Montana Standard Post, St George’s Day in Butte (1965)

It almost went unnoticed, something that would never have happened in the old days, but Friday, April 23, was St. George Day. In Butte’s earler days, the day was as big in the lives of the English and Cornishmen of Butte as was St. Patrick Day to the Irish, St. George Hall In Centerville was usually the scene of the les activities, which yearly always included a few rounds of Cornish wrestling, Butte had the best in the nation in Cornish wrestling circles in the early 1900s, including Tony Harris, the world champion. Harris was so good the Cornishmen on the Hill raised a fund to bring the world champion, Pierce, from England to meet Harris.

Pierce, however, refused all offers to show his mares in Butte. It was not all wrestling, and soccer for the Cornish on St. George day. Dances in the Hall were highlights, along with singing. The singing gave inspiration to the following poem which we hope we are quoting correctly: Ther repertolre was versatile In old, forgotten days. Their ‘armony was ‘eavenly when singing ‘yms of praise. And, if angels could have heard them, they must have been enthralled by the Cousin Jack Quartet.