Burton, pages 79-88, has a detailed description for Saddleworth

Book Sections:

• Introduction
• Manchester: Alexander Wilson's 1821 picture
• Rochdale
• Scanned image section for pages 68 to 79
• Saddleworth: Burton's eye-witness account
• Skedlock: The children's rush-cart
• Morris: Other morris dance troupes
• Rushes: Other rush customs
• Pictures: 'Photos and Illustrations
• Back to NW Morris

There are many quiet little valleys running into the hills on the east and south-east border of Lancashire, where the inhabitants retained many of their old manners and customs till a recent date, but the spread of manufacturing industry into these out-of-the-way places, and the introduction of the railways, have lead to a rapid increase in the population, and consequent change in its character. The parish of Saddleworth is a typical specimen, and bears the curious anomaly of being included in the County of York for civil, and in the diocese of Chester for ecclesiastical, purposes, a state of affairs which has given rise to a saying that, while York holds its body fast, Chester ministers to its soul. Comprising several hamlets, the rush-bearing (which takes place on the second Saturday after the 12th August), led to many rush-carts being drawn to the parish church at Saddleworth. Mr George Shaw, J.P., who gave a lecture on the subject of rush-bearing in the Mechanics' Hall, Uppermill, on the 31st December, 1870, {Reprinted in Bradley's "Saddleworth Sketches," 1871, 8vo, pp253-259}, states that at that time there were seldom more that two or three, though , in his early days, five or six, and on great occasions, such as election times, double that number appeared; and that he once saw twelve at the church at one time. There are people yet living who remember as many as eight being drawn to the church on the Wakes Saturday. The last time rushes were spread in the church was in 1821; they were often spread to a depth of twelve to fifteen inches. After the rushes ceased to be used on the church floor, they were used as bedding for cattle. Some few years ago the landlord of the "Church Inn" used to give a sovereign a load for them, but of late years no cart has been taken up to the church.

Burton, p80,81

On ordinary occasions the rush-carts came from Cross, Boarhurst, Friezland, Running Hill, Harrop Dale, Burnedge, Uppermill, and Greenfield. "The Cross rush-cart always claimed precedence, and was allowed the privledge of backing up to the old porch of the church; the Boarhurst between the gate piers opposite, front to front; the Running Hill was generally stationed under the great yew tree; and the Friezland always went to the 'Cross Keys Inn.' There seemed to be some tacit understanding that this should be the arrangement. How or why, I cannot tell, but I very well know that fifty years ago any other positions would have been deemed wrong, and entirely out of order." {Saddleworth Sketches." p254}

There is a tale told of Burnedge that, on a particular wet wakes, they built a cart in a barn, but forgot the height of the barn door, and, when all was ready, it was discovered that it was heigher than the doors, and it had to be partly pulled down, and, in this degraded state, dragged to the church, the builders consoling themselves with what is now an old adage, "If we cannot bring th' rush-cart to our minds, we must bring our minds to th' rush-cart." {Saddleworth Sketches," p.254}

There is in the posession of Mr. Thomas Shaw, of St. Chad's, Uppermill, a very fine picture od Saddleworth rush-bearing in the olden time, but, unfortunately, both the name of the painter, and the date when it was executed, are unknown. It was painted from sketches made by his brother, Mr. George Shaw, and was probably executed about 1830, as the old church was pulled down in that year. In the centre of the picture is the old church of St. Chad, backed by the green hills, and flanked by the old yew, and an ash tree. Four rush-carts are represented in different positions, and the foreground is completely covered with a multitude of figures and booths. All the humours of such a scene are represented; the morris-dancers caper on the left hand; barrels of beer are being emptied by thirsty souls; and a donkey creates confusion in one corner by running away, upsetting everything in its way.

During the last fifteen years, there have been seven rush-carts built in Saddleworth, and the accompanying illustartions will show how little variation in size and shape takes place.
{The plates show Uppermill rush-carts of 1875, 1880, 1881, 1888, 1889, and 1890; and the Greenfield rush-cart of 1888}

Uppermill now takes the lead in the celebration of the wakes, known as "Longwood Thump." Last year (1889), the rush-cart was so badly made that the top fell to pieces, bringing down the riders. A row ensued, and in the melée the cart itself was broken. So disgraceful were some of the scenes witnessed in the evening, that many people thought that no rush-cart would be made this year; but the landlord of the "Commercial Inn," being a new one, and wishing to ingratiate himself with his customers, called to his aid a number of men who were anxious to wipe out the failure of the previous year, and it was determined to have a rush-cart in the old style. A committee of twelve was appointed to superintend the affair. Subscriptions were canvassed for, a shilling constituting a member, and the rush-cart builder, now a sailor by profession, and who is considered the best builder of a rush-cart in the neighbourhood, set to work. Early on Sunday, the 17th August, a number of men went up the hill to the moss reserves to cut the long rushes needed for making the bolts, which must be of a superior kind to the short hard ones used for the body of the cart; and these rushes require to be selected as long as possible, and cut with a knife. In doing this, all the party got over knee-deep in the bog, some of them up to their thighs, whilst one sank up to his waist, and had to be hauled out.

