The history of the Rose Festival in Goostrey reaches right back to the 1800's. It is known that Miss Beatrice Knowles, the daughter of the landlady of the Red Lion Hotel, and who was the teacher at the village school, was organising "May Celebrations" prior to the turn of the century. These were held in early May, but as they tended to clash with other established events, the date, title and nature of the occasion were changed.

It is understood that the Rose Festival, in its present form, was started in 1905 by a Miss Emily Cumberbirch and Miss Margaret Worth, the daughter of the landlord of the Crown Hotel; these two ladies financed the day themselves, and ended with a total profit of the two old pence - this grand sum being shared between them. It does not appear that there was a Rose Queen in the first two years but in 1907 Marion Marler, who became Mrs Hooley, was the first recorded Rose Queen.

The following year in April 1908 Goostrey Parish Magazine reported: "A Dance was held in the School-room in February, organised by the Committee who are undertaking the arrangements for the Children's May Day Festival this year, which it is proposed to hold, all being well, on the Saturday in Whit Week, June 18th. The object was to raise a small reserve fund in advance so as to insure against any financial loss in the event of a wet day. The Dance was a great success: there being a good company present, and a very enjoyable evening was spent and the Committee have since had the satisfaction of adding a nice little sum to the May Day Funds."

Later, in July 1908, the Magazine reported: " The Committee who organised the Rose Festival had taken an immense amount of trouble in preparing for it and the only thing required to ensure its complete success was a fine summer's day. Unfortunately that was just the one thing which was lacking. The weather was bitterly cold and very wet. Happily the rain, which descended in torrents later in the afternoon, held off till after the ceremony of crowning had been completed. Emily Cumberbirch, the Rose Queen, looked very nice in her beautiful white robes and with a lovely bouquet of flowers, and was quite a model of grace and dignity. The grouping round the throne of Ladies in Waiting, Maids of Honour, Soldiers, and other Court attendants was very effective. The committee had very wisely decided that it should be essentially a Village Festival and all the different characters were undertaken by young people living in the Parish : even the side shows, the cocoa-nut 'shy', shooting gallery, etc., were amateur affairs personally superintended by members of the committee. A great feature, deserving of special praise, was the really excellent dancing by the Morris Dancers, captained by Mr. Aaron Shuttleworth; the Piccaninnies in regulation coon costume, trained by Mrs. Marlow and Miss Woodcock, and the Garland Girls. The limited space at our disposal does not permit of the publication of the names of all who took part, but the following were among the principal characters. May Queen : Emily Cumberbirch...... and the accounts showed ......In spite of unfavourable weather.....a financial success.... with Receipts £34. 12s 4d and Expenses £27.2s 3d leaving a balance of £7. 10s 1d such that the Committee consider that they will be in a position to carry on the Festival next year without making an appeal for subscriptions. They have our best wishes for a prosperous future."

In 1911 there was no Rose Festival but rather Coronation Festivities instead. A large scale occasion, with a free tea provided for everyone in the Parish, Coronation mugs for all the children, some sports and a Band for Dancing in the evening. A Coronation Service was held in the Church. The King expressed a wish that all School Children should be granted an extra weeks holiday in commemoration of the Coronation.

During the Second World War, a modified form of Rose Festival was held, often with an end object such as the National Savings Campaign. It is interesting to note that in 1940 the committee sent six parcels of "Home Comforts" to serving members of the Forces from the village of Goostrey. An application was also made to the Local Food Officer for a special licence for the allocation of 9 lbs of butter and 18 lbs of sugar for use at the Rose Festival Day. This request was turned down by the official!

In 1948 there were 99 children participating in the Rose Festival; in 1976 the total was 350 children, and this year the number will be approaching 200. In the past the Festival attracted children up to the age of 14 but in recent years the event has been aimed mainly at children aged up to 11, hence the apparent decline in numbers taking part from 30 years ago. Some of the costumes still used today date back to the early 1900's, having been made by Mr. Sam Carter in his tailors workshop, which was located behind, what was until a few years ago, the old newsagents shop on Main Road.

Rose Festival has been held at various venues, Dromedary Farm, about 60 times on the Crown or Hall field situated next to the Old Village Hall opposite the Crown Hotel, 1975-85 on Mill Lane field (School Playing Field) and since 1986 on its present site at the Infant School/Village Hall field which provides modern well equipped facilities.

As can be seen from that early report in 1908, the weather has not always been kind to Goostrey Rose Festival but it never seemed to dampen the spirits. In 19 the Festival was cancelled through bad weather, and even on that day the sports events, which were a regular feature of Rose Day at that time, commenced at 6 pm. Later, in 1983, shortly after the procession started from Booth Bed Lane the heavens opened and costumes, children, spectators and all were thoroughly soaked - the floats nearly floated and the day was a washout! The reaction was a 'Rose Day Replay', held on a smaller scale, on the Village Hall field on a beautiful July day. The result was a happy crowning of the Goostrey Rose Queen well supported by visiting Queens and their retinues.

Over the period of a hundred years there have been several methods of choosing the Rose Queen. Miss Marian Marlor, was chosen by the children of the Village School in 1907 when she was seven years old. This method of choosing appears to have continued for several years, but the age of girls was varied to between twelve to fifteen years of age. Later all girls in the village between twelve and fifteen years of age were eligible for selection by the Rose Festival Committee. This method was followed by one where girls wishing to be Rose Queen submitted their names to the Secretary of the Rose Festival and a secret ballot was then held among the Committee in April or May, and an Independent Teller was appointed to count the votes and announce the chosen Queen.

An interesting feature is the fact that it was an un-written rule that committee members did not discuss who they voted for. That method of election continued until 1956. Later the Queen, a 13 year old who had participated in three previous Rose Festivals, was chosen at the Rose Queen Dance held in the Village Hall in February and more recently the day of the parties. Similarly today there is an independent panel of Judges, their identities being unknown until their arrival at the Hall, when, as well as choosing the Queen, her attendants are also selected.

A typical Rose Festival Day was Saturday, 26th June 1976, which started for the Queen, Miss Paula Francis, with the adornment of the front door of her home with rose garlands and from then onwards is was very exciting day. The procession was led by a tableau of girls and proceed from Booth Bed Lane through the Village in its traditional order of bands, retiring Queen, floats, Morris dancing troupes and dressed characters, all preceding the Queen elect in her landau accompanied by her train bearers.

At the Church the Queen elect performed her first duty by laying a wreath in memory of the dead of the village in the two World Wars and an interdenominational blessing was given. From here the procession made its way to the Mill Lane field , where the Queen elect was crowned, and the many characters presented to her. The day continued with the children performing traditional dances, and Morris dancing troupes competing from as far afield as Derbyshire, Lancashire and North Wales, Side shows, teas were also available on the field of festivities and the day culminated in a marquee dance for the village and visiting guests.

In preparing this history an effort has been made to portray the feeling of a major event in the life of the Village. Information about the Festival has been obtained from the records of past Secretaries, committee members past and present and local personalities. Thanks are due to them all for the wealth of stories and information over the many years of Rose Festival. Unfortunately, it is not possible to include everything in this short history.