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Burgesses attended a public court and swore loyalty to the Mayor and the Guild Merchant. If proved eligible, he would be granted renewed membership for the usual fee. These gatherings were infrequent and it was later decided they were only needed once in a generation. So, from , the Guild was scheduled at every 20 years. Preston Guild emblem — photo by Martin Evans. Over the centuries, the nature of the celebration has changed. Initially, it was traders and craftsmen parading in colourful costumes and banners with emblems of their trades.
By the late 18 th Century, decorated platforms began to appear and led to the modern floats of today. Nowadays, modern businesses such as electronics industries, aircraft firms and mail order outlets play their part in the main trades event, while churches, schools and voluntary groups hold their own processions.
For the Guild having been skipped due to the war a new tradition began with scrolls of friendship being sent to major cities in Canada, America, Australia and New Zealand to collect messages from Prestonian expats. These are returned and presented to the Mayor at the end of the opening ceremony. And in , daughters of existing burgesses were finally admitted to the Guild — just in time for the 21 st Century!
The Preston Guild event has possibly been the most spectacular yet with thousands pouring into the city centre to enjoy the events. In addition to the traditional parades, the city's Winckley Square became home to an international food festival, while a vintage fair was held in Avenham Park This was also the venue for concerts given by The Human League, Jose Carreas and Katherine Jenkins.
As the Mayor himself declared in his proclamation, Preston knows how to party! Barry McCann is a writer, editor and broadcaster, specialising in features and short stories of various genres.
It was a very special day and I have never seen Preston so packed. The celebratory aspects of the Preston Guild became central to the ceremony and then replaced the trade origins of the Guild when free trade was established in the town from The Guild takes the form of a series of formal proclamations culminating in the Guild Courts.
This year, the first proclamation will be read on Saturday 18 August, the second on Saturday 25 August and the third on Saturday 1 September. The Guild Court and attendant civic procession will take place on Monday 3 September. This culminates in a torchlight procession on Saturday 8 September before the whole Guild is wrapped up with more civic pomp on Sunday 9 September. The sense of celebration and festivity is augmented by street parties that are held throughout the borough and beyond.
An uninterrupted series of Guilds from to was finally broken in , as the Second World War took priority over the continuation of medieval pageantry. It was resumed in and celebrated in , and will therefore be celebrated this year.
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