‘The Rochester Sweeps Festival,International Festival of Folk Music and Dance,has become one of the largest May Day celebrations of its kind in the world.
For 3 days,historic Rochester is transformed into a riot of colour and sound with the best folk musicians and bands.
Hundreds of Morris dancers from across the country clatter their clogs and clash their sticks up and down the high street.
The festival also hosts a dynamic programme of international dance groups and workshops.
This much loved free festival,now in its 43rd year,will take place from Saturday 3 May to Monday 5 May 2025 between 10am and 6pm.’
https://www.medway.gov.uk/info/200773/rochester_sweeps_festival
The video is just a sample of Rochester High Street,Rochester train station is just over the road,and Strood train station is a short walk over Rochester bridge,about 5 minutes by E-Bike.
Please check the dates and times before,if you go.
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'The chimney sweep,or climbing boys as they were often called,was a harsh profession to be in and most likely one that would severely cut your life short.
Those employed were often orphans or from impoverished backgrounds,sold into the job by their parents.
With young boys employed to work in extremely dangerous conditions,some as young as three,the practise was remarkably widespread and socially acceptable for quite some time.
The perils of the job were vast,allowing for the fact that many a chimney would still be very hot from a fire and with some still maybe on fire.
The skin of the boys would be left stripped and raw from the friction whilst a less dexterous child could possibly have found themselves completely stuck.
The position of a child jammed in a chimney would have often resulted in their knees being locked under their chins with no room to unlock themselves from this contorted position.
Some would find themselves stranded for hours whilst the lucky ones could be helped out with a rope.
Those less fortunate would simply suffocate and die in the chimney forcing others to remove the bricks in order to dislodge the body.
The verdict given by the coroner after the loss of a young life was “accidental death”.
https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/History-Boy-Chimney-Sweep/
Credit to-Jessica Brain.