Burton, p82,83

They brought down fifteen large bundles of fine, pliant rushes, none less that four feet six inches, and many over six feet in length. On the Monday, the builder of the rush-cart proceeded to tie them into bolts four inches in diameter, rejecting all the broken ones. An assistant, in the meantime, mowed the shorter rushes required for the body of the cart, and brought them in to be tied up in larger bundles ready for the building. It was at first intended to build the cart in a small field behind the inn, but, on sinking holes for the wheels, the ground was found to be so soddened with the late heavy rains, that it was considered unsafe to trust so great a weight as the rush-cart on it, and it had therefore, to be made in the yard, where the ground was firmer. The cart was one of the small two-wheeled ones used for carting stone in the neighbourhood, and was sunk in the ground up to the axle, being further secured by slotches, and trestles under the shafts, so as to render it immovable. At noon, on Thursday, the actual building of the cart began. An iron rod, bent to the angle required, was fixed at each corner, and tied at the top, to strengthen the structure and guide the builder in placing the rushes. The body of the cart, having been filled with loose rushes, well trodden down, the bundles–the ends cut straight with a sythe blade–were laid, keeping the face as nearly as possible to the curves it would finally assume, the longer and finer bolts being placed with the ends to the front and back of of the cart only, and not transversely as well, as in the carts made in some places. Being twice the usual diameter also, they gave the edge a more substantial, but less pleasing appearance, and, in addition, did not project so much as usual, being only six inches at the bottom, and increasing to twelve inches at the top of the cart; yet they were further kept in position by having a strip of long narrow white lath up each side. When the bundles in the body of the cart were laid in their places, the string that bound them was cut, so that the rushes might lay closely together, and were well pressed down, so as to make the whole structure as substantial and compact as possible. The usual height to which the rushes were piled in these small carts is from nine to ten feet above the side, but, as the maker was determined to make a finer and better one than that of last year, he decided to build twelve feet. This required great care in consolidating the rushes and keeping to the curves, any deviation from which would have entailed a similar disaster to last year. This great height, for so small a base (six feet by four feet), as will be noticed on looking at the illustrations, gives the rush-cart a very tall appearance, much different to the huge, substantial ones which used to be built in waggons, and which, to the same height, were half as much longer and wider. This pecularity is to be observed in all the rush-carts built in the hill districts, in former times as well as the present. Having arrived at a height of ten feet, the builder began to use the bolts made of long rushes, in order to bind the top together as much as possible, and, finally, as these left a small face unfilled along the top, made two good bundles of rushes, which were placed across the others, or lengthways, to fill up this space, and afford a more comfortable seat for the two men who had to ride upon it. The sides swelled out (at the cart wheel) to a distance of eighteen inches, and then gradually sloped upwards and inwards to the top, the greatest projection being at a height of two feet six inches above the side of the cart. The front and back did not curve outwards, but sloped gradually inwards from bottom to top.

