English identity?

[Andy_Faber]

Back to the OPÂ’s question and Jenricks concern:

‘What is quintessentially English?’

I give you the village garden party/fete

My childhood village is holding a garden party this weekend. Produce stalls, bat the rat, tombola, flower/produce competitions, small brass band, local ‘celebrity’ giving out prizes etc. last year was a right jollyup which carried on in the local pub

My local village doesn’t have such an event any more. Around 2015 a very vocal, very opinionated person joined ‘the committee and, I will admit through a high work ethic compared to others, gradually ‘modernised’ the event over the next four summers. She was a strong advocate of what we’d know as a ‘minority’ group and progressively that groupand others took over from the shin kicking, ugliest dog and gurning competitions etc. attendance actually went UP but attendance by, and help from, locals declined. After Covid the village decided not to bother any more and joined in with a neighbouring villages in a scarecrow festival. The fete may return but it was sabotaged by a small minority (with basically good intentions) using the wrong vehicle to spread a (valid) message/messages when the object should have been to draw the community together and have some fun in a quintessentially English way

[MadAmster]

Back to the OPÂ’s question and Jenricks concern:

‘What is quintessentially English?’

I give you the village garden party/fete

My childhood village is holding a garden party this weekend. Produce stalls, bat the rat, tombola, flower/produce competitions, small brass band, local ‘celebrity’ giving out prizes etc. last year was a right jollyup which carried on in the local pub

My local village doesn’t have such an event any more. Around 2015 a very vocal, very opinionated person joined ‘the committee and, I will admit through a high work ethic compared to others, gradually ‘modernised’ the event over the next four summers. She was a strong advocate of what we’d know as a ‘minority’ group and progressively that groupand others took over from the shin kicking, ugliest dog and gurning competitions etc. attendance actually went UP but attendance by, and help from, locals declined. After Covid the village decided not to bother any more and joined in with a neighbouring villages in a scarecrow festival. The fete may return but it was sabotaged by a small minority (with basically good intentions) using the wrong vehicle to spread a (valid) message/messages when the object should have been to draw the community together and have some fun in a quintessentially English way

The good old "if it aint broke, don't mend it" philosophy. Like it.