UPHOLDING tradition, the Black Prince May Day event made its colourful way through Millbrook, Kingsand and Cawsand last weekend. 

Every year the community of the Rame Peninsula come together to celebrate the start of spring by taking part in the aged old festival held on the early May Bank Holiday.  

The Black Prince Flower Boat Festival, as it is known, dates back to the 19th Century.  At the time the Black Prince was a popular name for many Cornish ships, and the original Black Prince Flower Boat was remembered as being six feet or more with two masts. 

Although the model Black Prince Flower Boat was by no means the biggest or grandest of the historical ships sharing the same name, it’s May custom and beauty has made it an important part of local Cornish heritage. 

In the early days the boat was carried on the shoulders of four local men and decorated with flowers and garlands. It was remembered as being carried through the villages, while other people collected garland money and played instruments. Folk were remembered as wearing white clothing with red ribbons and sashes. Girls often favoured red flowers which decorated their sashes, hat or hair, while men chose white flowers to decorate their hats, buttonholes and their tools of their trade.

By the 1940s, evidence suggests that the procession had died out, leaving nothing but memories and two black and white photographs offering snippets of valuable information from the past.

Just prior to 1986 a group of dancers, known as the Mill-on-the-brook Morris, showed an interest along with a few local folk in reviving the beloved tradition and formed a new committee. The intention was to recreate the festival as accurately as possible, so as well as reviewing old photographs they interviewed some of the local elderly people, who could remember the custom from their own childhoods. 

The first model boat was smaller than the original, but after a new photograph was discovered, it was later replaced with a new boat that was built and donated by college apprentices from Mashford’s Boatyard. This boat is still used today.  The local men who historically carried the boat were replaced by young Royal Navy ratings from HMS Raleigh.

The ‘Black Prince Ship’ was carried by junior ratings from HMS Raleigh with instructor Kelly in charge during this years celebrations. 

The town crier still announces the beginning of festivities, but more recently, the community has involved the local schools and now school children perform the beloved Maypole dance at the beginning of the procession as well as being part of the crowning of the king and queen. 

This year the May King and Queen were crowned at Millbrook and the crowd were delighted to see King Hugo and his Queen Amandine receive their crowns. The ceremony was then followed by a second crowning, this time at Kingsand for King Noah and Queen Lola.

Morris dancers, travelling from near and far attend the celebration and dance behind the boat giving great pleasure to the spectators. The festival provides regular stops for Morris dancers to perform, often outside the local public houses. White clothing with red ribbons is still encouraged, but not strictly adhered to. Last weekend the day was accompanied by some excellent Morris dancing and the local children took part in the classic Maypole dance. 

The much-loved fife and drum bands are now replaced with accordions and fiddles, but musicians still play with great energy and enthusiasm. A chough, the bird so strongly associated with Cornwall, also joins the procession and is represented by someone wearing a costume. 

Cross hooped garlands were traditionally carried throughout the procession to show anexchange for money. Now money is collected by The Lions and donated to local charities.

The festival route proceeds from Millbrook to Kingsand and Cawsand, where dancers continue to perform. The boat is finally launched from the beach, to symbolise the welcoming of summer and carrying away the dead of winter. Folks sing “Farewell winter, sail far away...Welcome summer, come again today.”

A spokesperson said: “It was a very busy day for all the organisers and Lions club volunteer marshals, well done especially to the Maypole dancers at the different stops from the local schools. Support for the event seems to grow year after year to the pleasure of all the spectators.”

This traditional May Day celebration is all thanks to the Black Prince Crew’s outstanding efforts that this wonderful tradition has been revived.

A spokesperson commented: "Many of the crew have been part of the festival in some way since its revival. In the years since, folks that danced in the procession and around the maypole have now had their own children and this new generation participate each year. The Black Prince Crew are immensely proud that this generation know no different as Black Prince has always been a part of their lives and embedded as an annual tradition in the local villages of Millbrook, Kingsand and Cawsand."