Before regular and affordable
public transport and the ownership of private cars, rural communities provided their own entertainment. Unless people were well-off enough to own a horse or
a gig, the only means of transport was their feet, no matter the distance.
After a twelve-hour day of manual work, few people had the inclination to
travel further than necessary.
Like most villages, Preston had
regular dances, concerts, dramatic performances and fetes, and annual
celebrations such as May Day, the Wake Feast and Guy Fawkes' Night were very
popular.
Concerts and dances were held in
the schoolroom. Some were organised as fund-raising initiatives and attracted
attendees from Stratford and beyond.
These attractions were usually held
in winter. During summer, the working day on farms could begin before dawn and
continue until after dusk, and nobody had time to socialise. In winter, when
the workload was much reduced, there was more opportunity for fun.
When the village hall was built in
the 1950s, the social events were held here, but they were now declining in
popularity. Buses, bicycles and cars meant people could easily leave the
village for a night out. Television provided for those who remained at home.
There was no need for village entertainments any more. A concomitant decline in
the sense of community is often lamented by those who remember the 'good old
days'.
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