© Richardyt / The Paganhill Maypole Society
Welcome To The Web Site of The Paganhill Maypole, Gloucestershire, England.
The Paganhill Maypole is maintained wholly from donations from local people and the fund raising activities of the committee of the Paganhill Maypole Society
1911 George V - Coronation Pole
The inhabitants of Paganhill were excited by the arrival of the coronation maypole on Monday evening.
It was drawn by a team of six gaily decorated horses. The maypole committee had originally
selected a tree from Lord Sherborne’s Estate at Standish but had since found and purchased a better
pole from Uley which was straight as an arrow and nearly 100 foot long.
It was temporaily placed on the green opposite the Crown Inn kept by Host Curtis, for all to view. It would remain there during
preparations until Whit-Monday when many willing hands assisted in its erection. The old maypole would be taken down, sawn into pieces and distributed, while the new coronation maypole would replace it on the same spot.
Stroud Journal -9th June 1911
To raise the maypole from horizontal to perpendicular required a certain amount of engineering skill and was successfully accomplished on Whit-Monday morning in front of a large crowd. Mr A S Cooke (Chairman of the committee), Mr C Harper and Son, both village building contractors, together with Mr Thomas Blanch and son Sydney, are all maypole experts.
Miss Emily Rose Stanton, of Upfield House, sanctioned the use of a tree in her grounds for the purpose of raising the maypole.
A pulley block was attached near the top of the tree and was worked by a windlass placed on her drive. The tree was reinforced with scaffolding and was tethered to other trees.
It took four hours to complete the work after which Miss Stanton, with the help of Charles Stanton, hoisted a Union Jack to the top of the new pole. Three cheers were given by all present. To the top of the pole was fixed a black and gold vane which bore the letters G R.
Stroud Journal - 23rd June 1911
To celebrate the coronation, a dinner was arranged by Mr Cooke and his committee. It was held
in Mr Cooke’s warehouse which was cleared and decorated for the occasion. All local dignitaries were invited and following a walk around the delightful gardens of Upfield House the diners assembled at 6.00 pm. During the meal there were many speeches expressing appreciation for those who had contributed in so many ways to village life together with a toast of loyalty to the King.
The 1911 Maypole Committee were :-
messrs Cooke, (Chairman), Haynes (Vice-chairman),
Jack Harper, Bill Durham, Sid Blanch and J Baylis.
Winners of pieces of the old maypole were
Mr Gambers from Cuckolds Brook, Mr Aidridge of Church Street and
Mr Cratchley of Randwick.
A group photograph after a successful raising of the 1911 pole
An audience gathers awaiting the raising of the pole
The 1911 pole being heaved into place with ropes and scaffolding
The George V Coronation maypole