Oyster Feast
Encyclopedia
The Oyster Feast is the centrepiece of the annual civic calendar in the ancient borough of Colchester
located in Essex
in the East of England
.
fishery dates to the Roman era. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book
.
The borough
of Colchester obtained rights to the fishery under the provisions of its Royal Charter
granted by Richard I
in 1189. The oysters obtained from the fishery are known as "Colchester Natives" (the native oyster, Ostrea edulis).
, in full civic regalia. A flotilla of small boats carrying invited guests follows the Mayor out into the channel. Oaths are sworn, pledging devotion to the monarch. The Mayor dredges and consumes the first oyster of the season. The Mayor and guests then proceed to an oyster lunch which celebrates the opening of the fishery.
hosts a grand civic Oyster Feast in the Moot Hall
. The feast is attended by civic dignitaries from around the nation, and worthies from the world of arts and entertainment. The Mayor also invites Colchester citizens who are active in local charities, civic bodies, and good causes. There is a public lottery to ensure that every citizen of the borough has the chance to attend this prestigious event.
The feast has its origins in the St Denis Fair
dating to the 14th Century. The modern feast dates to 1845 when it was brought onto the civic calendar by Mayor of Colchester Thomas Wolton.
and Trades Council have organised an "Alternative Oyster Feast" to provide a hearty meal and enjoyable entertainment for the town's pensioners.
This is an "Alternative " to the oyster feast attended by the great and the good in the Town Hall.
A selection of the towns pensioners tuck into Fish and chips and enjoy a game or two of Bingo and a sing song with a local musician.
All the food and event is paid for by The Trades Unions, individuals, and The Labour Party.
The alternative started as a protest to Council cuts, when a grand event was being held for the few. This protest has stayed the course of time and is as popular as ever.
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Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
located in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
in the East of England
East of England
The East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. It was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Essex has the highest population in the region.Its...
.
The Colchester Natives
The Colne oysterOyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
fishery dates to the Roman era. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
.
The borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of Colchester obtained rights to the fishery under the provisions of its Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
granted by Richard I
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
in 1189. The oysters obtained from the fishery are known as "Colchester Natives" (the native oyster, Ostrea edulis).
Annual Opening of the Oyster Fishery
The oyster fishery is officially "opened" on the first Friday of September each year. The Mayor of Colchester, the Town Clerk, and the Town Sergeant take passage on an oyster dredger out into the Pyefleet Channel of the Colne estuary off Mersea IslandMersea Island
Mersea Island is the most easterly inhabited island in the United Kingdom, located marginally off the coast of Essex, England, to the southeast of Colchester. It is situated in the estuary area of the Blackwater and Colne rivers and has an area of around...
, in full civic regalia. A flotilla of small boats carrying invited guests follows the Mayor out into the channel. Oaths are sworn, pledging devotion to the monarch. The Mayor dredges and consumes the first oyster of the season. The Mayor and guests then proceed to an oyster lunch which celebrates the opening of the fishery.
The Oyster Feast
On the last Friday in October each year, the Mayor of ColchesterMayor of Colchester
The Mayor of Colchester sits as non-political chairman of Colchester Borough Council and serves as the civic representative of the borough. The mayoralty is customarily awarded to the most senior councillor of one of the political groups-Current Mayor:...
hosts a grand civic Oyster Feast in the Moot Hall
Moot hall
A moot hall is meeting or assembly building, traditionally to decide local issues.In Anglo-Saxon England, a low ring-shaped earthwork served as a moot hill or moot mound, where the elders of the hundred would meet to take decisions. Some of these acquired permanent buildings, known as moot halls...
. The feast is attended by civic dignitaries from around the nation, and worthies from the world of arts and entertainment. The Mayor also invites Colchester citizens who are active in local charities, civic bodies, and good causes. There is a public lottery to ensure that every citizen of the borough has the chance to attend this prestigious event.
The feast has its origins in the St Denis Fair
Denis
Saint Denis is a Christian martyr and saint. In the third century, he was Bishop of Paris. He was martyred in connection with the Decian persecution of Christians, shortly after A.D. 250...
dating to the 14th Century. The modern feast dates to 1845 when it was brought onto the civic calendar by Mayor of Colchester Thomas Wolton.
The "Alternative" Oyster Feast
In recent times (over 30 years) the Colchester Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and Trades Council have organised an "Alternative Oyster Feast" to provide a hearty meal and enjoyable entertainment for the town's pensioners.
This is an "Alternative " to the oyster feast attended by the great and the good in the Town Hall.
A selection of the towns pensioners tuck into Fish and chips and enjoy a game or two of Bingo and a sing song with a local musician.
All the food and event is paid for by The Trades Unions, individuals, and The Labour Party.
The alternative started as a protest to Council cuts, when a grand event was being held for the few. This protest has stayed the course of time and is as popular as ever.
External links
- Just how old is the Oyster Feast? - Andrew Phillips, Essex County StandardEssex County StandardThe Essex County Standard is a weekly newspaper, published in Colchester, Essex. As of January 2011, it has an average circulation of 16,614 per issue. It is currently owned by the Newsquest Media Group, part of the American Gannett Company.- History :...
, 7 October 2005 - 2005 Oyster Feast official press release - www.colchester.gov.uk
- Oystermen wait for European help - BBC Online, 30 August 2005
- Belgians shell out, Britons clam up - The IndependentThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, 12 April 2004 - "Boisterous fun" at 2001 Oyster Feast - Colchester Evening Gazette
- Colchester Native Oysters - Richard Haywood, commercial supplier
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