![](https://www.tumblr.com/widgets/share/tool?posttype=photo&canonicalUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fsibarber.ddns.net%2Farchive%2Ftags%2Fdancing%2Fcontent%2Fimage-by-si-barber-158%2F&content=http%3A%2F%2Fsibarber.ddns.net%2Farchive%2Fstorage%2Fcache%2Fimages%2F026%2F643%2Fbarber-strawbear-molly01-1%2Flarge.1758089267.jpg&caption=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Ca href="http%3A%2F%2Fsibarber.ddns.net%2Farchive%2Ftags%2Fdancing%2Fcontent%2Fimage-by-si-barber-158%2F" title=" "%3E %3C/a%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhittlesey+Straw+Bear%2C+Cambridgeshire.+Originally+held+on+the+first+Monday+in+January%2C+the+event+has+celebrated+the+beginning+of+the+agricultural+year+since+the+Middle+Ages.+Farm+labourers%2C+unemployed+in+the+winter+months+would+black+up+their+faces+to+prevent+identification+and+perform+dances+in+the+town+in+return+for+money+or+food.+%0A+%0ALatterly+considered+begging+and+criminalised+before+making+a+comeback+in+the+1980s+over+the+weekend+of+Epiphanytide%2C+the+StrawBear+would+inevitably+involve+a+number+of+street+fights+and+the+occasional+good+natured+stabbing.+In+the+2000s+as+property+prices+rose+aspirational+people+who+wanted+to+live+in+Cambridge+but+couldn%27t+afford++city+prices+came+to+Whittlesey+and+occupied+the+new+builds.+They+disapproved+of+the+application+of+blackface+and+eventually+achieved+in+getting+it+banned.+These+were+the+same+well+intentioned%2C+but+na%C3%AFve+people+who+supported+the+smoking+ban+which+did+so+damage+to+the+culture+of+England%2C+closing+pubs+like+the+Bricklayers+Arms.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}
Whittlesey Straw Bear, Cambridgeshire. Originally held on the first Monday in January, the event has celebrated the beginning of the agricultural year since the Middle Ages. Farm labourers, unemployed in the winter months would black up their faces to prevent identification and perform dances in the town in return for money or food.
Latterly considered begging and criminalised before making a comeback in the 1980s over the weekend of Epiphanytide, the StrawBear would inevitably involve a number of street fights and the occasional good natured stabbing. In the 2000s as property prices rose aspirational people who wanted to live in Cambridge but couldn't afford city prices came to Whittlesey and occupied the new builds. They disapproved of the application of blackface and eventually achieved in getting it banned. These were the same well intentioned, but naïve people who supported the smoking ban which did so damage to the culture of England, closing pubs like the Bricklayers Arms.