Blessing of the whitebait catch, 2016

An orchestra playing to open the 2016 Whitebait Festival in Southend.

2016 Whitebait Festival blessing (part 1) in Southend.

2016 Whitebait Festival blessing (part 2) in Southend.

2016 Whitebait Festival ceremony (ceremony) in Southend.

An orchestra playing in the interval of the 2016 Whitebait Festival in Southend.

Grace being said during the 2016 Whitebait Festival in Southend.

Bowl of whitebait

Tom Betts

My location

Whitebait Festival

A recording of the annual service for the whitebait industry in Southend-on-Sea, in response to two previous recordings made in 1972 and 1980.

Religious service held in the Sands Restaurant on the front at Southend-on-Sea to bless the whitebait catch, including hymns and prayers and the ceremonial returning of some fish to the sea. The Whitebait Festival was organised by the Southend Chamber of Trade, Commerce and Industry, which has been running the festival since 1934. Unlike the 1972 service, it could not be held on Southend pier after it was destroyed by fire in 1976.

Creator

Stuart Bowditch

Date of creation

29th September 2016

Place

Southend-on-Sea, Western Esplanade, Sands Restaurant

Copyright

Essex Sound and Video Archive

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