Jack In The Green, May 2002

We all arrived at "Lavender and Lace" on Friday afternoon, and were welcomed in the usual way by Jean...."It's my boys"...cried she.

This was quite remarkable in that each year we managed to completely cover her bathrooms and
bedding with our green face paint, not to mention our half-naked sprawling on her landing, as we ripped away at foliage to make our headdresses!.

It had been a while since we had met up and we were keen to make the most of it!
Friday night was a chance to catch up with all our Jack In The green pals. Saturday night saw us
demonstrating our inability to dance at the ceilidh on the pier.

But Sunday night was a grotesque display of Gay Bogie Misrule, which included some impromptu
clog "ranting" in George Street and the final dishonor of being kicked out of George Street
Amusement Arcade for terrorizing Bob the builder's digger.

So, we'd got off to a good start and were very excited about seeing our old friend
Jack In The Green once more!
 
         
 
A Bold attempt
at "ranting",
after several
pints of ale		 The evening
degenerates into
mayhem. We were asked to leave!!		 Bright and early
Monday morn,
bit of a miracle
considering !		 All Saints Street,
garlanded and
ready for the
day's festivities		 Jackie, full of
excitement, as
friends start to
arrive.
 
           
 
Graham's first
year at JITG, and
he's taking it all
rather well!		 Julia and Simon,
ready for a day
of indulgence !		 Craig has sorted
out dinner for the
Gay Bogies.....		 Oh, look Spens
found desert!		 The Hastings
Bogies prepare,
as suspense
builds....
 
         
 
The Jack is released, and Mad Jacks
Ladies perform their dance about
him. In a final gesture they
release blossom from their hankies		 The procession
begins, and Jack
leads the revelers.		 Jack is closely
followed
by his Bogie
drummers!

"Tombstone",
beating the hell
out of his drum...
What joy!

 
         
 
Spen looks back
at the winding
procession		 Mick, upstaging
Satan		 Marti and Craig, the
need for alcohol
becoming more
apparent		 The epitome of
Gay Bogie style...
He even walks
elegantly in 'em !		 Spen and
Graham, also
ready for a
pint...
 
         
 
All Saints Street
fills up with
people and
giants!		 The crowd in George St. parts
to allow Jack to
wander freely

Every year we bumped
into this lovely lady, yet
in those days we didn't
even know her name!

 Morris mayhem,
girls on the ale !		 Herne
the Hunter,
looking quite
merry!
 
         
 
The ascent
of the West
Hill Begins		 The
procession
leads way
up front

Marti and Jackie
holding each
other up!

The Old Gods
Live!

 Bob, wearing one of
Simon's Givenchy
castoffs
 
         
 
The most fabulous tattoos on Dave
Lobb		 The drum beat
marks the closing
dance of the day		 Jack comes down
from Bogie Hill,
to perform his
final dance....		 Mad Jacks Men
make a circle,
and the dance
begins		 The dance ends
and the crowd
cheers as Jack
is slain
 
       
Gay Bogies "en masse".
The start of the "Gay Bogie West Hill Group Shot" tradition....
closely followed by more beer and debauchery,
of course!
 
Jack's leaves are distributed to the pleading crowd. A final toast,
Simon, Jackie
and Pete