STRANGE AUCTION

Opunake Times, 30 June 1939, Page 3

STRANGE AUCTION

IN ENGLISH VILLAGE QUEER RITES OBSERVED (Editor’s Note: In an issue of tlie “Banbury Guardian,” dated April 20, and kindly supplied by Miss Truda Fisher, of Chacomhe, England, there appears a report of an auction sale which must be the strangest of its kind in the world. Traditional rites are forever associated Avith English ceremony, but none could hi* finite so queer as those observed in the occasion reported in the extract AA'hich appears beloAv). One of tlie strangest “auction”

salt's in the country took place at the Bell Inn, Byfield, on Frida a' evening, and some of the Bell “regulars,” themselves as characteristic as their sale, became stars for a night. This sale is a centuries-old annual custom, and its ceremonial might he reminiscent of some weird Dniidical rite of pagan Britons long ago. ObA’inusly it originated in days when life was more leisurely than today, for it took the better part of an hour to dispose of lavo- small pieces of land. However, the method still admirably serves its purpose, AA'bicb is to save the fees of a professional auctioneer. Tavo pieces of land in the village, “Causeway” land and “Poor’s Piece” were left to the village, one as far back as the sixteenth century, under different charities, and each year they are let to the highest bidder at

this uncommon sale. The process is known as ‘Svalking the table.” The bidders and other interested people sit round in a semi-circle at the far end of the room and at the foot of the semi-circle is a small table. After receiving a

hid the “auctioneer,” a man from the village, walks three times round the table, keeping his right forefinger pressed to the centre of it all the time, and then walks toAvards the door. If ho gets through the doorway and shuts the door behind him without any other bid being forthcoming the sale is closed, but if another bid is made in time he has to come hack and repeat the process. This goes on continually until bidding closes, the last, bid to he made being accepted. Byfield iieople are quite used to all this, hut this year it Avill be seen all over the country—on the films. A British Movietone Noavs cameraman was present to film the scene for the first time.

and the glaring floodlights and Die movie camera, symbols of modernity, made an incongruous entrust against this remnant of medieval England.

Seated round a semi-circle o! bar tables in the club-room with tankards of beer in front of them, were about twenty men of the village, the central position he ing occupied by Mr. Joe Bioavii. Chairman of the Parish Council, among them were the trustee* Mr. A. Smith, Mr. F. Howes. Mr. F. E. Elkingtom and Mr.

F. Tenfield. and the farmers interested in the land. The “auctioneer” was Mr Wingrove, “Call me ‘Old Faithful’ ” he said. “Everybody round here calls me that.” The name seemed rather a mis-nomer, for (though we wouldn’t doubt bis faithfulness) he certainly was bv no means old. Mr. Brown read out the conditions of sale, explaining that the land was for grazing only.

The first “lot” to be put no was the 17 acre “Poor’s Piece.” and TlO was the first bid. With his right forefinger apparently glued to the centre of flu. table “Old Faithful” walked round it once, crying “Ten pounds once” as lie came to a (dmlk line on the floor which marked the end of the round.

There was no further bid and be completed a second circuit, pausing to announce “Ten pounds twice.” He was just savin <>• “Ten pounds three times’ at the end of the third round when a second bidder sent the mice soaring with a bid of £lO-10/-. This time be bad walked round the table three times, and. takJn<>■ slow deliberate strides, bad almost reached the door when a shout of “Another ten bob” brought him back. After that bids came at regular intervals rising bv 10/- a time as far ns £lO-10L. At that bidding promised to peter out and

“Old Faithful” had reached the dnnv and opened it before a liesHating bidder suddenly made ur

hfe mind and called him back with a shout of “(row on then !

which raised the hid to £ll. Ridding then took another short lease of life and went up to £lO- - the “auctioneer ’ was able to slam the door behind him without further interruption, The First field was therefore “knocked down” fo the last bidder. Mr. A. "North, of Pit well Farm, for £lO-10/- for the year. Bidding for the “Causeway” first started at £O. In the concentrated glare and heat of ahont 8.000 watts of electric light “Old I Faithful” began to moo his Prow. Being film actor and “auctioneer” at the same time, with sneb a giddily circuitous route to accomplish, became a bit confusing, and once or twice he announced the wrong number. There was a little mild barracking from the “gallery.” “It 8 these ’ere lights a-bnffbng ye, ‘Faithful’ ’’ thev shouted exensin Rnt in spite of everything “Old Faithful” went steadily on. and the priee rose gradually. From £0 it reached £lO before the slain of the door signified the end of the bidding, and for

the next’year the ten acres will he grazed by Mr. T. Nelson’s stock from the neighbouring Hall Farm. Besides Mr. North and Mr. Nelson other bidders were Mr. F. Elkin gton, Mr. Ward, Mr. B. Chuckley and Mr. S. Cheekley. “Poor’s Piece” is a charity to provide coal for the poor of the parish. It was established by deed dated March 15th, 1725, and was left by the, Rev. Thomas and the Kev. Richard Knightley. The “Causeway” Charity was founded by Thomas Shaw and the deed bears the date -Tune Oth, Henry YTIT.. placing it in the 10th century. The money is for the repair of all footpaths in the village leading to the church.