Rose Queen (or Apple Queen,[1] Cotton Queen[2] or Harvest Queen) is a local or regional tradition associated with Whitsun processions[3] or June[4] festivals and fêtes similar to May Queen. Annual civic honorific titles are bestowed by local election to particular individuals, typically local young women.
it is likely the Rose Queen tradition developed simply because it was the wrong time of year for a 'May' Queen. However, beyond the name, there is no discernible difference between the two, and sometimes they exist side-by-side. The Rose Queens main function is to act as a focal point (albeit a relatively inactive one) in the procession or fête to which she is linked, and in some cases to act as a temporary minor celebrity, gracing other local events with her presence during the year of her reign.
History
editIt is a late Victorian invention[6] originating from North West England.[7] In the UK it has taken place in Cheshire,[8][9] Lancashire,[10] Northwich,[11] and Llandudno.[12] In 1928 it was moved to Alexandra Rose Day.[5] In the 20th-century it expanded to Nanterre near Paris.[13] In America, the Rose Queen has been crowned in New York,[14] West Virginia,[15] and Texas Rose Festival.[16]
Today
editPopularity of the tradition has decreased over the years.[17][18] Present day Queen of the Rose Parade is crowned at the annual Rose Parade, Pasadena, California, which remains a major event.[19] Popular saga author Katie Flynn has written a book titled The Rose Queen with the main characters as subjects of the tradition.[20]
See also
edit- Milk Queen
- Rose of Tralee an international pageant
- Walking day
- English rose (epithet)
References
edit- ^ "Apple Queen Is Crowned". The New York Times. 15 October 1973.
- ^ "Making the Mill Girl Modern?". academic.oup.com.
- ^ "A Rose for My Rose". Smile! Reporting Tameside’s Social History Project. 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Rose Queens". Garden Museum.
- ^ a b Roud, Steve (31 January 2008). The English Year. Penguin UK. p. 169. ISBN 978-0-14-191927-0.
- ^ Lezard, Nicholas (26 January 2008). "Saddle up your 'obby 'oss". The Guardian.
- ^ Bowman, Jamie (6 July 2015). "July 6, 1957: The day the Beatles were born". Liverpool Echo.
- ^ "PICTURES: Summer fete was fit for a Rose Queen at Christleton's annual fete". Chester and District Standard.
- ^ "Tilly shines as Whitley Village Rose Queen". Warrington Guardian.
- ^ "Village celebrates its 50th anniversary of crowning a rose queen". Lancashire Telegraph.
- ^ "Weaverham Rose Fete finally crowns its queen after two-year wait". Northwich Guardian.
- ^ "Margaret Rhydwen Jones as Rose Queen, Llandudno - National Portrait Gallery". www.npg.org.uk.
- ^ The Sphere: An Illustrated Newspaper for the Home. 1901.
- ^ "Hofstra Girl Is Rose Queen". The New York Times. 8 June 1953.
- ^ "West Virginia Three Rivers Festival 2023 Senior Queen crowned". Yahoo News.
- ^ Schechter, Alex (2 November 2021). "The Rose Queen of Texas". The New York Times.
- ^ "Looking back: When we made a right royal fuss about rose queens". The Bolton News.
- ^ "1950s, historical, the local Rose Queen, with the train of her dress or gown being carried by young children on a walking day or parade at Farnworth, Lancashire, England, UK. The Rose Queen is a young lady who has been crowned that for the year and it is her honour to lead the procession through the town. They were common in the North West region of England and although their popularity has decreased over the years, they are STLL held annailly in many towns Stock Photo - Alamy".
- ^ "Names: Tournament of Roses. Rose Queen and Royal Court - UCLA Library Digital Collections Search Results". digital.library.ucla.edu.
- ^ Flynn, Katie (6 January 2022). The Rose Queen: The heartwarming romance from the Sunday Times bestselling author. Random House. ISBN 978-1-5291-5624-9.