Red Roses For Me

Happy Lancashire Day!

Yes, it's the 27th of November, the day when Lancashire first sent representatives to Parliament in 1295, and accordingly the day when we celebrate everything that is great and good about the Red Rose County. I headed down to Market Square after work to see the proclamation read out by our local cryer, Frank:

Know ye that this day, November 27th in the year of our Lord 2010, the 59th year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Duke of Lancaster, is Lancashire Day.

Know ye also, and rejoice, that by virtue of Her Majesty's County Palatine of Lancaster, the citizens of the Hundreds of Lonsdale, North and South of the Sands, Amounderness, Leyland, Blackburn, Salford and West Derby are forever entitled to style themselves Lancastrians.

Throughout the County Palatine, from the Furness fells to the River Mersey, from the Irish Sea to the Pennines, this day shall ever mark the peoples' pleasure in that excellent distinction - true Lancastrians, proud of the Red Rose and loyal to our Sovereign Duke.

GOD BLESS LANCASHIRE, AND GOD SAVE THE QUEEN, DUKE OF LANCASTER.

In the same spirit, I'd like to invite blippers the world over to add a splash of Lancastrian culture to their lives on this fine day. Why not try a bit of Bury black pudding for your tea, or knock up a traditional hotpot? Failing that, an Eccles cake or Chorley cake for dessert would go down a treat.

If I can't tempt you with culinary delights, then perhaps unleash your inner Lancastrian with a listen to the gradely warblings of the Lancashire Hotpots, or put your feet up and enjoy the adventures of those famous sons of the Red Rose county, Wallace and Gromit.

By 'eck, it's a smashing day.