Join this free talk and book signing, led by Julian McCarthy to celebrate the launch of his latest book "What a Lot of Collops!".

About this event

"What a Lot of Collops!" is the history behind Kingston's annual Shrovetide Football match, its subsequent banning and what happened thereafter. The story is not one of a sport, but of the working class, tradesmen, gentry, police and homeland security.

The full story of Kingston's last 'tradition' has sat for 150 years in the fading pages of The Surrey Comet, and other regional and national papers, until now. Local Kingston Tour Guide and Local History author, Julian McCarthy ("Secret Kingston Upon Thames" and " The A-Z of Kingston upon Thames") has trawled through the newspapers and, in his new book, 'What a Lot of Collops' has transcribed the reports, letters, Council Meeting reports, etc., to tell the full story of the Kingston game.

"What a Lot of Collops!" preview

"At 10.59am, every Shrove Tuesday, Kingston Market Place fell silent, except for a few expectant mummerings. This silence was no mark of respect or remembrance; the 200 or so assembled there were waiting for a signal, just as the East Surrey Regiment, waiting in the trenches 50 or so years later. They were wall waiting for the signal to engage the enemy. At 11.00am, the signal (the sounding of a church bell) was given and Kingston Market place, the town, the river and surrounding areas became a battleground - the annual Shrovetide Football match had begun. The fighting, pulling, hugging, gouging, kicking would continue for the next 6 hours until the pre-arranged truce would be sounded by a further bell, at 5.00pm. This particular armistice did not however see the end of the 'war' and would last exactly one year until 10.59 am the next Shrove Tuesday, when it began again. But, behind the scenes, people were drawing up separate battle plans, focussed on how to prevent this annual tradition. "

About Julian McCarthy

Julian McCarthy's passion is searching for obscure, forgotten historical nuggets of Kingston that he believes are waiting to be found, buried in the pages of old books, maps and photos. A Chartered Design Engineer and a Building Services Consultant, he is the author of three previous books about Kingston upon Thames.

COVID-19 Guidance

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