Burton, p84,85

The builder and his assistants had proceeded so far by Friday night, but a strong south-westerly gale springing up in the night-time, accompanied by torrents of rain, daylight on Saturday revealed a most unpleasant state of affairs, for as the cart was being built in a yard sheltered on two sides by high buildings, it had not been thought necessary to secure the top with ropes, and the settling down of the rushes, caused by the rain which soaked in, and the strain of the wind on so high and narrow a structure, had bent over the cart to one side, the mischief being aided by the sinking of one of the wheels. Though somewhat disheartened, the builders commenced to put the best face upon the matter that could be done, for to have no rush-cart after the trouble that had been taken, and the boasting which had taken place, would never do. To take down the rushes in order to straighted it would be to nearly dismantle the cart, and time was pressing, so it was decided to get boards and ropes, and endevour to pull the top over into something like its original shape, and then trust to the man who pares the faces of the cart to put as presentable an appearance as possible upon it. This was done, and though several inches were pared off one side, yet it left the cart with a most unpleasant looking hoist. The substantial character of the building was, however, shown by the treatment it received, and survived. This led to a delay of a couple of hours, and as it had been stated that the rush-cart would be drawn out at about three o'clock, and as much remained to be done, every hand that could be found room for was set to work. Trestles were placed, and whilst one man pared the face of the rushes smooth and into shape with a sythe blade, others were making fresh blades as sharp as a razor, for the toughness and density of the rushes took the edge off the blades very quickly. This paring is rather a dangerous business, for, the blade slipping, the man nearly cut off his thumb, and, two years ago, a man almost cut his left hand off. Others procured two large branches of ash, and tying them securely to strong pointed stakes, drove them down into the rushes at the top of the cart, leaving the centre clear for the riders. Another was trimming the edges, or "feathering," with a pair of shears, whilst the front of the cart was being embellished with a sheet. This was a piece of bleached calica, cut to the shape of the front of the cart, and was ornamented with a border of red and blue braid, crossed diagonally, and in the diamonds thus formed were fastened artificial flowers. At the bottom of the sheet was a large rosette of silver and gold tinsel and blue ribbon, above which was a large crown in silver. This was surmounted by the figures "1890," in white, on a black ground. The came a large heart in silver, on which was displayed some coloured scraps, artificial flowers, of various kinds and colours, filled up the blank spaces, and the whole affair, when the sun shone upon it, had a most gorgeous appearance. No plate has been displayed on the Saddleworth rush-cart for some years past. Natural flowers were stuck in the ends of the bolts, both at the front and back of the cart. These were to have been dahlias of various colours, a number of which had been promised, but, failing to arrive, resource was had to the neighbouring gardens, and shift made with such flowers as they afforded. New ropes were attached to the ends of the shafts, the latter being crossed by a number of strong wooden bars, to enable the men to hold up the front of the cart, and check its descent down hill. In these ropes "stretchers," seven feet wide, were placed, the first at a distance of ten feet from the shafts, the remainder (of which there were six) at intervals of six feet.

Burton, p86,88

As the moment for drawing-out arrived, the excitement became intense; the inn-yard was crammed with men and boys all wanting to have a hand in hauling in the ropes. Trestles and props were knocked away, the ground in front of the wheels dug out, the ropes run out to their full length, and the stretchers manned by as many as could lay hold (I counted over seventy drawers, who roughly sized themselves, the boys next to the cart, increasing in height to the tallest in front. Two men mounted the cart, sitting back to back, and steadied themselves by the large branches before-mentioned. This post is one much coveted, although rather dangerous. I have been informed of three men who have fallen off and broken their backs, and have myself witnessed several ugly falls, but these chiefly occur through the rider getting too much beer. In the present instance one of the riders had provided himself with a tin can tied to the end of a long string, so as not to miss his share through inability to reach it. The whip was now brought out, it was twelve feet long, having a lash two feet long at the end, and was an inch and a quarter thick at the handle. It had been well oiled several times in order to make it pliable, and was a formidable implement. The "band" now collected, consisting of two fifers and a drummer, and, everybody being ready, the men laid hold of the shafts, the boys began "girding," or straining at the ropes, the word "neaw lads" was given, and for a moment quietness reigned, but the music struck up, the men shouted, the cart gave a slight heave, and then rose up to the level ground as the strain told. Till now there had been but little noise, but as soon as the cart began to move freely a most extraordinary sight presented itself, for the music changing to the old rush-cart tune, a cheer was given, and instantly the whole of the drawers commenced to dance, if such it may be termed, or rather capered most vigorously, at the same time swaying from side to side of the road, and carrying the stretchers high above their heads. The cart was now run into the square, where it was greeted with a cheer from the crowd assembled to witness the spectacle. Here a rest was taken, beer served round, and the cart and its ornaments criticised by the onlookers.

The scene which presented itself was an extremely picturesque one. On one side of the square runs the high road, lined on one side with stalls and booths of various descriptions, containing nuts, gingerbread, hot peas, toys and pots. The square itself was filled with other stalls of a similar character, swing-boats, and a merry-go-round, whilst the whole was backed by the clean-looking grey stone houses, above which towered a couple of factory chimneys, the blue hills in the distance just giving it a rural look, and leading the mind to the quieter scenes beyond.

Having refreshed themselves, and decided on the route to be taken, the carter cracked his whip, the band struck up "The girl I left behind me," the drawers began capering, and with a shout the rush-cart started on its way to Greenfield, calling at all the public houses on the way, where the drawers were liberally regaled with ale, and contributions given to the expenses of the show.

The illustrations of the cart here given show it when the building was completed, and before the sides had been pared to their proper shape and smooth surface. They also show the damage done by the storm, and, notwithstanding the care spent upon its building, the cart, which was to excel any previous one, was finally judged by its makers as "th' worst we ever made." It cost just £9 in building, of which the builder had £1 for his services, and weighed about fifty cwt. On the Tuesday, the rushes were given to the owner of the cart, as some recompense for the damage done to it last year.