Glass trumpets used by the boys on May Day in the 1860s.

1860s

The schools celebrated May Day with the girls having a May Queen and the boys playing their glass trumpets.  Many of the pupils had fathers who worked in the local glass works and this may have been where the boys got their instruments.  In 1865 the head master wrote in the log-book: “According to the usual custom many of the Boys came today with their glass trumpets.”  They would parade round the village and the picture is of two glass instruments which were photographed at Broadfield House Glass Museum.

photo credit: Janet Byard-Jones

supplied by: Janet Byard-Jones