BEEF ROASTING FEAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20626, 26 July 1930, Page 3 (Supplement)

BEEF ROASTING FEAST.

FESTIVAL ON VILLAGE GREEN.

KNIFE TWO FEET LONG.

Scenes reminiscent of Elizabethan England were witnessed lately at Coalpit Heath, Gloucestershire, when 5000 people from Bristol and elsewhere assembled on the village green for an ox-roasting festival.

A huge fire was lit before dawn, and Mr. F. Tyler, of Stratford-on-Avon —who proudly claims that he is England's champion ox-roster—began to make preparations for his 160 th feast.

The beast was a heifer, which the champion declared was the finest speciman he had ever encountered in his 40 years' experience of wholesale culinary. About 6 a.in. a thunderstorm temporarily interrupted the proceedings, but by noon everything was ready for the feast. Air. F. G. Stone, president of the Gala Committee, auctioned the first cut to Mr. G. Rogers, amusement caterer of Chipping Sodbury, who thus paid £4 lis for his lunch.

Mr. Tyler, looking in bis picturesque garb like a Druid priest at some sacrifical rite, stated that he regarded ox-roasting almost as part of his daily round. Hi 3 knife, which was two feet long, was reputed to havo been used by Royalty at Loch Levcn, in Scotland, half a century ago.

During the day 500 21b. loaves, half a cv.t. of salt, half a cwt. of butter, and 281bs. of mustard wero corisumod at the feast, the proceeds of which wero in aid of Bristol Hospital. Ainbulanco men were present in case of emergency, but digestions in the west are sound, and there were no casualties.