Homer Sykes
Caking Night, Dungworth, Yorkshire, England, 1974
Vintage Gelatin Silver Print
24 x 30.5 cms
9 7/16 x 12 1/16 ins
Series: Once a Year. Rare Vintage Photographs
9833
Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist
Signed on the reverse. Until the mid 20th century, the 'cakers' of Dungworth, dressed in costumes and wearing masks, would visit local neighbourhoods where the householders tried to guess their...
Signed on the reverse.
Until the mid 20th century, the "cakers" of Dungworth, dressed in costumes and wearing masks, would visit local neighbourhoods where the householders tried to guess their identity. If unidentified they received a small sum of money, but if they were recognised they were given a piece of home-made Parkin cake. "Caking Night" no longer takes place at the Royal Hotel and has not done so for many years. In this once popular local tradition the dead visited their former houses and partook of the food of the living. Associated with All Souls Day, and in part, with a pagan past, the ceremony no longer exists. In this picture, taken in 1974, the judging had taken place. This participant was still not revealing his identity but was supping a pint of beer through a straw.
Homer Sykes has said of this photograph: "Caking Night in Dungworth 1974 was shot in the Royal Hotel, Dungworth, Yorkshire, a small village on the outskirts of Sheffield. The caking usually took place on 1 November. (It was a local tradition associated with All Souls' Day, where soul cakeswere offered to poor Christian neighbours.) Competitors concealed their identity by wearing a mask or fancy dress, which by tradition had to be of local significance. Having paraded silently from lounge to public bar and back again so their voices didn't give their identity away, the competitors went upstairs to be judged. In this picture the judging had taken place and one participant, still disguised, was supping a pint of beer through a straw. I liked the neat surreal nature of the disguise. His gloves contrasted with the couple in their woollen jumpers, slacks and pointy collars. Caking night no longer takes place."
This photograph was included in the book by Homer Sykes Once a Year: Some Traditional British Customs (Gordon Fraser, 1977)
British Photography / The Hyman Collection
Until the mid 20th century, the "cakers" of Dungworth, dressed in costumes and wearing masks, would visit local neighbourhoods where the householders tried to guess their identity. If unidentified they received a small sum of money, but if they were recognised they were given a piece of home-made Parkin cake. "Caking Night" no longer takes place at the Royal Hotel and has not done so for many years. In this once popular local tradition the dead visited their former houses and partook of the food of the living. Associated with All Souls Day, and in part, with a pagan past, the ceremony no longer exists. In this picture, taken in 1974, the judging had taken place. This participant was still not revealing his identity but was supping a pint of beer through a straw.
Homer Sykes has said of this photograph: "Caking Night in Dungworth 1974 was shot in the Royal Hotel, Dungworth, Yorkshire, a small village on the outskirts of Sheffield. The caking usually took place on 1 November. (It was a local tradition associated with All Souls' Day, where soul cakeswere offered to poor Christian neighbours.) Competitors concealed their identity by wearing a mask or fancy dress, which by tradition had to be of local significance. Having paraded silently from lounge to public bar and back again so their voices didn't give their identity away, the competitors went upstairs to be judged. In this picture the judging had taken place and one participant, still disguised, was supping a pint of beer through a straw. I liked the neat surreal nature of the disguise. His gloves contrasted with the couple in their woollen jumpers, slacks and pointy collars. Caking night no longer takes place."
This photograph was included in the book by Homer Sykes Once a Year: Some Traditional British Customs (Gordon Fraser, 1977)
British Photography / The Hyman Collection