Traditions, Superstitions, a Quiz and Tea

The guest speaker at the social gathering ‘In the Ballroom’ on 5th January was local historian and author Graham Sutherland, who recounted the origins of traditions and superstitions, many of which are still alive today. 

Why are wedding cars decorated with ribbons and after the ceremony with tin cans rattling at the back? Is a black cat crossing your path lucky or unlucky? Why did women take their clothes off at the Rollright Stones? Graham was an amazing fund of information about old beliefs, some stretching back into unrecorded history. 

And guests who came to the afternoon social gathering took part in a quiz about superstitions, such as the meaning of an itchy palm or the number of magpies predicting silver. 

‘In the Ballroom’ is held once or twice a month on Thursdays from 2pm to 4.30pm in the Jury Street Court House, and is organised by the Town Council and the Unlocking Warwick volunteers, who serve tea and cake.

It is supported by the Big Lottery ‘Awards for All’ and the King Henry VIII Endowment Trust. 

The next gathering ‘In the Ballroom’ will be on Thursday 2nd February, when Trevor Langley will be talking about Warwick’s famous 16th century philanthropist, Thomas Oken.

On February 23rd there will be a tea-dance, and on March 9th Graham Sutherland will return with more stories from Warwick’s past.

For more information contact Trudy Ashmore: assistanttownclerk@warwicktowncouncil.org.uk