Homer Sykes
Minehead Hobby Horse, Minehead Somerset., 1972
Vintage Gelatin Silver Print
24 x 30.5 cms
9 7/16 x 12 1/16 ins
Series: Once a Year. Rare Vintage Photographs
9829
Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist
c. 1972 Signed on the reverse. This image was included in Homer Syke's landmark book, Once a Year, that detailed British folk traditions throughout the 1970s. Neither Minehead nor Padstow...
c. 1972
Signed on the reverse.
This image was included in Homer Syke's landmark book, Once a Year, that detailed British folk traditions throughout the 1970s.
Neither Minehead nor Padstow know the origins of the Hobby Horse tradition. Both towns claim that one year the other landed on their shores during the revels and carried off their Hobby Horse. Minehead and Padstow hold festivals involving the horse, but the festivals are so divergent that the only similarity is the mystery of the origin. 1n 1863, The West Somerset Free Press alledges that: The origin professes to be in commemoration of the wreck of a vessel at the Minehead in remote times, or the advent of a sort of phantom ship which entered the harbour without a capital. In Padstow they believe that the Hobby horse frightened off Dutch raiders from over a thousand years ago. Despite the mystery surrounding the origin, Sykes captured a remarkable photograph, not of the real hobby horse, but one made by a child in order to celebrate the festival in his own way.
Homer Sykes recalls, This is one of my favourite pictures.This is not the real hobby horse but it was obviously made by the boy. He brought it out that late afternoon. You can see that his school mates are kind of boo-ing at him, but they were obviously jealous that he had his own hobby horse. Even though he is being made fun of by his school mates, you can tell he is really proud of himself. You can see that in his expression and what a great expression. He just appeared with it. It was amazing. It captures the atmosphere.photograph was included in the book by Homer Sykes Once a Year: Some Traditional British Customs (Gordon Fraser, 1977)
British Photography / The Hyman Collection
Signed on the reverse.
This image was included in Homer Syke's landmark book, Once a Year, that detailed British folk traditions throughout the 1970s.
Neither Minehead nor Padstow know the origins of the Hobby Horse tradition. Both towns claim that one year the other landed on their shores during the revels and carried off their Hobby Horse. Minehead and Padstow hold festivals involving the horse, but the festivals are so divergent that the only similarity is the mystery of the origin. 1n 1863, The West Somerset Free Press alledges that: The origin professes to be in commemoration of the wreck of a vessel at the Minehead in remote times, or the advent of a sort of phantom ship which entered the harbour without a capital. In Padstow they believe that the Hobby horse frightened off Dutch raiders from over a thousand years ago. Despite the mystery surrounding the origin, Sykes captured a remarkable photograph, not of the real hobby horse, but one made by a child in order to celebrate the festival in his own way.
Homer Sykes recalls, This is one of my favourite pictures.This is not the real hobby horse but it was obviously made by the boy. He brought it out that late afternoon. You can see that his school mates are kind of boo-ing at him, but they were obviously jealous that he had his own hobby horse. Even though he is being made fun of by his school mates, you can tell he is really proud of himself. You can see that in his expression and what a great expression. He just appeared with it. It was amazing. It captures the atmosphere.photograph was included in the book by Homer Sykes Once a Year: Some Traditional British Customs (Gordon Fraser, 1977)
British Photography / The Hyman Collection