[1893 Lymm Rushbearing]
Warrington Guardian, 19th August 1893

On Monday the village had quite a deserted aspect. Most of the principal shops and places of business were closed, and the greater portion of the villagers went to Scarborough with the excursion. There is little doubt that, like other such customs, Rushbearing is becoming a thing of the past at Lymm. 
At one time the ceremony was conducted on a large scale, and a deal of interest taken in it, not only by the villagers, but by all residents in the district. Gradually, however, the ceremony became each year less impressive, until at the present time it has been put back to the preceding Saturday, so that it might not interfere with the annual trip that takes place on Rushbearing Monday. Even as it is there is very little left of the old custom, and the actual ceremony of Rushbearing is now conspicuous by its absence. 

The modern version is as follows: between twenty and thirty villagers rise in the small hours of Saturday morning, and having donned fancy costumes, they divide into three parties and proceed into the village, each from a different direction. A kind of morris dance, very pretty in its effect, is executed by each party, and assistance is expected at each house the dancers stop at. 
At nine o'clock the proceedings come to a close, and the morris dancers divide the cash and depart to enjoy themselves for the remainder of the day. 

Such was the ceremony which took place on Saturday, [12th August 1893] and a stranger would certainly have found it difficult to see the connection between it and the old custom. 
Collin's fancy fair occupied one of the large fields outside the village, and was well patronized by young and old alike.

Text from Geoff Bibb's e-book