Tag Archives: Punch

Yorkshire Punch And Judy Man

Keeping The Tradition Alive

It’s true. The traditional Punch and Judy Show is making a come back but you won’t often see Mr Punch and his friends down on the beach so it’s no good heading off to Redcar, Whitby, Scarborough or Bridlington to see him. The chances are he won’t be there.

It’s funny how good ideas catch on. In recent years “Seaside Events” have become popular in Yorkshire. I’m not sure who started it off but there are now annual seaside days taking place in town centres and market squares throughout North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire too. Even enterprising showmen have got in on the act realising the appeal a seaside day can have to families looking for a fun day out hence the local fair has now become “Barnsley by the Sea” etc.

The essential ingredients for a fantastic seaside day are sand, buckets and spades, a Punch and Judy Show, ice cream and donkey rides. I’ll not mention sunshine!

This is all good news if you are a Yorkshire based Punch and Judy Man ( which of course I am ). I live in beautiful Richmond North Yorkshire and as far as I know I am the first and only professional Punch and Judy Man the town has ever had. Richmond was a very prosperous place in Georgian times and boasts a delightful Georgian, cobbled market square, a fabulous castle, a pretty waterfall and much more. It’s a very interesting place to live with lots of history. I love it and I am sure Mr Punch feels very comfortable here too as he is as historical as he is hysterical having arrived in England from Italy in the mid seventeenth century.

I have always been very interested in history and I have always thought it’s important to keep old traditions alive which are two reasons why I love Punch and Judy so much. I’m also very proud to be a Yorkshire man. I was born in the seaside town of Redcar ( then in North Yorkshire ) and as a commissioned officer in the Yorkshire Volunteers ( a Territorial Army Infantry Regiment ) had the privilege of being married to my wife Hazel in York Minster.

Over the many years I have been fortunate enough to be Mr Punch’s travelling companion and have performed my Punch and Judy Show throughout Yorkshire including Richmond, Bedale, Northallerton, Thirsk, Ripon, Harrogate and York which are all within an hour of my home. I am used to travelling further field and have also performed at events in Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax, Wakefield, Barnsley, Sheffield, Doncaster and many, many more places in between.

I have to be honest. Travelling around Yorkshire with Punch and Judy has never been a problem to me. First of all I am proud to be a Yorkshire man and second, I’m on a mission….Keeping The Tradition Alive!

If you are looking for a Punch and Judy Show for your event call me now for a FREE quotation. Just fill in the ENQUIRY FORM which will give me all the information I need to get back to you with a price. Thank you.

Related Images:

Georgian Punch and Judy

Leave a reply

Beamish Georgian Fair 2013

Every May Beamish Museum, in the North East of England, holds its four day Georgian Fair. It is one of the most popular events in the calendar. Authentic costumes, stalls and entertainment recreate the hustle and bustle of a bye gone era. Punch and Judy Shows were a regular feature in country fairs long before the rise of seaside holidays. In fact Punch and Judy was first seen in England in 1662. I am sure the folk in Georgian times were just as vocal and appreciative of Mr Punch and his antics as the modern audiences visiting the living history museum today are.

[slideshow_deploy id=’4306’]

Book a Punch and Judy Show.

Related Images:

Mr Punch’s 350th Birthday Party

Leave a reply

Punch And Judy Celebration Is A Huge Success

Saturday 12th May 2012

Punch and Judy (Photo credit: ronwooduk)

It was a perfect warm, sunny day and the crowds of people turned out to watch a truly historic event. Over one hundred Punch and Judy Professors met in Covent Garden, for Mr Punch‘s very special birthday party.

Punch and Judy men and women had travelled to London from all over the UK and indeed all over the world including puppeteers from Italy, the USA and Japan.

Slapsticks and Sausages!

Proceedings commenced at 2.30pm with a speech by organizer Glynn Edwards who stood in front of a giant Punch and Judy booth. There was a round of applause for the oldest performer, a lady in her eighties. Then Samuel Pepys came on and the spectators were asked to give a rousing shout for Mr Punch. On the second call a hundred Mr Punch’s sprang up from inside the booth and cavorted to the delight of the audience. Their Judy’s then came up and they danced together and then disappeared while the crowd sang happy birthday Mr Punch.

The birthday cake was sitting on the puppet stage and from it were pulled a string of 350 sausages. Some of the sausages had labels representing notable historic events to emphasize just how far back in time Mr Punch’s history can be traced.

Once the sausages were out up came the crocodiles and finally the Mr Punch’s with their slapsticks to chase them away and restore order.

The Grand Parade

The main celebrations ended with a grand parade round Covent Garden. A marching band lead the way, the musicians all dressed as Mr Punch. When the procession arrived back at the giant Punch and Judy booth there was a sing-song and a big cheer to end proceedings on a high note.

It was the best birthday party ever and Mr Punch can now look forward to his next big party in twenty-five years time to mark his 375th.

Wonderful Entertainment

At either side of the main stage there were Punch and Judy Shows set up and performing throughout the day. It was fascinating to see the guest performers from overseas at work. The public were treated to some wonderful entertainment by masters of the art of puppetry and Punch and Judy.

Punch And Judy | 350th Anniversary Celebrations(jollygoodfun.co.uk)

That’s the way to do it! Mr Punch wins world record award (thisislondon.co.uk)
Mr Punch’s 350 years of puppet anarchy (bbc.co.uk)
Mr Punch is still knocking them dead after 350 years (telegraph.co.uk)
Wales News: Punch and Judy man told “that’s not the way to do it” by health and safety officials (walesonline.co.uk)
Happy Birthday Mr Punch (williamflew.wordpress.com)

Related Images:

Punch Arrested!

Leave a reply

Police officers had to take action today when Mr Punch carried on in a fashion likely to provoke hysterical laughter. The long arm of the law finally caught up with him at Carlisle racecourse where he was spotted cavorting and carrying on in an irreverent and noisy manner resulting in outbreaks of smiles and laughter on members of the audience and passers by too.

Mr Punch was eventually released because the police decided they couldn’t pin anything on him as he has a wooden head.

Asked later why he had broken the law, he said ” I never touched it! ”