Hippo Talks: Miners to Monarchy (The History of the Bo’ness Children’s Fair Festival)

Speaker Maria Ford

Let me take you on the journey from the Miners story to the Monarchy. Since the Emancipation of the Miners in the 18th Century the Miners of Bo’ness celebrated by marching in a procession through the streets of Boness. This took place in the month of July each year. In 1897 children were introduced to the celebration, thus creating the Bo’ness Children’s Fair Festival. Bo’ness Fair Day as we know it has continued in the same format since 1897. The people of Bo’ness have viewed the crowning ceremony of 116 elected schoolgirls who were chosen as the Bo’ness Fair Queen from the various schools in Bo’ness.