney sweeps is sad and cruel. And that's why. In ancient times, small children from the age of 4 years became the apprentices of the master chimney sweep. They were children from orphanages or homeless vagrants. It was the kids who climbed into the chimneys and cleaned them with a scraper and a brush. The labor of the little ones was used mainly because they did not have to be paid. They worked for clothes, shoes, and fed them very poorly so that they would not grow and get better, otherwise they would not be able to climb into the pipe. There was not even a talk about any safety devices during pipe cleaning. Children often broke and broke, falling down from the height of the chimney. Some suffocated from soot, dust and carbon monoxide. At the end of the work, the children did not have the opportunity to wash themselves, so dirt and soot ate into the skin. The master did not let dirty kids into his house, so they were forced to live in basements or attics. The little chimney sweeps had to work six days a week and study the Bible on Sunday. If one of the children was lucky enough to live to such an age that he stopped climbing into the pipe, then he was again kicked out into the street. Since the road to the shelter was already booked for him.

But the wife of King George III, Princess Charlotte put an end to the barbaric use of child labor by chimney sweeps. She announced a reward for anyone who can come up with a way to clean chimneys without involving children. So, in 1803, a special Society was created, the purpose of which was to free children from the work of chimney sweeps, and to invent an alternative and no less effective method of cleaning. And such a method was found: a sinker with a brush or brush was lowered into the pipe. By the way, this device is used to this day!

But the children were not exploited immediately. Child labor was cheap, the fines for using children to clean chimneys were small, and the owner's greed was exorbitant. And only when in 1840 Parliament forbade the exploitation of children by special decree, and in 1864 fines for the use of child labor in cleaning chimneys increased sharply, did they stop exploiting children.

Like any good innovation, chimney sweeps also appeared in Russia. In St. Petersburg in 1721, the first official chimney sweep was registered. Concerned about the condition of the chimneys of city houses, the mayors approached the solution of the problem with all responsibility. It was decided that each quarter of the city would be served by a separate chimney sweep, and it would not be with the fire department, but much more seriously - with the police department. The task of chimney sweeps was not only to clean the pipes from soot, but also to teach everyone the basics of the proper construction of chimneys for stoves and fireplaces.

Despite the seriousness of the event, local residents, even the poorest, were not interested in the profession of a chimney sweep. Therefore, according to the 1869 census, the majority of chimney sweeps in St. Petersburg are Finns.

Despite the fact that modern houses, for the most part, are equipped with central heating and gas stoves, chimney sweeps still appear in our homes from time to time. Who are they? These are housing and communal services employees who walk around the apartments and check the ventilation. If problems are identified, they eliminate them using modern mechanical or chemical means. It’s just interesting, if you touch a modern chimney sweep from the Housing Office, will he also bring happiness, as in popular belief?

So, over the years of its existence, the profession of a chimney sweep has not acquired traditions or a large number of beliefs, but it has turned from a tragic one into a respected one. This profession is even dedicated to 1 day of the calendar, albeit not the most famous in the world. So, on May 1, all chimney sweeps are honored!

For a long time, the British believed that by tearing a button or a piece of fabric from a chimney sweep's clothes, one can find happiness in family life. To see a chimney sweep on the street or even in a dream is a great success. Therefore, even now, many newlyweds invite people of this old profession to their wedding.

The hard life of a chimney sweep

In medieval England, chimney sweeps were exclusively small children without parents. They were forced to climb into the chimney and brush the soot there with a brush. Falling down, the child could die or remain crippled. In the latter case, he was simply thrown out into the street. Chimney-sweep children were fed little to keep them thin and able to climb through the chimney, slept in attics and wore rags. They worked 6 days a week. It was only in the middle of the 19th century that the use of child labor to clean chimneys was prohibited at the legislative level. It was then that specialized teams of workers in this profession began to emerge.

Mysterious Chimney Sweeps

In ancient times, the profession of chimney sweeps was shrouded in some mystery. So, there were beliefs that noble lords and princes threw their unloved children into the street, where they became chimney sweeps. It was believed that such children were destined to go through many life tests in order to regain all their titles later. Therefore, in the old days it was not customary to treat such children impolitely or badly so that they would not retaliate later. True, this did not apply to the owners, who exploited their subordinates to the fullest.

Rochester Chimney Sweep Festival

On the first of May, many British and tourists come to the small town of Rochester for a festival dedicated to chimney sweeps. The meeting and the beginning of the exotic event takes place at Rochester Castle. On this day, a festive procession and folk dances take place along the main streets of the city. At the head of the whole procession is Milord, behind him is Jack-in-the-Green. It is so named for its bright green clothing made from leaves and tree branches. Jack symbolizes the spirit of spring and summer. Jesters and clowns rush after them, tumbling, followed by the lords and their ladies. Milady, who brings up the rear, collects the symbolic Treasury from donations.

Modern England and representatives of an unusual profession

Today in England there are only about 600 representatives of this profession. This is due to technical progress, because modern heating systems do not require cleaning pipes from soot and soot. But there are still many old houses in the kingdom that need the constant services of chimney sweeps. Their residents try to clean their chimneys as often as possible, thus paying tribute to the hard work of chimney sweeps in the past.

Since ancient times, the profession of a chimney sweep has been shrouded in some mystery. For most people, a chimney sweep is a never-failing grubby man with a ladder, a whisk and a rope, who looks out over the city from the height of the tiled roofs.

Of course, with the passage of time and the development of technology, the need for this profession has decreased, and somewhere it has completely disappeared. Today, in all of England, there are hardly five thousand chimney sweeps. They serve old houses where fireplaces and stoves have not yet been replaced with modern heating systems.

According to an old belief, a meeting with a chimney sweep brings happiness to the house, helps to fulfill cherished dreams. Therefore, representatives of this profession are always welcome at weddings and other celebrations.

On May 1, the Rochester Chimney Sweep Festival takes place in England. Every year this day is celebrated with a colorful procession and dancing. According to tradition, the procession is led by "my lord", followed by clowns and boys performing various acrobatic tricks, then - a procession with "Jack-in-the-Green" - a boy who is decorated with green branches, then lords and ladies march. All this motley joyful crowd is closed by the “milady”, collecting the “treasury”.